Bay County, Florida
133,971 parcels. Parcel data edition 2026-10-26.
Who owns the land
| Measure | County | Of what | Florida | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-state owners | 24.8% | 32,579 of 131,619 parcels with a known mailing state | 14.1% | 6 of 63 |
| Absentee owners | 54.4% | Estimated from 89,820 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 38.9% | 13 of 58 |
| Vacant lots | 22.4% | 29,952 of 133,971 parcels in all | 19.1% | 41 of 67 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.5% | 685 of 133,971 parcels with an owner name | 0.5% | 34 of 67 |
| Owned by individuals | 74.4% | 99,678 of 133,971 parcels with an owner name | 80.5% | 61 of 67 |
| Publicly owned | 1.6% | 2,176 of 133,971 parcels with an owner name | 2.7% | 54 of 67 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 32,579 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 9,606 | 29.5% |
| Alabama | 5,641 | 17.3% |
| Tennessee | 2,806 | 8.6% |
| Texas | 1,861 | 5.7% |
| California | 1,069 | 3.3% |
| Kentucky | 899 | 2.8% |
| Illinois | 771 | 2.4% |
| Ohio | 637 | 2.0% |
| Indiana | 616 | 1.9% |
| Missouri | 591 | 1.8% |
| 42 other states and territories | 7,811 | 24.0% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 122 | 0.4% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 149 | 0.5% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | Florida | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,682/month | $1,471/month (median county) | 24 of 67 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +54.6% | +49.3% (median county) | 18 of 67 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $310,500 | $276,000 (median county) | 29 of 67 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 15.4 | 15.3 (median county) | 32 of 67 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +11.5% | +9.0% | 20 of 67 |
Rent: HUD FMR (FY26); HUD sets one rent for a whole metro area. Rent change: HUD FMR, FY2021 to FY2026. Home value: Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average; price-to-rent divides it by twelve months of the HUD rent above. Housing units: Census Housing Unit Estimates (vintage 2025).
Compared with neighboring counties
| County | Out-of-state owners | Absentee owners | Vacant lots | Inherited (estate or heirs) | Owned by individuals | Publicly owned | 2BR rent | Rent change, 5 yrs | Price-to-rent | Housing units 2020-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay County | 24.8% | 54.4% | 22.4% | 0.5% | 74.4% | 1.6% | $1,682 | +54.6% | 15.4 | +11.5% |
| Calhoun County | 13.5% | 49.5% | 55.9% | 1.8% | 84.2% | 2.6% | $973 | +32.6% | 12.4 | +2.2% |
| Gulf County | 32.9% | 66.7% | 44.6% | 0.2% | 74.6% | 2.1% | $1,702 | +69.0% | 12.2 | +15.6% |
| Jackson County | 15.2% | no data | 57.1% | 3.8% | 83.5% | 2.1% | $1,068 | +45.5% | 9.4 | +3.3% |
| Walton County | 33.7% | 58.8% | 29.4% | 1.4% | 71.5% | 1.5% | $1,364 | +41.2% | 26.0 | +21.6% |
| Washington County | 19.7% | no data | 75.2% | 0.1% | 60.8% | 1.7% | $1,017 | +38.6% | 14.0 | +6.2% |