Panama City Beach receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Panama City Beach
Cape Coral
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs50 · Bottom 38%
Growth
59 · Top 34%
vs65 · Top 24%
Climate
78 · Top 21%
vs81 · Top 16%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs5 · Bottom 1%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 15%
vs56 · Bottom 15%
Schools
61 · Top 38%
vs61 · Top 38%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 29%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Panama City Beach | Cape Coral | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,971 | 215,536 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,941 | $78,104 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,188 | $40,880 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 982/sq mi | 2,029/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $441,300 | $373,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,791 | $1,858 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.2% | 77.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.0% | 26.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 10.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 66 | 2,123 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.5 | 9.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -14.3% | -21.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 54°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 59.5" | 57.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 31.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.4 | 48.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.55 | 20.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 63.6% | 64.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 57.5% | 60.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.3% | 43.2% | 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
Panama City Beach
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Cape Coral
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Panama City Beach
59
Your Score
55
Area Score
Cape Coral
57
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Panama City Beach, FL · Cape Coral, FL · How this is calculated: methodology