Bay County, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bay County
County
The Bay County Courthouse in March 2008
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Florida's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Florida
Founded	April 24, 1913
Named for	St. Andrews Bay
Seat	Panama City
Largest city	Panama City
Area
• Total	1,033 sq mi (2,680 km2)
• Land	758 sq mi (1,960 km2)
• Water	275 sq mi (710 km2)  26.6%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	175,216
• Estimate  (2023)	190,769
• Density	169.62/sq mi (65.49/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	2nd

Bay County is a county located on the beautiful Emerald Coast in Northwest Florida. In 2020, about 175,216 people lived there. The main city and county seat is Panama City. Bay County is part of the larger Panama City, Florida metropolitan area.

History of Bay County

On February 12, 1913, leaders from five towns near St. Andrews Bay met in Panama City. They wanted to choose a name for a new county. They picked "Bay" because most people liked it. It also described the area well, as it's near a large bay.

On July 1, 1913, the state government officially created Bay County. It was formed from parts of Washington, Calhoun, and Walton counties.

A very important event happened in Panama City in 1963. It was a court case called Gideon v. Wainwright. The U.S. Supreme Court made a big decision. They ruled that everyone accused of a crime has the right to a lawyer. If they cannot afford one, the government must provide one for them. This decision changed how justice works in the United States.

Geography of Bay County

Bay County covers a total area of about 1,467 square miles. About 759 square miles of this is land. The other 708 square miles is water.

Bay County is part of the Panama City, Florida metropolitan area. This area also includes Washington County.

Counties Nearby

Bay County shares borders with several other counties:

• Washington County to the north
• Jackson County to the northeast
• Calhoun County to the east
• Gulf County to the southeast
• Walton County to the west

Protected Natural Areas

A part of the Apalachicola National Forest is located in Bay County. This is a large protected forest area.

Bay County Population Facts

Bay County has grown a lot over the years. In 2020, there were 175,216 people living here. There were also 73,536 households. A household means all the people living in one home.

The people living in Bay County come from many different backgrounds. This makes the county a diverse place. The population includes people of White, Black or African American, Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander heritage. Many people also identify as being of two or more races. A growing number of people are also of Hispanic or Latino background.

In 2000, about 24% of the population was under 18 years old. The average age was 37 years. This means half the people were younger than 37, and half were older.

Education in Bay County

Bay District Schools manages the public schools in Bay County. However, Mexico Beach is served by Gulf County Schools.

Schools in Bay County

Pre-K to 12th Grade Schools

• Deane Bozeman School
• North Bay Haven Charter Academy
• Palm Bay Preparatory Academy
• Rising Leaders Academy

Pre-K to 8th Grade Schools

• Breakfast Point Academy
• Bay Haven Charter Academy
• University Academy

High Schools

These high schools are assigned based on where you live:

• J. R. Arnold High School (Panama City Beach)
• Bay High School (Panama City)
• A. Crawford Mosley High School (Lynn Haven)
• Rutherford High School (Springfield)

These high schools offer other options:

• A.D. Harris High School (Panama City)
• Haney Technical High School (Panama City)
• New Horizons Learning Center (Lynn Haven)
• Rosenwald High School (Panama City)

Middle Schools

• Jinks Middle School
• Merritt Brown Middle School
• Mowat Middle School
• Surfside Middle School (Panama City Beach)

Elementary Schools

• Callaway Elementary School
• Cedar Grove Elementary School
• Deer Point Elementary School
• Hiland Park Elementary School
• Hutchison Beach Elementary School (Panama City Beach)
• Lucille Moore Elementary School
• Lynn Haven Elementary School
• M. Cherry Street Elementary School
• Millville Elementary School
• Northside Elementary School
• Oakland Terrace Elementary School
• Parker Elementary School
• Patronis Elementary School (Panama City Beach)
• Patterson Elementary School
• Southport Elementary School
• St. Andrew Elementary School
• Tommy Smith Elementary School
• Tyndall Elementary School
• Waller Elementary School
• West Bay Elementary School

Getting Around Bay County

Major Roads

Bay County does not have any interstate highways directly within its borders. The closest interstate connection is I-10. You can reach it by taking US-231 near Cottondale.

Airports

The Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport opened in 2010. It offers flights to several major airports. These airports are mostly in the Southern and Midwestern United States.

Local Transportation

Bay County has its own public transportation system called the Bayway. It used to be called the Bay Town Trolley. It has several routes that go through Panama City and nearby areas. There is also a Greyhound bus station in Panama City.

Libraries in Bay County

Bay County is part of the Northwest Regional Library System (NWRLS). This library system also serves Gulf and Liberty Counties. The Bay County Public Library is the main library for the whole system. The Bay County Board of Commissioners manages the system.

Here are some of the library locations:

• Bay County Public Library
• Panama City Beach Public Library
• Parker Public Library
• Springfield Public Library
• Gulf County Public Library
• Charles Whitehead Public Library
• Harrell Memorial Library of Liberty County
• Jimmy Weaver Memorial Library
• Bay County Law Library (located at the Bay County Public Library)

Communities in Bay County

Panama City Beach is a popular spot in Bay County.

Cities

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities.

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not part of any city or census-designated place.

Former Census-Designated Places

• Hiland Park

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Bay (Florida) para niños