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 2008 retail trade was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $23,027. Per capita income grew by 22.7% between 1997 and 2007 (adjusted for inflation).

People & Income Overview (By Place of Residence)	Value	Rank in U.S.	Industry Overview (2008) (By Place of Work)	Value	Rank in U.S.
Population (2008)	163,946	368	Covered Employment	72,563	347
Growth (%) since 1990	29.1%	682	Avg wage per job	$34,354	979
Households (2000)	59,597	347	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	5.0%	2235
Labor Force (persons) (2008)	88,608	353	Avg wage per job	$51,181	458
Unemployment Rate (2008)	5.5	1575	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	1.9%	1706
Per Capita Personal Income (2007)	$33,106	825	Avg wage per job	$42,268	890
Median Household Income (2007)	$47,495	775	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	10.3%	1200
Poverty Rate (2007)	12.0	2037	Avg wage per job	$41,447	412
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	81.0	1,265	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	4.5%	323
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	17.7	956	Avg wage per job	$44,294	697