Lynn Haven receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lynn Haven
Panama City Beach
Opportunity
60 · Top 41%
vs61 · Top 40%
Growth
64 · Top 26%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate
82 · Top 12%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs11 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 45%
vs55 · Bottom 15%
Schools
51 · Bottom 49%
vs61 · Top 38%
Access
96 · Top 30%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
72 · Top 24%
vs48 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Lynn Haven | Panama City Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,081 | 18,971 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,973 | $80,941 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,630 | $52,188 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,908/sq mi | 982/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $320,000 | $441,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,563 | $1,791 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.4% | 59.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.5% | 38.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.5% | 10.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 205 | 66 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.2 | 3.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -39.9% | -14.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 45°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 22.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 45.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.63 | 17.55 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 58.4% | 63.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 55.2% | 57.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.8% | 36.3% | 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
Lynn Haven
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Panama City Beach
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lynn Haven
64
Your Score
58
Area Score
Panama City Beach
59
Your Score
55
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lynn Haven, FL · Panama City Beach, FL · How this is calculated: methodology