The bulletin board for America's public schools. Parents, teachers, students, and staff. One community per school.

Bay County

Florida · Public K-12

Bay County's public schools, 50 in all, serve approximately 27,672 K-12 students inside Florida, with Bay the largest district by enrollment. By grade band, the county runs 24 elementary, 5 middle, and 13 high schools.

7-year change in Bay County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
27,672
-404 (-1%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
48
-4 (-8%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
60%
was 68%
% Hispanic
15%
was 8%
% Black
15%
was 15%
% Asian
2%
was 2%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
50
2 districts
Enrollment
27,672
NCES CCD
Median income
$73,533
Above Florida avg
Free/reduced lunch
43.5%
Below Florida avg
Elementary
24
13,729 students
Middle
5
2,933 students
High
13
8,057 students
Combined / other
8
2,953 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
BAY
27,494 students · 2 districts in Bay County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Bay County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".

County residents
White
75%
Hispanic
9%
Black
10%
Asian
2%
Two or more
9%
Native American
1%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
60%
Hispanic
15%
Black
15%
Asian
2%
Two or more
8%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
29.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
8.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.9%
civilian labor
Median age
41
21.1% under 18

Test scores in Bay County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 38 schools ranked. Florida state average: 57.1%.

See all 38 schools in Bay County ranked by score →

All schools (50)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
A. CRAWFORD MOSLEY HIGH SCHOOLLynn HavenHigh09-121,864·
DEANE BOZEMAN SCHOOLPanama CityCombinedPK-121,690·
J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOLPanama City BeachHigh09-121,629·
RUTHERFORD HIGH SCHOOLPanama CityHigh06-121,394·
BAY HIGH SCHOOLPanama CityHigh09-121,289·
BREAKFAST POINT ACADEMYPanama City BeachElementaryPK-081,089·
TYNDALL ACADEMYTyndall AfbElementaryPK-08883·
NORTH BAY HAVEN CAREER ACADEMYPanama CityHigh09-12865·
MOWAT MIDDLE SCHOOLLynn HavenMiddle06-08803·
BAY HAVEN CHARTER ACADEMYPanama CityElementaryKG-05766·
SURFSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOLPanama City BeachCombinedPK-12755·
DEER POINT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPanama CityElementaryPK-05735·
UNIVERSITY ACADEMY SABL INCPanama CityElementaryKG-08711·
NORTH BAY HAVEN CHARTER ACADEMY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPanama CityElementaryKG-05696·
LYNN HAVEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLLynn HavenElementaryPK-05688·
HILAND PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPanama CityElementaryPK-05684·
TOMMY SMITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPanama CityElementaryPK-05677·
MERRITT BROWN MIDDLE SCHOOLPanama CityMiddle06-08634·
CALLAWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPanama CityElementaryPK-05622·
PATRONIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPanama City BeachElementaryKG-05589·
HUTCHISON BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPanama City BeachElementaryKG-05573·
NORTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPanama CityElementaryPK-05569·
LUCILLE MOORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPanama CityElementaryPK-05543·
JINKS MIDDLE SCHOOLPanama CityMiddle06-08541·
SOUTHPORT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLSouthportElementaryPK-05531·
NORTH BAY HAVEN CHARTER ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOLPanama CityMiddle06-08526·
PARKER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPanama CityElementaryPK-05510·
CEDAR GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPanama CityElementaryPK-05495·
A. GARY WALSINGHAM ACADEMYPanama City BeachElementaryPK-05470·
BAY HAVEN CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOLPanama CityMiddle06-08429·
WALLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLYoungstownElementaryPK-05423·
OSCAR PATTERSON ACADEMYPanama CityElementaryPK-04394·
WEST BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPanama City BeachElementaryPK-05362·
ROSENWALD HIGH SCHOOLPanama CityHigh06-12351·
MERRIAM CHERRY STREET ELEMENTARYPanama CityElementaryPK-05343·
PALM BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPanama CityElementaryKG-05321·
RISING LEADERS ACADEMYPanama CityCombinedKG-12311·
PALM BAY PREPARATORY ACADEMY 6-12Panama CityHigh06-12203·
THE COLLEGIATE SCHOOL AT FSU PCPanama CityHigh09-12178·
MARGARET K. LEWIS IN MILLVILLEPanama CityCombinedPK-12170·
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOLPanama CityHigh09-1299·
NEW HORIZONS LEARNING CENTERPanama CityHigh06-1293·
ST. ANDREW SCHOOL AT OAKLAND TERRACEPanama CityElementaryPK-0555·
CHAUTAUQUA CHARTER SCHOOLPanama CityHigh09-1252·
AMIKIDS MARITIME ACADEMYPanama CityHigh09-1226·
BAY VIRTUAL FRANCHISEPanama CityCombined03-1225·
BAY VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION PROGRAM (DISTRICT PROVIDED)Panama CityHigh06-1214·
BAY VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION PROGRAMPanama CityCombinedKG-122·
EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATIONPanama CityCombinedPK-120·
BAY REGIONAL JUVENILE DETENTION CENTERPanama CityCombinedKG-12··

Cities in Bay County

Panama City37 schoolsPanama City Beach7 schoolsLynn Haven3 schoolsSouthport1 schoolTyndall Afb1 schoolYoungstown1 school

About Bay County

Bay County is a mid-sized Florida county of about 186,393 residents, home to 50 public schools and roughly 27,672 students.

Stepping back, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $73,533, about 30% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate is around 8%. That income level is 8% noticeably above the Florida median.

In terms of grade levels, Bay County spans 24 elementary schools (13,729 students), 5 middle schools (2,933), 13 high schools (8,057), and 8 combined or other schools.

BAY dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 27,494 students on its own.

Five-year track record. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment stayed largely flat: 28,076 students in SY 2017-18 versus 27,672 in SY 2024-25. The school count fell from 52 to 48 across the same 7-year window. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 68% to 60% over the same window.

In the discussion threads here, the community for Bay County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve Bay County?
There are 50 public K-12 schools in Bay County, Florida, with a combined enrollment of about 27,672.
How many high schools are in Bay County?
Bay County, Florida has 13 public high schools, serving approximately 8,057 students.
How many middle schools are in Bay County?
Bay County, Florida has 5 public middle schools, serving approximately 2,933 students.
How many elementary schools are in Bay County?
Bay County, Florida has 24 public elementary schools, serving approximately 13,729 students.
What is the largest school district in Bay County?
BAY is the largest school district in Bay County, serving approximately 27,494 students. The county contains 2 school districts overall.
How many people live in Bay County?
Bay County has roughly 186,393 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Bay County?
Median household income in Bay County is $73,533, above the Florida average of $68,377. About 8.1% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Bay County?
Approximately 29.6% of adults 25 and older in Bay County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Bay County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 43.5% of students in Bay County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is lower than the Florida county average of 51.6%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Bay County schools?
Across Bay County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 17.8 to 1.

Bay County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data