Panama City Beach, Florida
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Panama City Beach is a resort town in the
Florida Panhandle The Florida panhandle (also known as West Florida and Northwest Florida) is the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Florida. It is a Salient (geography), salient roughly long, bordered by Alabama on the west and north, Georgia (U.S. state ...
, and principal city of the Panama City Metropolitan Area. It is a popular vacation destination, especially among people in the Southern United States, and is located in the "Emerald Coast" area. Panama City Beach had a population of 18,094 at the time of the 2020 census, up from 12,018 in 2010. Panama City Beach's slogan is "The World's Most Beautiful Beaches" due to the unique, sugar-white sandy beaches of the Florida Panhandle. The town is also a popular
spring break Spring break is a vacation period at universities and schools that includes the Easter holiday, and takes place in early Northern Hemisphere spring. Introduced in the U.S. during the 1930s, spring break has been observed in Europe since t ...
destination, due to its beach and proximity to most of the
Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is List of regions of the United States, census regions defined by the United States Cens ...
. Panama City Beach has dangerous rip currents. Multiple people have drowned at Panama City Beach while struggling against rip currents. Sea conditions are particularly dangerous during periods when lifeguards have put up double red flags, indicating active rip currents. Drowning often occurs when people attempt to swim directly against a rip current. By attempting to directly return to the beach, against the rip current, swimmers get tired-out in the process and drown. Instead, swimmers caught in a rip current should relax, and swim parallel to the beach, until they are naturally carried out of the rip current.


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 made landfall near Mexico Beach in Bay County 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 15.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and – or 1.17% – is water. Panama City Beach is located towards the eastern half of the
Florida Panhandle The Florida panhandle (also known as West Florida and Northwest Florida) is the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Florida. It is a Salient (geography), salient roughly long, bordered by Alabama on the west and north, Georgia (U.S. state ...
, along the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...
. The main roads through the town are U.S. Route 98 and Florida State Road 30. US 98 runs from northwest to southeast just inland from the coast, leading east to
Panama City Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...
and northwest to Destin. FL-30 runs along the coast from northwest to southeast as Front Beach Rd, leading east to Panama City and northwest to Rosemary Beach. There are approximately of shoreline in Panama City Beach fronting the Gulf of Mexico.


Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 18,094 people, 5,538 households, and 3,440 families residing in the town. As of the 2010 United States census, there were 12,018 people, 5,149 households, and 3,166 families residing in the town. In 2010, the population density was . There were 17,141 housing units at an average density of . In 2010, there were 5,149 households, out of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were headed by married couples 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. 9.5% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22. The average family size was 2.76. In 2010, 18.0% of the population were 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. In the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the town 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 for the town was $26,734. About 2.2% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, 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 commonly used for municipalities and counties in the United States and Ireland, in New Zealand regional councils, and in Canadian municipalities. In the council-manager government, ...
. 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, borough 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 and city departments. The City Manager also maintains intergovernmental relationships with federal, state, county and other local governments. The primary law enforcement agency in the town is the Panama City Beach Police Department. Part of the town is in unincorporated Bay County and is under the jurisdiction of the Bay County Sheriff's Office.


City council

* Stuart Tettemer (Republican) – Mayor Term: 2024–2028 * Paul Casto (Unknown) – Ward 1 Councilman Term: 2022–2026 * Ethan Register (Unknown) – Ward 2 Councilman Term: 2024–2028 * Mary Coburn (Unknown) – Ward 3 Council Member Term: 2022–2026 * Michael Jarman (Republican) – Vice Mayor Ward 4 Councilman Term: 2024–2028 * Eusebio Talamantez Jr. – Chief of Police


Former Mayors

* Dan Russell (Unknown) 1970–1980 * Aaron Bessant (Unknown) 1980–1982 * Philip Griffitts Sr. (Republican) 1982–2000 * Lee Sullivan (Republican) 2000–2006 * Gayle Oberst (Nonpartisan)2006–2016 * Mike Thomas (Republican) 2016–2020 * Mark Sheldon (Republican) 2020–2024


Services

* Panama City Beach Police Department * Panama City Beach Fire Rescue


Education

Surfside Middle School serves as the main
middle school Middle school, also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school, is an educational stage between primary school and secondary school. Afghanistan In Afghanistan, middle school includes g ...
and Arnold High School serves as the main
high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
for Panama City Beach. Primary and secondary
public education A state school, public school, or government school is a primary school, primary or secondary school that educates all students without charge. They are funded in whole or in part by taxation and operated by the government of the state. State-f ...
is provided by the Bay District Schools (BDS). The Gulf Coast State College is located in
Panama City Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...
, just across the Hathaway Bridge from Panama City Beach. The Florida State University Panama City branch campus is also located in
Panama City Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...
, just across the Hathaway Bridge from Panama City Beach.


Transportation

The Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) 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. 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 public bus transportation known as Bayway available hourly Monday through Saturday. The Bayway runs throughout the county giving its tourists and locals the resource they need to get around Bay County.


Major highways

* US 98 is an east–west highway running along the Gulf Coast. It is the main route to Destin and to
Panama City Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...
proper. * State Road 79 is a north–south highway that starts in Panama City Beach and heads north to Interstate 10 and on to the
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
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. * State Road 392A, also named Hutichison Boulevard (formerly known as Middle Beach Road), is an east–west highway that runs slightly inland, generally parallel, and beginning and ending at State Road 30/Front Beach Road.


Sports

The town was home to the Panama City Beach Pirates, a fourth-division soccer team from 2007 to 2015. It is also notable that
World Championship Wrestling World Championship Wrestling (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 National W ...
held their last WCW Nitro event in Panama City Beach. WCW was bought out by their rival competition WWF (now WWE).


Recreation

* Frank Brown Park – 100-acre complex with baseball, softball, soccer and t-ball fields, basketball and tennis courts, several playgrounds, shuffleboard courts, a youth fishing pond, three dog park enclosures, and a 20-acre festival site. *Panama City Acquatics Center – located at Frank Brown Park, the center includes an outdoor Olympic-size pool and kids splash pool. *Publix Sports Park – 160-acre sports complex with 13 fields for soccer, lacrosse, baseball, and more. Nine are synthetic turf fields. * St. Andrews State Park – offers a variety of experiences included swimming, boating, camping, snorkeling, bicycling, and more.


Gallery

Image:Emerald Coast.jpg, The town 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!" 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 * Gulf Coast Jam – this 3-day outdoor concert event is held annually in May/June and showcases country music performers. The event in 2024 is sold out. * The first two seasons of MTV's Floribama Shore were filmed in the town.


References


External links


Official websitePanama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau
* {{authority control Cities in Bay County, Florida Cities in Florida Populated coastal places in Florida on the Gulf of Mexico Populated places established in 1977 Seaside resorts in Florida