What is the largest city in Bay County, FL?

Panama City is the largest city or town in Bay County, with about 34,979 residents.

How many ZIP codes are in Bay County?

Bay County includes 12 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 32401, 32403, 32404, 32405, 32407.

What is the population of Bay County, FL?

About 186,393 people live in Bay County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

What counties border Bay County?

Bay County borders Walton County, Jackson County, Washington County, Gulf County, Calhoun County.

Bay County, FL: Cities, ZIP Codes & Local Data

Population

186,393

Land area

759sq mi

People per sq mi

246

ZIP codes

12

Bay County at a glance

Bay County is 41% less dense than Florida as a whole.
The median household income is $73,533, close to the Florida median.
A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $310,500 (14% below Florida) and median rent is $1,484 a month.
Its largest cities are Panama City (34,979), Lynn Haven (20,081) and Panama City Beach (18,971).

Local data for Bay County, FL

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Bay County, FL, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$73,533

Poverty rate

11.9%

Median home value

$310,500

Prices +2.4% in a year

Median rent

$1,484/mo

Homeownership

66.8%

Bachelor's or higher

29.6%

Median age

41.0

Average commute

23.9 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: Irish Americans (20,511), German Americans (19,790), Italian Americans (7,156).

Home values and rents Income, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, income, federal spending and pandemic loans

Details

Unemployment rate

4.4%

Aug 2026, +0.2 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$55,560

83,251 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$58,101

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$2.3B

FY 2026, $13,269 per person

PPP loans

$375M

5,905 loans, 48,850 jobs reported

Campaign donations

$1.8M

Itemized, 2026 cycle

Economy Federal spending PPP loans

How people get to work

Bay County, FL, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

Drove alone75.1%
Carpooled11.5%
Public transit0.3%
Walked1.1%
Bicycle0.5%
Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other1.4%
Worked from home10.1%

Average one-way commute: 23.9 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Bay County, FL, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Moderate

Top: hurricane

Storm events since 1996

802

Most often thunderstorm wind

Flood insurance policies

13,382

17.9% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

91° / 43°F

61.3 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm history Check a flood zone 7 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Bay County, FL, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

33.4%

U.S. 33.3% about the same

Diabetes

11.9%

U.S. 12.1% about the same

Smoking

14.6%

U.S. 12.8% +1.8 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

12.5%

U.S. 11.1% +1.4 pts

Cities, towns and ZIP codes in Bay County

Population shown

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Bay County, FL?: Panama City is the largest city or town in Bay County, with about 34,979 residents.
How many ZIP codes are in Bay County?: Bay County includes 12 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 32401, 32403, 32404, 32405, 32407.
What is the population of Bay County, FL?: About 186,393 people live in Bay County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What counties border Bay County?: Bay County borders Walton County, Jackson County, Washington County, Gulf County, Calhoun County.