Janet  & Lark Roan
Real Estate

History

Bay County history begins on February 12, 1913.  It was on this date that representatives from five towns on the bay met at Panama City for the purpose of selecting a name for the proposed new County.  After some discussion the BAY was selected as one which would be satisfactory to the majority of the citizens, and as being distinctive of the territory that would be included.  On July 1, 1913, Bay County was created by the Legislature from portions of Washington, Calhoun and Walton counties.

The newly selected legislators held their first meeting on Monday, July 10, 1913, in rooms secured over the Bank of Panama City.  The session was informal, but later in the day the commissioners met in the Owl's Nest on the dock at the end of Harrison Avenue and began strenuous work.  Immediate plans were made for construction of a Courthouse, the corner stone was laid in December 1914 and the building was dedicated in December 1915.  On December 20, 1920, the Courthouse was severely damaged by fire and lost the beautiful dome that supported four clocks.  However, the outer walls survived and the building was reconstructed and continues to serve as the Bay County Courthouse to this date.
 

Population

Located in a predominantly rural area of the state, Bay County was ranked the 24th most populous county in Florida (1998) with 146,496 residents.  The majority of the residents live in unincorporated areas of the county.  There are eight municipalities that make up Bay County:  Panama City, Callaway, Lynn Haven, Springfield, Panama City Beach, Parker, Cedar Grove and Mexico Beach.  Panama City is the county seat, and had a 1999 population of 37,777, over 25 percent of the county's residents (1999), making it the largest city in the county.  Though Bay County is the 24th most populous county in the state, its large size (871 square miles) yields a density of roughly 172 persons per square mile, which is lower than the State density of 288 persons per square mile.  The population of Bay County was 150,119 in 1999.  Provided below of past Bay County Census Counts and some projections on future Census Counts:

Transportation

Bay County's location in the panhandle of the state puts it within an hour or two of major metropolitan areas.  Panama City Beach is at the hub of the system of federal and state highways that crisscross the county.  The area provides easy access to Interstate 10 for east/west travel. 

Major federal highways in the county are:  US Highways 231 and 98 while state highways in the area include:  State Roads 22, 20, 77 and 79.   Greyhound bus line provides daily passenger and package express service.  Air transportation to and from the area is provided by the Panama City/Bay County International Airport, which is located on the north side of Panama City.  Panama City/Bay County International Airport has an average of 38 daily flights on the three airlines.  Railroad transportation is provided by Bay Line Railroad.

The local deep water port with docking and warehousing facilities is the Port of Panama City.  The Port of Panama City is a 560 acre deep water port with a depth of 32 feet. 

The table  below provides the distances from Panama City to several major cities in the southeast:

Climate

The area has subtropical climate that varies from a January high/low temperature of 61/37 degrees to a July high/low temperature of 92/71 degrees.  However, there are certain spells in which highs in the upper 90's in the summer and low's in the 20's in the winter do occur.  The average summer temperature is 81 degrees and the average winter temperature is 53 degrees.  The annual rainfall is approximately 57.86 inches with the most abundant time being in the summer caused mostly by frequent thunderstorms.  The average number of annual rain days is approximately 105.

This mild climate and excellent location has stimulated the population growth of the Panama City Beach and Bay County area of the years. 
 

Workforce

Approximately 43.9% of the population is under 65 years of age and has a median household income of $23,911 (1998) with a 1999 unemployment rate of 6.1 percent.  The table below provides an overview of the labor force based on 1999 data.

Per Capita Personal Income

In 1998, Bay County had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $22,163.   This PCPI ranked 30th in the State, and was 83 percent of the State average, $26,845, and 81 percent of the national average $27,203.  In 1988 the PCPI of Bay County was $13,886 and ranked 38th in the State.  The average annual growth rate of PCPI over the past 10 years was 4.8 percent.  The average annual growth rate for the State was 4.3 percent and for the nation was 4.6 percent.
 

Economic Base and Employment

The total county civilian labor force in Bay County in 1999 was 65,935.  Leading economic sectors based on relative employment levels include:  government, retail and wholesale trade, services, and manufacturing.

No discussion of Bay County's economic base would be complete without special reference to the two military installations in Bay County.

Tyndall Air Force Base, located on a 29,000 acre reservation in Southeastern Bay County, houses the 325th Fighter Wing, Headquarters 1st Air Force, Southeast Air Defense Sector, 475th Weapons Evaluation Group, and the United States Air Force Civil Engineering Support Agency.  Approximately 6,743 military and civilian personnel are employed at Tyndall.  The base also services 8,553 military retirees in Bay County.  Total economic impact in the local area was $344.5 million dollars in the 1997 fiscal year.

The Navy's Coastal Systems Station (CSS), located on 648 acres along St. Andrew Bay, is a  major research and development facility in support of naval operations that take place primarily in the coastal regions, such as amphibious missions, swimmer operations, diving and salvage, and mine countermeasures.  The Navy Diving and Salvage Training Center is headquartered at CSS.  Today, this multimillion dollar base employs 2,455 civilian and military personnel.  CSS and its tenants have an economic impact on Bay County of about $290 million dollars annually, resulting mainly from construction, maintenance and local contract purchases.

The following is a list of major private and public sector employers within the Bay County area (299 or more employee):

Tax Information

Florida residents do not pay personal income tax, nor do they pay taxes on dividends, interest, or capital gains.  The main source of governmental income is from sales and property taxes.  The state sales tax is 6 percent and does not apply to groceries or medical items.

Florida levies a tangible tax on business property, except real estate.  Any firm or individual who has control of tangible property is required to file a return before April 1.  Failure to file a return will result in a 10 percent penalty.  The corporate income tax rate is 5.5 percent.

Florida residents also pay a small, annual tax on intangible personal property, such as loan notes, bonds, stocks, accounts receivable, and other obligations for payment of money.  The tax for stocks and bonds is one mil per thousand dollars and is assessed beginning January 1 of each year and is due if the value is more than $20,000, or $40,000 for a husband and wife filing jointly.  Other intangible personal property is taxed at 2 mils for each dollar.  In Florida, $25,000 of the assessed value of a home is exempt from real estate taxes, if the homeowner meets certain criteria.
 

Social Characteristics

Panama City is well-known for its white sand beaches and popular tourist attractions.  St. Andrews Bay surrounds much of Panama City, providing a protected harbor for facilities at the growing Port of Panama City complex.  

Bay County's qualitative attributes provide a highly attractive living environment compatible with a variety of tastes and lifestyles.  Cited most often are:  pleasant climate, affordable housing, fishing/water sports, and most notably the world famous Panama City Beaches.

There are over 200 churches and one synagogue in Bay County.

Bay County has had a strong beginning with groups such as the Music Association, Art Association, Friends of the Library, and Historical Society providing cultural events over the years.  Building on the success of the past, these groups have been joined by many others in recent years.  They include:  Ballet Theatre of Northwest Florida, Kaleidoscope Theatre, Bay Humanities Council, Gulf Coast Community College Symphony Orchestra, Northwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Anthropological Society, Junior Museum of Bay County, Bay County Audubon Society, Panhandle Writer's Guild, Spring Festival of the Arts, and several art galleries.  The Museum of Man in the Sea, the only deepwater diving museum in the United States, is located in Bay County.