Bay County, Florida Income Statistics
Bay County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Bay County Below averageWealthier than 70% of counties in Florida
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Bay County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $73,432 | $74,580 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $51,265 | $52,322 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.3% | 5.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.8% | 11.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 9.2% | 11.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Bay County is about 2% lower than in Florida. Income has been growing slower in Bay County (5.3%/yr) than in Florida (5.4%/yr).
About 12% of adults in Bay County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, about the same as the Florida average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Bay County, Florida grew by 58.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $73,432 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Bay County
| Metric | Bay County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.529 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $61,060 | $60,595 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $48,118 | $50,762 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 21.2% | 16.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Bay County, it is 0.529, lower than Florida's 0.551, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 27% more than women's income in Bay County, Florida. Over a 35-year career, a 27% wage gap accumulates to roughly $452,970 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Bay County, Florida has narrowed from about 24% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 20% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,149 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Bay County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.1% | 15.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 3,650 people are unemployed in Bay County, Florida.
The average commute time in Bay County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Florida.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Bay County, Florida has fallen from 7.8% to 3.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.6% in 2014 and fell as low as 3.5% in 2023.
Bay County, FL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Bay County, FL is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 186,393 residents against a local median of 19,513. Bay County, FL's median household income, at $73,432, runs 23% above the $59,460 typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 3.8% against a local median of 4.5%, 15% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Bay County, FL is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread $34,832 on median household income, so Bay County, FL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Bay County, FL has the 2nd highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay County, FL | 186,393 | $73,432 #2/6 | 5.3%/yr #4/6 | 3.8% #3/6 | 0.529 #1/6 |
| Gulf County, FL | 15,130 | $62,079 | 5.6%/yr | 2.6% | 0.597 |
| Washington County, FL | 25,529 | $59,460 | 5.8%/yr | 3.6% | 0.574 |
| Calhoun County, FL | 13,492 | $50,996 | 4.0%/yr | 8.0% | 0.601 |
| Walton County, FL | 82,948 | $83,983 | 7.6%/yr | 4.8% | 0.543 |
| Holmes County, FL | 19,513 | $49,151 | 3.4%/yr | 4.5% | 0.569 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Bay County, Florida has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Florida, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Bay County, Florida.
How Rich Is Bay County, Florida?
Bay County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $73,432, about 2% lower than the Florida average of $74,580.
Are incomes growing in Bay County, Florida?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Bay County, Florida rose 59%, from $46,292 to $73,432. Over the same years, income here outpaced Florida as a whole: +59% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Bay County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Bay County, Florida was $70,002, up 6% from $66,148 in 2022. The Florida median that year was $71,864.
What was the median household income in Bay County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Bay County, Florida was $57,068. By 2024 it had risen 29% to $73,432.
Is it hard to find a job in Bay County, Florida?
Unemployment in Bay County, Florida is only 3.8%, well below the Florida rate of 4.8%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Bay County, Florida?
The Gini coefficient in Bay County is 0.529. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Bay County, Florida?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Bay County, Florida has narrowed from about 24% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 20% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,149 since 2009.
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