Signals
Upper Grand Lagoon
Panama City Beach
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs61 · Top 40%
Climate
82 · Top 12%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs11 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 31%
vs55 · Bottom 15%
Access
96 · Top 31%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 40%
vs48 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Upper Grand Lagoon | Panama City Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,232 | 18,971 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $82,157 | $80,941 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,446 | $52,188 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,126/sq mi | 982/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $373,200 | $441,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,667 | $1,791 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.3% | 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 | 37.0% | 38.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 10.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| 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 | 21.4 min | 22.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.8 | 45.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.50 | 17.55 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 33.3% | 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
Upper Grand Lagoon
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.
Upper Grand Lagoon
62
Your Score
—
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: Upper Grand Lagoon, FL · Panama City Beach, FL · How this is calculated: methodology