Palm Bay 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
Palm Bay
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 38%
vs47 · Bottom 30%
Growth
66 · Top 23%
vs72 · Top 15%
Climate
82 · Top 12%
vs83 · Top 10%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs19 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 31%
vs70 · Bottom 35%
Schools
34 · Bottom 28%
vs43 · Bottom 39%
Access
95 · Top 36%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 22%
vs50 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Panama City | Palm Bay | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,979 | 130,132 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,265 | $72,614 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,881 | $34,813 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 986/sq mi | 1,501/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $268,900 | $283,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,327 | $1,601 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.3% | 79.7% | 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 | 26.4% | 24.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.6% | 11.7% | 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 | 15 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 29.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 41.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 33 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.49 | 16.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 48.0% | 51.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.7% | 52.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.3% | 51.9% | 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
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Palm Bay
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.
Panama City
56
Your Score
52
Area Score
Palm Bay
60
Your Score
55
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Panama City, FL · Palm Bay, FL · How this is calculated: methodology