32909 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
32909
32404
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 35%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Growth
71 · Top 14%
vs65 · Top 22%
Climate
83 · Top 10%
vs82 · Top 12%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 12%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 48%
vs82 · Top 47%
Schools
52 · Top 49%
vs39 · Bottom 34%
Access
96 · Top 33%
vs91 · Bottom 45%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 42%
vs56 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | 32909 | 32404 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,804 | 42,514 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,977 | $74,708 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,427 | $34,098 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 725/sq mi | 315/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $307,100 | $273,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,535 | $1,399 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.7% | 69.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.8% | 23.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 10.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,451 | 247 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 18.8 | 7.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.1% | -7.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.9 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.57 | 18.34 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 55.5% | 50.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.0% | 48.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 49.5% | 44.5% | 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
32909
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
32404
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 32909 — Palm Bay, FL · 32404 — Panama City, FL · How this is calculated: methodology