Panama City Beach is a
resort town
A resort town, often called a resort city or resort destination, is an urban area where tourism or vacationing is the primary component of the local culture and economy. A typical resort town has one or more actual resorts in the surrounding ...
in
Bay County Bay County is the name of three counties:
* Bay County, Florida, United States
* Bay County, Michigan, United States
* Baicheng County
Baicheng County () as the official romanized name, also transliterated from Uyghur as Bay County (pronounced l ...
,
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, and to ...
, United States, on the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
coast. As of the
2010 census it had a population of 12,018.
The city is often referred to under the umbrella term of "
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 ...
". Panama City Beach's slogan is "The World's Most Beautiful Beaches" due to the unique, sugar-white sandy beaches of
northwest Florida
The Florida Panhandle (also West Florida and Northwest Florida) is the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Florida; it is a salient roughly long and wide, lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia on the north, and the G ...
.
Panama City Beach is a popular vacation destination, especially among people in the
Southern United States
The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
. The town is also a popular
spring break destination, due to its beach and proximity to most of the Southern United States. The first two seasons of MTV’s
Floribama Shore
''Floribama Shore'' is an American reality television series that premiered on MTV on November 27, 2017, as a successor to ''Jersey Shore''. The series was set in the Florida Panhandle along the beach that stretches all the way to Alabama. ''Flori ...
were filmed in the town.
History
Real estate boom
A construction boom in the early to mid-2000s changed the image of the area due to the older homes and motels being replaced with high-rise condominiums and more expansive homes. However, this is turning unobstructed, low-rise beach views and affordable waterfront property into rarities. At the peak of the real estate boom, many beachfront properties had quadrupled or more in value since 2000. In November 2006 CNN/Money named Panama City Beach the No. 1 real estate market in America for the next five years in. Beachfront property has sold for upwards of $60,000 per "front foot" (linear foot) at the top of the market. The downturn in the U.S. real estate market in 2007, combined with a surge of new condo construction, brought spiraling prices somewhat under control. With the real estate boom, Panama City Beach became a well known destination for spring break.
Category 5 Hurricane Michael
Hurricane Michael was a very powerful and destructive tropical cyclone that became the first Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the contiguous United States since Andrew in 1992. It was the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane to ma ...
made landfall near
Mexico Beach
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...
in
Bay County Bay County is the name of three counties:
* Bay County, Florida, United States
* Bay County, Michigan, United States
* Baicheng County
Baicheng County () as the official romanized name, also transliterated from Uyghur as Bay County (pronounced l ...
on October 10, 2018, becoming one of the strongest and most-destructive hurricanes in American history as it destroyed a large part of the county, including many structures in Mexico Beach and Panama City.
An EF-0 tornado did minor damage to the northwest part of Panama City Beach, Florida on February 15th.
Geography
Panama City Beach is located at (30.207362, −85.851485).
The city is located in the
panhandle
A salient (also known as a panhandle or bootheel) is an elongated protrusion of a geopolitical entity, such as a subnational entity or a sovereign state.
While similar to a peninsula in shape, a salient is most often not surrounded by water on ...
on the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
. The main roads through the city are
U.S. Route 98
U.S. Route 98 (US 98) is an east–west United States Highway in the Southeastern United States that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola and Apalachicola, Florida, and has sinc ...
and
Florida State Road 30
State Road 30 (SR 30) is the mostly hidden Florida Department of Transportation designation for most of U.S. Route 98 in Florida, US 98 from the Florida-Alabama state line to east of Perry, Florida.
In a 14-mile-long stretch west of Panama City ...
. US 98 runs from northwest to southeast just inland from the coast, leading east 10 mi (16 km) to
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 ...
and northwest 47 mi (76 km) to
Destin. FL-30 runs along the coast from northwest to southeast as Front Beach Rd, leading east to Panama City and northwest 15 mi (24 km) to
Rosemary Beach
Rosemary Beach is an unincorporated planned community in Walton County, Florida, United States on a beach side road, CR 30A, on the Gulf Coast.
Rosemary Beach is developed on land originally part of the older Inlet Beach neighborhood. The town ...
. There are approximately of shoreline in Panama City Beach fronting the Gulf of Mexico.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of — is land and (1.17%) is water.
Demographics
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 incl ...
of 2010, there were 12,018 people, 5,417 households, and 3,068 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: 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 term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 653.2 persons per square mile (252.5/km). There were 17,141 housing units at an average density of 931.6 houses per square mile (360.1/km). The racial makeup of the city was 89.5%
White
White is the 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 reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 2.3%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native, 2.7%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
and 3.1% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 5.8% of the population.
There were 5,417 households, out of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were headed by
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, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.4% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22, and the average family size was 2.76.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.0% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.
Ancestries: English (17.7%), German (17.4%), Irish (14.8%), United States (11.1%), Italian (3.6%), French (3.1%).
At the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the city was $41,198, and the median income for a family was $49,127. Males had a median income of $32,459 versus $22,358 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 city was $26,734. About 2.2% of families and 5.0% 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 t ...
, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The City of Panama City Beach has a
council–manager government
The council–manager government is a form of local government used for municipalities, counties, or other equivalent regions. It is one of the two most common forms of local government in the United States along with the mayor–council govern ...
. The Mayor sits as a Council member-at-large and presides over
City Council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...
meetings. If the Mayor cannot preside over a City Council meeting, then the Vice Mayor is the
presiding officer of the meeting until the Mayor returns to his seat. The City Manager is responsible for the administration and the day-to-day operation of all of the
municipal services
Municipal services or city services refer to basic services that residents of a city expect to the city government to provide in exchange for the taxes which citizens pay. Basic city services may include sanitation (both sewer and refuse), wate ...
and city departments. The City Manager also maintains intergovernmental relationships with federal, state, county and other
local government
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
s.
The primary law enforcement agency in the city is the Panama City Beach Police Department. Part of the City is in unincorporated Bay County and is under the jurisdiction of the Bay County Sheriff's Office.
City council
*
Mark Sheldon
Mark may refer to:
Currency
* Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
* East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic
* Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927
* Fin ...
– Mayor (term expires in 2024)
Services
* Panama City Beach Police Department
* Panama City Beach Fire Rescue
Education
Primary and secondary
public education
State schools (in England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand) or public schools (Scottish English and North American English) are generally primary or secondary schools that educate all students without charge. They are funded in whole or in pa ...
is provided by the
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 ...
(BDS).
The
Gulf Coast State College
Gulf Coast State College is a public college in Panama City, Florida. It is part of the Florida College System and offers the Associate of Arts degree, Associate of Science degree, certificates, and as of 2011, bachelor's degrees.
History
The ...
is located in
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 ...
, just across the Hathaway Bridge from Panama City Beach.
The
Florida State University Panama City
Florida State University Panama City (commonly referred to as FSU Panama City, Florida State PC or FSUPC) is located from the Tallahassee campus in Panama City, Florida. Established in 1982, the campus serves more than 4,000 students supported by ...
branch campus is also located in
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 ...
, just across the
Hathaway Bridge from Panama City Beach.
Transportation
The new
Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport
Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is a public airport northwest of Panama City, Florida, United States, in Bay County. The airport is owned by the Panama City-Bay County Airport & Industrial District, and is north of Panama City ...
provides commercial flights into the area. The airport serves private aircraft, domestic passenger flights, and freight/cargo flights. It is the first international airport to be constructed after the
September 11 terrorist attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial ...
. Other modes of transportation include scooters, which can be rented by the day, as well as taxi and shuttle companies, which are permitted by the local police.
Panama City Beach also has a
road trolley system available which runs hourly.
The Bay Town Trolley system runs throughout the county giving its tourists and locals the resource they need to get around Bay County.
Major highways
*
US 98
U.S. Route 98 (US 98) is an east–west United States Highway in the Southeastern United States that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola and Apalachicola, Florida, and has sinc ...
is an east-west highway running along the
Gulf Coast
The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal states that have a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico are Texas, Louisiana, Mississ ...
. It is the main route to
Destin and to
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 ...
proper.
*
State Road 79 is a north-south highway that starts in Panama City Beach and heads north to
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
and on to the
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
state line.
*
State Road 30, formerly US 98 Alt, also named Front Beach Road, is an east-west highway that runs mostly along the beach front, beginning and ending at US 98.
Sports
The city was home to the
Panama City Beach Pirates, a fourth-division soccer team from 2007–2015.
It is also notable that
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nation ...
held their last
WCW Nitro
''WCW Monday Nitro'', also known as ''WCW Nitro'' or simply ''Nitro'', is an American professional wrestling television program that was produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and broadcast weekly every Monday night on TNT in the United ...
event in Panama City Beach.
WCW was bought out by their rival competition
WWF (now WWE).
Recreation
*
Frank Brown Park
Gallery
Image:Emerald Coast.jpg, The city lies on Florida's "Emerald Coast" of the Gulf of Mexico
Image:PanamaCityBeach.jpg, Clear waters as seen from Pier Park's pier
Image:Ripley'sMuseumPanamaCityBeach.jpg, "Ripley's Believe it or Not!
''Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' is an American franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims. Originally a newspaper panel, the ''Believe It or Not'' feat ...
" museum, a tourist attraction
Image:Front Beach Road.jpg, Looking down on Front Beach Road
In popular culture
* Panama City Beach is the setting for the 2015 film ''
Dancin': It's On!''
*
Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally
Thunder Beach is a biannual motorcycle rally in Panama City Beach, Florida that first began in 1999 in the Tiki Bar at the Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort, as an event named "The Bike & Beach Bash".
The motorcycle rally attracted 65,000 people in ...
References
External links
Official websitePanama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau*
{{authority control
Cities in Bay County, Florida
Populated coastal places in Florida on the Gulf of Mexico
Seaside resorts in Florida
Populated places established in 1977
Cities in Florida