Signals
Panama City Beach
Murrells Inlet
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs71 · Top 21%
Climate
78 · Top 21%
vs85 · Top 9%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs20 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 15%
vs60 · Bottom 20%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs94 · Top 43%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 29%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Panama City Beach | Murrells Inlet | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,971 | 10,044 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,941 | $77,438 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,188 | $69,195 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 982/sq mi | 1,373/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $441,300 | $366,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,791 | $1,751 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.2% | 86.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.0% | 42.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 7.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 59.5" | 48.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 23.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.4 | 60.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.55 | 16.35 | 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.
Murrells Inlet
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
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Panama City Beach
59
Your Score
55
Area Score
Murrells Inlet
61
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Panama City Beach, FL · Murrells Inlet, SC · How this is calculated: methodology