Bay County is one of about 3,141 counties and county equivalents in the United States. It has 763.7 sq. miles in land area and a population density of 214.7 per square mile. In the last three decades of the 1900s its population grew by 96.9%. On the 2000 census form, 98.1% of the population reported only one race, with 10.6% of these reporting African-American. The population of this county is 2.4% Hispanic (of any race). The average household size is 2.43 persons compared to an average family size of 2.92 persons. In 2007 retail trade was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $23,358. Per capita income grew by 24.8% between 1996 and 2006 (adjusted for inflation).

People & Income Overview (By Place of Residence)	Value	Rank in U.S.	Industry Overview (2007) (By Place of Work)	Value	Rank in U.S.
Population (2007)	163,984	359	Covered Employment	73,135	345
Growth (%) since 1990	29.1%	655	Avg wage per job	$33,955	871
Households (2000)	59,597	347	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	4.8%	2300
Labor Force (persons) (2007)	86,313	357	Avg wage per job	$48,401	537
Unemployment Rate (2007)	3.7	2316	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	1.9%	1723
Per Capita Personal Income (2006)	$32,081	662	Avg wage per job	$40,705	976
Median Household Income (2005)	$40,540	1113	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	10.0%	1195
Poverty Rate (2005)	13.7	1663	Avg wage per job	$40,027	407
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	81.0	1,265	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	5.0%	222
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	17.7	956	Avg wage per job	$43,862	681