Bay County, Florida Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 30th-largest in Florida

The population of Bay County, Florida is 181,368 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 30th-largest county in Florida. The median household income is $70,188, the median home value is $276,900, and the median age is 41.4.

The population of Bay County has grown 18.0% since 2010 (169,209 → 199,718), a +1.19% annualized rate.

Bay County within Florida · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

181,368

Population

+1.19%

Annual growth

239

People / sq mi

$70,188

Median Income

$276,900

Median Home Value

Bay County covers 759 sq mi of land at 239.1 people per square mile.

About Bay County, FL

Bay County is a county in Florida with a population of 181,368. It ranks #30 among counties in Florida by population. The median age is 41.4, older than the national median. The population is 49.7% male and 50.3% female.

The median household income in Bay County is $70,188, below the US median of $74,580. 8.3% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $276,900, with monthly rent averaging $1,424. The homeownership rate of 68.3% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Bay County reflects 28.0% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 8.8% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 24.6 minutes each way.

Bay County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Bay County had a population of 169,209 in 2010 and 199,718 in 2024, a 18.0% growth over 14 years. The peak was 199,718 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 1.22%.

199,718

Population (2024)

169,209

Population (2010)

199,718

Peak (2024)

1.22%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	169,209	-	-	estimate
2011	169,587	+378	+0.22%	estimate
2012	171,818	+2,231	+1.32%	estimate
2013	174,704	+2,886	+1.68%	estimate
2014	178,435	+3,731	+2.14%	estimate
2015	181,678	+3,243	+1.82%	estimate
2016	183,765	+2,087	+1.15%	estimate
2017	184,841	+1,076	+0.59%	estimate
2018	186,555	+1,714	+0.93%	estimate
2019	173,895	-12,660	-6.79%	estimate
2020	174,543	+648	+0.37%	estimate
2021	179,548	+5,005	+2.87%	estimate
2022	185,732	+6,184	+3.44%	estimate
2023	192,422	+6,690	+3.60%	estimate
2024	199,718	+7,296	+3.79%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	76.5%
Black or African American	10.0%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.8%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

41.4

Median Age

50.3%

Female

49.7%

Male

18.2%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.6%

5–9

5.5%

10–14

6.3%

15–19

5.3%

20–24

5.7%

25–34

13.3%

35–44

12.7%

45–54

12.5%

55–59

7.0%

60–64

7.8%

65–74

11.1%

75–84

5.3%

85+

1.8%

Children (under 15): 17.4% · Seniors (65+): 18.2%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$70,188$-1,523 vs state
Mean household income	$92,641
Per-capita income	$38,856
Poverty rate	8.3%-0.6% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.2%
Employment-to-population	58.9%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

17.4%

Education & health care

12.7%

Finance & real estate

11.9%

Construction

9.5%

Public administration

9.0%

Information

7.4%

Manufacturing

5.9%

Arts, entertainment & food

5.5%

The largest employment sector in Bay County is professional & business services, accounting for 17.4% of workers.

How residents commute

0.6%

Drive alone

1.1%

Carpool

76.4%

Public transit

8.8%

Work from home

24.6 min

Avg commute

Housing

$276,900$-48,100 vs state

Median home value

$1,424

Median rent

68.3%

Homeownership rate

106,209

Total housing units

71.7%

Occupied

28.3%

Vacant

31.7%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

86.2%

With health insurance

96.9%

With broadband internet

49.0%

Foreign-born

13.8%

Veterans (18+)

18.2%

With a disability

89.6%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

90.8%

High School+

28.0%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Florida

Jacksonville (961,739)Miami (446,663)Tampa (393,389)Orlando (311,732)St. Petersburg (260,646)Hialeah (221,901)Port St. Lucie (220,453)Cape Coral (206,387)Tallahassee (199,696)Fort Lauderdale (183,032)All Florida cities →

Other counties in Florida

Miami-Dade County (2,685,296)Broward County (1,946,127)Palm Beach County (1,507,453)Hillsborough County (1,489,634)Orange County (1,440,471)Duval County (1,007,189)Pinellas County (960,565)Lee County (792,692)Polk County (760,961)Brevard County (620,533)All Florida counties →

Part of Florida

Florida demographic profile All Florida data →

Metro areas in Florida

Miami (6,138,876)Tampa (3,240,469)Orlando (2,721,022)Jacksonville (1,645,707)North Port (865,031)Cape Coral (792,692)Lakeland (760,961)Deltona (689,939)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Bay County, Florida has a population of 181,368 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 30th-largest county in Florida. Population density is 239 people per square mile.

The population of Bay County has grown 18.0% since 2010 (169,209 → 199,718), a +1.19% annualized rate.

The median household income in Bay County, Florida is $70,188, with mean (average) household income of $92,641 and per-capita income of $38,856. 8.3% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Bay County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (76.5%), Black or African American (10.0%), Hispanic or Latino (1.8%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Bay County, Florida is 41.4 years. Residents are 50.3% female and 49.7% male.

The median home value in Bay County is $276,900 and median monthly rent is $1,424. 68.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 106,209 total housing units, 28.3% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Bay County, Florida is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 17.4% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.2%.

Jacksonville is among the largest cities associated with Bay County, Florida, with a population of 961,739.