Groundwork

County profile · Florida

Bay County, FL market data

How Bay County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.

Population, 2025
204,479
+17.2% since 2020
Households
78,778
Median household income
$73,533
+35.4% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
Median home value
$310,500
Jobs located here
79,343
Highest market score
79
Veterinarians, #112 of 1,485 scored counties

A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Bay County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Bay County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.

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Survey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure

What this means

Bay County has an estimated 204,479 people and 78,778 households. Population estimates show Bay County grew 17.2% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in Bay County is $73,533, 9% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 35.4%, before inflation.

Relative to the U.S., household spending in Bay County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 123, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (73).

Of the business types scored in Bay County, veterinarians (79), pet grooming and boarding businesses (74) and optometrists and eye clinics (73) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For veterinarians, that ranks #112 of 1,485 scored counties.

Bay County is part of the Panama City-Panama City Beach metro area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for roofing and gutter companies (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for chiropractors (37% below the U.S. rate).

All 56 business types in Bay County

Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Bay County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.

Every business type in Bay County, FL, highest Groundwork market score first, with its rank among counties, listings, listings per 10,000 households, spending per listing and official establishments
Business typeScoreRank among countiesListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingSpending per listing vs. U.S. (100)Official establishments
Veterinarians79#112 of 1,485263.3$2.7M9916
Pet grooming and boarding74#140 of 1,461313.9$2.2M8814
Optometrists and eye care73#152 of 1,302243.0$3.6M1159
Funeral homes73#187 of 1,472131.7$820K1217
Chiropractors72#189 of 1,490273.4$3.2M13417
Insurance agencies71#445 of 2,27210513.3$1.8M14467
Pet businesses69#333 of 2,2009311.8$750K8539
Grocery stores68#467 of 2,070546.9$8.8M9429
Child care and preschools67#345 of 1,611395.0$893K8937
Gyms66#333 of 1,792476.0$1.2M9317
Collision repair and body shops64#356 of 1,327253.2$2.8M9010
Landscaping and lawn care63#416 of 1,493516.5$2.3M7879
Grocery and convenience stores62#728 of 2,40216320.7$2.9M8660
Martial arts and dance studios61#366 of 1,334344.3$1.7M8310
Dentists and orthodontists60#586 of 1,886769.6$1.1M11645
Convenience stores60#773 of 2,2618010.2$5.9M7531
Physical therapy59#485 of 1,422374.7$2.3M9826
Oil change and quick lube58#183 of 47970.9$9.9M724
Tire shops58#580 of 1,530324.1$2.2M8612
Pet stores57#368 of 974172.2$4.1M919
Gyms, studios and classes57#747 of 2,0889912.6$572K8627
Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios56#274 of 777182.3$3.1M7717
Coffee shops and cafes56#791 of 2,0639512.1$3.1M8440
Auto repair shops55#980 of 2,37817822.6$389K8759
Auto repair and car care54#1,056 of 2,40129938.0$231K8690
Mortgage brokers and lenders52#404 of 887344.3Index only9014
Bakeries and dessert shops52#873 of 1,8899512.1$3.1M7540
Electricians50#596 of 1,160293.7$7.8M6565
Laundromats48#404 of 785151.9$9.8M788
Barbershops48#762 of 1,356506.3$1.4M74Under 3
Pizza48#1,125 of 2,0909512.1$3.1M61166
Hair salons48#1,302 of 2,33920826.4$338K7839
Car washes and detailing47#808 of 1,451344.3$2M8115
Fast food and sandwich shops46#1,325 of 2,22214218.0$2.1M68166
Gas stations46#1,377 of 2,35816120.4$1.4M58103
Home inspectors45#242 of 41560.8Index only7510
Nail salons45#849 of 1,328668.4$1.1M6415
HVAC and plumbing45#1,041 of 1,7079612.2$2.4M5076
Pest control43#453 of 699232.9$5M4916
Roofing and gutters43#758 of 1,177607.6$3.8M4520
Lawn, cleaning and pest control43#1,153 of 1,77110613.5$1.1M65190
Home repair trades43#1,392 of 2,05718523.5$1.2M51161
Clothing, shoes and laundry40#1,531 of 2,21022027.9$668K76104
Clothing and shoe stores39#1,455 of 2,08717121.7$859K6896
Restaurants and cafes39#1,678 of 2,4051,128143.2$261K70406
Salons, barbers and spas39#1,796 of 2,38547159.8$149K7080
House cleaning38#642 of 847324.1$3.6M5795
Spas and skin care38#1,345 of 1,76913216.8$532K6121
Sit-down restaurants38#1,747 of 2,40566284.0$444K67197
Real estate agents and brokers36#1,831 of 2,17636145.8Index only60163
Real estate35#1,896 of 2,22944356.2Index only62300
Doctors, dentists and clinics35#1,904 of 2,39469588.2$125K82325
Property management33#749 of 910425.3Index only5185
Primary care and pediatrics33#1,332 of 1,6568310.5$1M59220
Dry cleanersNot scoredNot scored40.5$36.7M234Under 3
Urgent care and walk-in clinicsNot scoredNot scored40.5$21.7M888

Household spending in Bay County

What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).

Annual household spending in Bay County, FL by line, per household, and against the U.S.
Spending lineA year, all householdsPer householdIndex vs. U.S. (100)
Vehicle maintenance and repairs$69.2M$87892
Gasoline and other fuels$221.6M$2,814108
Food away from home$294.1M$3,73392
Groceries$473.5M$6,01195
Personal care products and services$70.2M$89189
Child care and other personal services$34.8M$44276
Memberships, classes and admissions$56.6M$71973
Medical and dental services$86.8M$1,10286
Pets$69.7M$88597
Clothing, shoes and related services$146.9M$1,86491
Vehicle insurance$189.8M$2,409123
Home repairs, maintenance and insurance$227.3M$2,88596
Lawn care, cleaning and other household services$115.8M$1,470104
Rent and homeowner costs$1.2B$15,08391

Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.

Population and households in Bay County

Population, 2025 estimate
204,479+17.2% since 2020
Households
78,778
Median age
41.4
Homes lived in by their owners
67%
Vehicles per household
1.8
Land area
759 sq. mi.
People per square mile
246
Median household income
$73,533+35.4% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
Average household income
$96,618
Median home value
$310,500
Jobs located here
79,343
Daytime population
189,844Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here

Looking at a specific site in Bay County?

These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.

Or open the report at the center of Bay County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.

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Bay County is part of the Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL metro area.

Questions

How fast is Bay County, FL growing?

Population estimates put Bay County at 204,479 people in 2025, up 17.2% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 78,778 households. Median household income rose 35.4% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.

How much do households in Bay County, FL spend?

Households in Bay County spend about $1.2B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $473.5M on groceries and $294.1M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Bay County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 123, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (73).

Which business types have the highest market scores in Bay County, FL?

The highest Groundwork market scores in Bay County are for veterinarians (79), pet grooming and boarding businesses (74) and optometrists and eye clinics (73). Bay County ranks #112 of 1,485 scored counties for veterinarians.

How does Bay County, FL compare with the U.S.?

The median household income in Bay County is $73,533 a year, 9% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 17.2% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $310,500, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Bay County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for roofing and gutter companies (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for chiropractors (37% below the U.S. rate).

What is the Groundwork market score?

The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 54 of the 56 business types have a score in Bay County, each ranked against other counties.

How can I see the market around a specific site?

Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Bay County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.

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Screening a site or an acquisition in Bay County?

A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.

The button opens the report at the center of Bay County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.