Wildwood-The Villages receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Wildwood-The Villages
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent
Opportunity
57 · Top 47%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
86 · Top 2%
vs69 · Top 20%
Climate
81 · Top 4%
vs81 · Top 5%
Physical resilience
26 · Bottom 15%
vs16 · Bottom 6%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 15%
vs84 · Bottom 24%
Access
74 · Bottom 46%
vs78 · Top 47%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 34%
vs54 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Wildwood-The Villages | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 143,408 | 524,395 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,508 | $75,967 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,030 | $39,071 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 257/sq mi | 314/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $385,400 | $286,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,269 | $1,354 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 87.6% | 70.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.8% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.7% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.3% | 30.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.7% | 12.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,936 | 3,748 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 27.4 | 7.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 4.2% | 8.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.8" | 68.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 50 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 27.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 68.5 | 39.0 | 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
Wildwood-The Villages
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, strong wind.
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent
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.
Wildwood-The Villages
63
Your Score
62
Area Score
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent
61
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Wildwood-The Villages, FL Metro Area · Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology