Bay County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

on the

Emerald Coast The Emerald Coast is an unofficial name for the coastal area in the US state of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico that stretches about through five counties, Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay, which include Pensacola Beach, Nava ...

Northwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 175,216. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

Panama City Panama City ( es, Ciudad de Panamá, links=no; ), also known as Panama (or Panamá in Spanish), is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has an urban population of 880,691, with over 1.5 million in its metropolitan area. The city is locat ...

. Bay County is included in the Panama City, Florida

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

History

On February 12, 1913, representatives from five towns on St. Andrews Bay met in Panama City to select a name for a proposed new county. The name Bay was selected because it was satisfactory to the majority of the citizens and descriptive of the territory that would be included. On July 1, 1913, the Legislature created Bay County from portions of Washington, Calhoun and Walton counties. Panama City was where '' Gideon v. Wainwright'', a 1963 US Supreme Court decision that gave all persons accused of a crime the right to an attorney paid for by the government, originated.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Adjacent counties

* Washington County - north * Jackson County - northeast * Calhoun County - east * Gulf County - southeast * Walton County - west

National protected area

Apalachicola National Forest The Apalachicola National Forest is the largest U.S. National Forest in the state of Florida. It encompasses and is the only national forest located in the Florida Panhandle. The National Forest provides water and land-based outdoors activities s ...

(part)

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 175,216 people, 73,536 households, and 47,432 families residing in the county. As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 148,217 people, 59,597 households, and 40,466 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was 194 people per square mile (75/km²). There were 78,435 housing units at an average density of 103 per square mile (40/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 84.17%

White White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 10.64%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 0.78% Native American, 1.73% Asian, 0.08%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Ocea ...

, 0.66% from other races, and 1.94% from two or more races. 2.42% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. There were 59,597 households, out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.00% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 12.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.10% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.92. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.00% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 30.20% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males. The median income for a household in the county was $36,092, and the median income for a family was $42,729. Males had a median income of $30,116 versus $21,676 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $18,700. About 9.80% of families and 13.00% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 18.30% of those under age 18 and 11.00% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Elected Officials

Board of Commissioners

5 members, elected from districts (zero Democrats, five Republicans)

Politics

Voter registration

According to the Secretary of State's office, Republicans are a majority of the registered voters in Bay County.

Statewide elections

Education

Bay District Schools Bay District Schools is a school district headquartered in Panama City, Florida, United States. The district serves all of Bay County except for Mexico Beach, which is served by Gulf County Schools. School uniforms Students at all schools excep ...

operates public schools serving all portions of the county except Mexico Beach, which is served by Gulf County Schools.

Schools in Bay County

Pre-K – 12 schools

Deane Bozeman School North Bay Haven Charter Academy Palm Bay Preparatory Academy

PreK-8 Schools

Breakfast Point Academy Bay Haven Charter Academy University Academy

High schools

*;Zoned J. R. Arnold High School (Panama City Beach) Bay High School (Panama City) A. Crawford Mosley High School (Lynn Haven) Rutherford High School (Springfield) *;Optional A.D. Harris High School (Panama City) Haney Technical High School (Panama City) New Horizons Learning Center (Lynn Haven) Rosenwald High School (Panama City)

Middle schools

Jinks Middle School Merritt Brown Middle School Mowat Middle School Surfside Middle School (Panama City Beach)

Elementary schools

Callaway Elementary School Cedar Grove Elementary School Deer Point Elementary School Hiland Park Elementary School Hutchison Beach Elementary School (Panama City Beach) Lucille Moore Elementary School Lynn Haven Elementary School M. Cherry Street Elementary School Millville Elementary School Northside Elementary School Oakland Terrace Elementary School Parker Elementary School Patronis Elementary School (Panama City Beach) Patterson Elementary School Southport Elementary School St. Andrew Elementary School Tommy Smith Elementary School Tyndall Elementary School Waller Elementary School West Bay Elementary School

Public transportation

Airports

The Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport opened for commercial flights in 2010. It connects the region to several major airports in the South and Midwest.

Public surface transportation

The county operates the Baytown Trolley, which runs several routes in and around Panama City. The county also have a greyhound in Panama City.

Library

Bay County is part of the

Northwest Regional Library System The 'Northwest Regional Library System(NWRLS) is a public library system that serves Bay, Gulf, and Liberty Counties in Florida. History The first library in Bay County was established in 1911. It was located in Lynn Haven. The library was ...

(NWRLS), which also serves Gulf and

Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...

Counties. The Bay County Public Library is the headquarters library for the system. The Bay County Board of Commissioners is the system's governing authority and single administrative unit. Locations: * Bay County Public Library * Panama City Beach Public Library * Parker Public Library * Springfield Public Library * Gulf County Public Library * Charles Whitehead Public Library * Harrell Memorial Library of Liberty County * Jimmy Weaver Memorial Library * Bay County Law Library (at the Bay County Public Library)

Communities

Cities

* Callaway * Lynn Haven * Mexico Beach *

Panama City Beach Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

Parker Parker may refer to: Persons * Parker (given name) * Parker (surname) Places Place names in the United States *Parker, Arizona *Parker, Colorado *Parker, Florida *Parker, Idaho *Parker, Kansas *Parker, Missouri *Parker, North Carolina *Parker, Pe ...

* Springfield

Census-designated places

* Cedar Grove *

Laguna Beach Laguna Beach (; ''Laguna'', Spanish for "Lagoon") is a seaside resort city located in southern Orange County, California, in the United States. It is known for its mild year-round climate, scenic coves, environmental preservation efforts, and ...

* Lower Grand Lagoon * Pretty Bayou *

Tyndall AFB Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt. Frank Benjamin Tyndall. The base operating unit and host wing is the 325th Fighter Wing (325 ...

* Upper Grand Lagoon

Unincorporated communities

* Bayou George * Cedar Grove *

Fountain A fountain, from the Latin "fons" (genitive "fontis"), meaning source or spring, is a decorative reservoir used for discharging water. It is also a structure that jets water into the air for a decorative or dramatic effect. Fountains were or ...

* Glenwood * Millville * Sand Hills *

Santa Monica Santa Monica (; Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing to ...

Southport Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England. Southport lies on the Iris ...

* Sunnyside * Vicksburg *

Youngstown Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County. At the 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of the Youngstown–Warren metropolitan area, whi ...

Former Census-designated places

* Hiland Park

Notes

References

External links

Government links/Constitutional offices

Bay County Board of County Commissioners

Bay County Supervisor of Elections

Bay County Property Appraiser

Bay County Sheriff's Office

Bay County Tax Collector

Special districts

Bay District Schools

Beach Mosquito Control District

Northwest Florida Water Management District

Panama City-Bay County Airport and Industrial District

Judicial branch

Bay County Clerk of Courts

Circuit and County Court for the 14th Judicial Circuit of Florida
serving Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties

Tourism links

Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau

News media

''Panama City News Herald''

94.5 WFLA - FOX NEWS RADIO

WYOO Talk Radio 101

WMBB TV 13

WJHG TV 7
{{authority control Florida counties 1913 establishments in Florida Populated places established in 1913 North Florida