Panama City-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
Punta Gorda
Panama City-Panama City Beach
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 21%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Growth
79 · Top 6%
vs75 · Top 11%
Climate
80 · Top 6%
vs82 · Top 3%
Physical resilience
3 · Bottom 1%
vs9 · Bottom 2%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 8%
vs73 · Bottom 15%
Access
87 · Top 31%
vs98 · Top 8%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 33%
vs46 · Bottom 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Punta Gorda | Panama City-Panama City Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 201,064 | 211,922 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,952 | $71,514 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,592 | $39,174 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 295/sq mi | 158/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $328,900 | $294,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,464 | $1,456 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.8% | 68.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.0% | 27.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 12.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,186 | 2,126 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 15.8 | 10.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.5% | -12.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 51°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 59.9 | 41.1 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Punta Gorda
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Panama City-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.
Punta Gorda
56
Your Score
51
Area Score
Panama City-Panama City Beach
62
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Punta Gorda, FL Metro Area · Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology