32909 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
32404
32909
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 44%
vs48 · Bottom 35%
Growth
65 · Top 22%
vs71 · Top 14%
Climate
82 · Top 12%
vs83 · Top 10%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 7%
vs19 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 47%
vs79 · Bottom 48%
Schools
39 · Bottom 34%
vs52 · Top 49%
Access
91 · Bottom 45%
vs96 · Top 33%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 43%
vs56 · Bottom 42%
Measured values
| Metric | 32404 | 32909 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,514 | 41,804 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,708 | $79,977 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,098 | $40,427 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 315/sq mi | 725/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $273,500 | $307,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,399 | $1,535 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.2% | 82.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.4% | 23.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 247 | 2,451 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.1 | 18.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -7.1% | -16.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 45°F | 52°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 30.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.34 | 17.57 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 50.3% | 55.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 48.0% | 54.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.5% | 49.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
32404
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
32909
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 32404 — Panama City, FL · 32909 — Palm Bay, FL · How this is calculated: methodology