Millie

Panama City Beach

About

The “Spring Break Capital of the World” is the closest urban area to Naval Support Activity Panama City, and only a bay away from Tyndall Air Force Base. Panama City Beach is a young, vibrant, and active beach town that is the destination of choice for millions of visitors each year. That’s right, millions. Locally known as PCB, or the “beach side,” this paradise is separated from Panama City by St. Andrews Bay and connected via the Hathaway Bridge (Hwy 98).

Mixed opinions abound when it comes to PCB, but the beauty of its beaches simply can’t be argued. Nine miles of sugary, white sand beaches and the entrancing turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico are the main attraction. PCB boasts great shopping, a variety of restaurants, and a ton of recreation activities (all revolving around the water, of course). PCB is newer than the “city side” with modern condos, apartments (read: vacation rentals), and hotels.

 

Neighbors

Your neighbors in PCB will vary by season in this vacation destination. Young singles and couples without kids love the nightlife and vibrancy of PCB. But being close to the beach comes with a hefty price tag and very low square footage, so families with children tend to look further out.

 

Neighborhood Feel

Beachy bungalows, highrise condos, and waterfront mansions are just some of the home types you can find in PCB. Neighborhoods close to the shore are going to be more transient and boisterous due to the prevalence of vacation rentals, but most of the city calms down during the off-season.

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Neighborhood Location

Commute
NSA Panama City – West Gate
Tyndall AFB – Main Gate
Drive Time to Gate
10 to 15* minutes
40 to 60* minutes
By Transit
N/A

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Neighborhood Info

Panama City Beach - Tyndall AFB & NSA Panama City, FL - gomillie.com

Points of Interest

Pier Park

Ripley’s Believe it or Not

Wonderworks Children’s Museum

Shell Island

Panama City Beach and Pier

Big Plus

Panama City Beach is gorgeous, and anywhere you live will only take a short drive to dip your toes in the water. Fishing, swimming, boating, or just relaxing on the beach are easy ways to spend a few hours, and the community embodies the laid-back beach vibe.

If you’re looking for nightlife in the Florida Panhandle—PCB is your jam.

Shopping here is robust and there are a variety of restaurants to choose from, especially of the seafood variety. A lot of the establishments cater to tourists, but there are also some fantastic locally-owned options.

PCB is rebranding itself as a family vacation destination and trying to shy away from the “Girls Gone Wild” reputation. Entertainment venues like the Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum, Wonderworks, and Pier Park are all helping in that effort. There’s a ton of growth with a focus on family-friendly offerings.

Things to Consider

PCB is quite pricey in terms of housing and cost of living.

Traffic in PCB is real—especially in the summer. You’ll need to spend some time getting to know all the side-streets so you can avoid the main arteries for the beaches. Commuting to NSA Panama City is relatively easy, but getting to Tyndall AFB can be problematic. The Hathaway Bridge gets very congested and is the only way over the bay.

If you’re close to the water, prepare to have a lot of turnover around you during tourist season. A lot of the homes are vacation rentals and there’s no telling how hard they came to party! Be sure to do your research on where the permanent residents are (and why) before buying or renting in PCB.

How’s the Market?

The median home value for single family homes in Panama City Beach is $218,000 according to the Zillow Home Value Index. Home Values are forecasted to increase by 3.6% in the coming year.

According to Zillow’s Rental Index, the median rental rate for a single family home in Panama City Beach is $1,448.

School Scoop

Public schools in Panama City Beach are part of Bay District Schools, which has an overall ranking of 5, according to Greatschools.org. One of the best schools is Breakfast Point Academy, which has a rating of 8. There are six charter schools in the BDS. One school that stood out as a favorite during our research was Patronis Elementary School.

BDS works closely with military families and offers the opportunity to pre-register military children for school.

School Choice in BDS does not give preference to the type of schooling, however, school choice comes into play should the parent decide that their child should attend a school outside of their geographic assignment. The most common options offered by School Choice programs include open enrollment, home education, private schools, and charter schools.

BDS has a dress code with uniforms for all schools.

BDS offers and array of academic programs for middle and high school students including: International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced Placement, and collegiate studies and preparatory programs.

Highlighted Areas

Whisper Dunes

Turtle Cove at Lake Powell

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