State rank#30 of 67
Smallest county186,393 residentsMiami-Dade County
Published county profile · Official data · FIPS 12005
Bay County, Florida
County-level income, housing, jobs, education, health, and population with transparent statewide comparisons and source periods.
Population186,393
Household income$73,533
Unemployment3.3%
Life expectancy74.2 years
County overview
Living metrics at a glance
Bay County has 186,393 residents and ranks #30 by population among Florida county equivalents. Median household income is $73,533. The annual-average unemployment rate is 3.3%. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access. Its county population is above the state county median. Every figure below stays at county scope.
Within Florida
County population range
The marker places this county between the smallest and largest county populations in the state.
Relocation guide
Moving to Bay County: what to check
Data narrows the search; municipality, neighborhood, commute, schools, and current listings complete the decision.
Before moving
Before moving, compare municipalities inside Bay County, because county averages do not describe every neighborhood. Review current housing inventory, commute destinations, school districts, healthcare access, and job locations. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access.
Cost and housing
Housing benchmarks are $310,500 median home value and $1,484/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $73,533, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
Who it may suit
Bay County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, unemployment rate, and poor or fair health. College attainment is 29.6% and life expectancy is 74.2 years.
Potential advantages
- Mental health access: 1 per 357 residents, rank #7 of 67 available Florida counties.
- Unemployment rate: 3.3%, rank #11 of 67 available Florida counties.
- Poor or fair health: 16.9%, rank #20 of 67 available Florida counties.
Trade-offs to check
- Life expectancy: 74.2 years, rank #46 of 67; investigate local variation before moving.
- Median gross rent: $1,484/mo, rank #42 of 67; investigate local variation before moving.
- Median home value: $310,500, rank #39 of 67; investigate local variation before moving.
Income, housing, jobs, education & health
County metrics within Florida
Rank and range use only counties in Florida with that field available. A lower rank number is stronger when the metric has a clear direction.
Median household income
$73,533
$73,533; above the state county median of $67,500.
State rank #23 of 67 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median home value
$310,500
$310,500; above the state county median of $276,000.
State rank #39 of 67 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median gross rent
$1,484/mo
$1,484/mo; above the state county median of $1,302/mo.
State rank #42 of 67 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Unemployment rate
3.3%
3.3%; below the state county median of 3.7%.
State rank #11 of 67 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics
Bachelor’s degree or higher
29.6%
29.6%; above the state county median of 27%.
State rank #28 of 67 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Life expectancy
74.2 years
74.2 years; below the state county median of 75.3 years.
State rank #46 of 67 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Poor or fair health
16.9%
16.9%; below the state county median of 19%.
State rank #20 of 67 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Uninsured
13.7%
13.7%; below the state county median of 14%.
State rank #31 of 67 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Primary care access
1 per 1,739 residents
1 per 1,739 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 1,955 residents.
State rank #28 of 65 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Mental health access
1 per 357 residents
1 per 357 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 766 residents.
State rank #7 of 67 · County Health Rankings & RoadmapsCommon questions
Bay County FAQ
Is Bay County a good place to live?
Bay County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, unemployment rate, and poor or fair health. College attainment is 29.6% and life expectancy is 74.2 years.
What should I know before moving to Bay County?
Start with housing, employment, commute, schools, healthcare access, and the specific municipality. Housing benchmarks are $310,500 median home value and $1,484/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $73,533, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the population of Bay County?
Bay County has 186,393 residents in the 2020–2024 ACS 5-year dataset.
What is the FIPS code for Bay County?
The five-digit county FIPS code is 12005; the parent state FIPS is 12.
What is the median household income in Bay County?
The ACS median household income is $73,533.
How much does housing cost in Bay County?
Housing benchmarks are $310,500 median home value and $1,484/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $73,533, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the unemployment rate in Bay County?
The BLS LAUS annual-average unemployment rate is 3.3%.
Similar population
Nearby counties in the state ranking
Source and gate
Methodology and source periods
All records join by five-digit FIPS. Profiles publish when ACS county population is at least 100,000 or the county is the state’s largest. Missing source values remain unavailable and are excluded from ranks. Runtime data was generated 2026-07-26.
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