Sad changes - 10/1/2019

I've lived here since 2001 and have seen many changes, mainly for the good. Although in the last couple years, and even more so after Hurricane Michael the cost of living has gone threw the roof!! A 2 bdrm modest apt. averages $1200/mth now! VERY SAD how the property owners and investors are causing this. Do they not realize or care how they NEED the low-mod income residents to run their retail and restaurants businesses? About half the population is gone since the hurricane in Oct of 2019 and more recent with the terribly high cost of rent :(

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SHAMEFUL - 8/29/2019

I loved this area until I heard the property owners/corporations increased peoples rents between 30% to 90% that were still recovering from last years hurricane.......disgusting the politicians should be ashamed of themselves for allowing that to happen. The larger complexes are owned by companies in Texas.

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pannama city - 2/12/2013

Pannama city lived in the neighboring area 6 years loved it . I think you expect to much from such a small town as for the papermill you either put up with the smell or move.

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Reviewing PCB and surrounding Area - 2/26/2010

Truth be told, if you move here to actually live it would be best to secure a “Career Type” job in the vicinity prior to arriving. If you show up expecting to get a job as a professional you will be disappointed. However, if you show up with minimal expectations and willing to work in the retail or service industry you will find plenty of minimum wages to ten dollar an hour jobs with no benefits or medical. Turn over as expected in these type of jobs is pretty high, if you arrive with the right attitude and ability to stick to a minimum wage job in retail or service you could very likely find yourself being the manger within a year or two just because you are able to show up consistently on time and actually work. If you have a family to support be prepared to pay high rent and have financial discipline or you and your family will be homeless in short order, there are no up-north rules about electricity , heat and water in this neck of the woods, your late on payments, you get cut off and kicked out quick. If you are financially set and can afford a second home PCB is ideal. Lots of nice shopping close by, temperate winters (Oct-March) not very much traffic and clutter at that time. The closer it gets to spring break you will want to consider heading back north, the population triples if not quadruples, something like 1.5 million people descend upon the area, it gets crowded fast. If you plan on staying all year around, modify your daily routine to avoid the traffic and crowds during ‘Peak Season” If you are planning on building a home from scratch or doing a remodel or simply adding anything to your home in the area I highly suggest bringing in a contractor and the specialty trades from outside the PCB, Panama City or Lynn Haven areas. You will get more bang for your buck and will have less chance of getting ripped off. Contractors of all types are notoriously bad and shifty in the PCB, Panama City and Lynn haven areas. I suggest getting contractors from Dothan, AL or from any place other then the local area. Take my advice on this. If you still decide to use a “Local” contractor or specialty trade make sure you do your homework, ask for a copy of their business license, contractors’ license, have them issue you a certificate of Insurance (COI) for the project and most definitely write your own contracts with terms, timeline, COI requirements etc… spelled out… and plan on basically being the GC for the entire project regardless of if you hired a GC or not. You have been warned. Florida in general is not ranked very high in education and the PCB area is no exception, however there are very good adult education programs locally as well as the community college, there is also a Maritime School and several other trade schools. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur you could feasibly make a killing during “Peak Season” I would suggest visiting the area, learning the rhythm of “Peak Season” and the existing tsunami of vendors during that time, come up with something inventive, self contained (you don’t want to pay local retail space rent) and give it a try, if nothing else you will meet a lot of people during “Peak Season” and have many good adventure stories for sure, if you break even or make a few buck profit doing it you win all around. So long review short. PCB and the surrounding area is pretty good if you do not have to live here all the time, have upper middle class or higher financial stability, do not have to depend on working in the area to pay the bills and support a family.

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Reviewing PCB, Panama City and Surrounding Area - 2/26/2010

Truth be told, if you move here to actually live it would be best to secure a “Career Type” job in the vicinity prior to arriving. If you show up expecting to get a job as a professional you will be disappointed. However, if you show up with minimal expectations and willing to work in the retail or service industry you will find plenty of minimum wages to ten dollar an hour jobs with no benefits or medical. Turn over as expected in these type of jobs is pretty high, if you arrive with the right attitude and ability to stick to a minimum wage job in retail or service you could very likely find yourself being the manger within a year or two just because you are able to show up consistently on time and actually work. If you have a family to support be prepared to pay high rent and have financial discipline or you and your family will be homeless in short order, there are no up-north rules about electricity , heat and water in this neck of the woods, your late on payments, you get cut off and kicked out quick. If you are financially set and can afford a second home PCB is ideal. Lots of nice shopping close by, temperate winters (Oct-March) not very much traffic and clutter at that time. The closer it gets to spring break you will want to consider heading back north, the population triples if not quadruples, something like 1.5 million people descend upon the area, it gets crowded fast. If you plan on staying all year around, modify your daily routine to avoid the traffic and crowds during ‘Peak Season” If you are planning on building a home from scratch or doing a remodel or simply adding anything to your home in the area I highly suggest bringing in a contractor and the specialty trades from outside the PCB, Panama City or Lynn Haven areas. You will get more bang for your buck and will have less chance of getting ripped off. Contractors of all types are notoriously bad and shifty in the PCB, Panama City and Lynn haven areas. I suggest getting contractors from Dothan, AL or from any place other then the local area. Take my advice on this. If you still decide to use a “Local” contractor or specialty trade make sure you do your homework, ask for a copy of their business license, contractors’ license, have them issue you a certificate of Insurance (COI) for the project and most definitely write your own contracts with terms, timeline, COI requirements etc… spelled out… and plan on basically being the GC for the entire project regardless of if you hired a GC or not. You have been warned. Florida in general is not ranked very high in education and the PCB area is no exception, however there are very good adult education programs locally as well as the community college, there is also a Maritime School and several other trade schools. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur you could feasibly make a killing during “Peak Season” I would suggest visiting the area, learning the rhythm of “Peak Season” and the existing tsunami of vendors during that time, come up with something inventive, self contained (you don’t want to pay local retail space rent) and give it a try, if nothing else you will meet a lot of people during “Peak Season” and have many good adventure stories for sure, if you break even or make a few buck profit doing it you win all around. So long review short. PCB and the surrounding area is pretty good if you do not have to live here all the time, have upper middle class or higher financial stability, do not have to depend on working in the area to pay the bills and support a family.

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things to do - 10/2/2009

lots of things going on all the time

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Bay County School System - 6/26/2009

Bay Co. school system is the biggest employer in Bay Co. It has twice the emploees as neiboring Santa Rosa Co. which has the same amount of student as Bay Co. Educating students comes second to creating jobs, in a job poor County. 10\4

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Beautiful beach and nice weather - 4/21/2009

Panama City Beach is great for recreation and enjoying the outdoors! Lovely state parks and the beach couldn't be more pristine! Unfortunately, it is a small beach town so there is not much to speak of as far as culture goes, which makes it a little hard to meet the opposite sex other than at the beach or at a bar.

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Don't move here---it sucks! - 10/20/2008

I moved here almost six years ago after my parents retired here. This area has been called the redneck riveria with good reason. I have never lived in an area where people are more racist and ignorant. fortunately for me, I am white so I generally get treated okay, but the attitudes towards minorites is really ignorant. IF YOU ARE A MINORITY, YOU WILL BE TREATED TO RACISM!! I would have moved a long time ago, but my mom does not want me to leave. But I am going to have to, as there are no jobs here. The only ones are mostly retail and a lot of the businesses employ people from other countries for next-to-nothing so there are few jobs for locals. The average rate of pay is $7-$8 an hour. A lot of people come down from other Southern states to visit, drive around in jacked-up trucks with the confederate flag hanging off the truck. There are no cultural activites here, basically the only thing to do is go to the bar and the beach. It gets chilly in the winter so the only thing left to do is go out to the bars where you see the same people over and over again unless it's spring break or in-season. Then you will see mostly rednecks. The only single men are mostly transients and alcoholics. There are no nearby big cities, unless you count Panama City with population of 30,000. I truly feel sorry for minorites who live here, I cannot imagine being treated to the racism that they are subjected to. I am currently looking for jobs in other areas so I can the hell outta here!

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don't move here - 3/26/2008

it is way too expensive here, and also, spring breakers and tourists are really ruining the area.We will be packing up and moving to VA after 3 months of living here.There is nothing to do with the family, everything is crowded with tourists etc.The beach is awesome, but only during off season.

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PCB... - 8/2/2007

Although the area has cleaned up some of the riff raff, now there are tall high rises blocking the beautiful beach views for all to see. Unless you are in the overly expensive rooms, which being a local, you would only be in there for one reason...to clean it! The only cool thing that happens in the area is "Thunder Beach", when a huge amount of bikers come in to town and roar up the coast line. Pretty cool. But thats it, the rest of it sucks, damn tourists everywhere!!!!

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panama city beach is ok but expensive... - 8/2/2007

The good: cool people(locals)!! beautifull beaches!! Good bike scene, Great seafood. The bad: if you like tourist, traffic, hot humid weather, and over priced homes this is the place for you!

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