Cost of Living in Bay County, Florida
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.
How Bay County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Bay County ranks #2,740 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 13%)
Sourced county brief
Bay County Median Gross Rent and Owner Cost Statistics
Median gross rent in Bay County was estimated at $1,484 per month during the 2020-2024 period. This amount is $180 above the Florida unweighted county mean of $1,304. The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) was 33.5%, which is 0.7 percentage points higher than the state unweighted county mean of 32.8%. For owner-occupied units, the median selected monthly owner cost was $1,234, exceeding the state unweighted county mean of $1,039. The median home value in the county was $310,500, while the state unweighted county mean was $284,325. Median renter-household income for Bay County was reported at $53,005. These figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Bay County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 33.5% of renter household income in Bay County, which is between the 30% and 50% rent-burden benchmarks. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $1,484 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,234. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $59,360 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.
Regional Context
The Florida unweighted mean of county median rents is $1,304 per month. Bay County's $1,484 median is 13.8% above that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Bay County
Rent Burden
24.2%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,716
per month
Owner Cost Burden
20.1%
of gross income
The median home in Bay County may be a stretch
Median home value is $310,500. Estimated monthly cost: $2,479 vs. your max of $1,716.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See Today's RatesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.
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