Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 3,830, settled in 1946.
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 94% of U.S. communities, with hurricanes at the top. Overall it grades B−, ranked 149th of 634 in Florida. It is more walkable than 88% of U.S. towns. Its weakest subject is cost of living: homes are expensive, about $438K for a typical one and 6.1 times the Panama City metro’s $72K median household income. 33% of residents are 65 or older in Laguna Beach, above both Florida’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (18%). Latimer Cabin and Camp Helen Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where Laguna Beach beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
3,932 counted in 2010 and 4,330 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Laguna Beach is from typical.
Its grades run from A for walkability (better than 88% of comparable towns) to D− for hazard risk (better than 3%), so the B− overall blends very different results.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,876 in 1990, 4,330 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1946 and 2 maps from 1943 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Laguna Beach is unincorporated, so Bay County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Laguna Beach.
Laguna Beach is a second-home town, has less food insecurity than most of Florida and has a longer frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of Florida.
3.3 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The trail density in Laguna Beach is 1.2 miles per square mile. Camp Helen State Park, at 158 acres with 2.2 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Laguna Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.2 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 7.8% | 3% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Camp Helen State Park | 2.2 mi | 158 |
| 2. Pinnacle Dog Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Since 1995, 28 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Laguna Beach.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
53.5% of homes are seasonal or vacation homes, against 7.8% statewide, which helps explain the older median age.
Children under 18 are 6% of residents (20% statewide); people 65 and older are 33% of residents (21% statewide). 5.8% of residents are under 18 in Laguna Beach. 39% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 34% across Florida.
| Laguna Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 5.8% | 20% | 22% |
| Median age | 57 years | 42.4 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 39% | 31% | 29% |
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.6 points. Across Florida, 50.9% of residents are women.
| Laguna Beach | FL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 2.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 3.4% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.5% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5.5% | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 16.3% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 18.7% | 13.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 20.4% | 11.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 12.9% | 9.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.2% | 10.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 19.3% | 27.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.4% | 18.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.4% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.5% | 21.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 18.2% | 12.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,800, single groups can be off by several points
The average commute for its 1,484 working residents takes 17.9 minutes, against 28 across Florida.
Laguna Beach’s average trip to work is 18 minutes. Since 2013, Laguna Beach has added 59 jobs, to 559 in 2023. 5.5% of Laguna Beach residents live below the poverty line.
| Laguna Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 5.5% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.6% | 5% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its widest gap with Florida is food insecurity: 8.1% of its 3,786 adults worry about having enough food, against 16.8% statewide.
Laguna Beach beats the Florida average on 13 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 3.
| Laguna Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 8.1% | 15% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 25% | 25% |
| What stands out | Laguna Beach | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.1% | 16.8% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.8% | 13.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.9% | 9.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The Panama City 5n weather station, 17 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 301 days: longer than most of the country, but shorter than 85% of Florida places with climate records. July afternoons average 89.7°: hotter than most of the country, but cooler than 92% of Florida places with climate records; January nights average 43.7°.
Laguna Beach has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Laguna Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 44°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 90°F | 91°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1 within 15 miles of the center of Laguna Beach
About 3 of every 100 Laguna Beach residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
Where Laguna Beach’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Census-designated place in Florida, United States
Laguna Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Bay County, Florida, United States. The population was 4,330 at the 2020 census, up from 3,932 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Panama City–Panama City Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Laguna Beach was named for the many coastal dune lakes unique to this area of Northwest Florida.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Laguna Beach.
| Town | FL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laguna Beach | #149 | B− | C− | — | B | B+ |
| Panama City Beach | #350 | C | D | — | B | B+ |
Laguna Beach and Panama City Beach report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Laguna Beach with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Laguna Beach grades B− overall, better than 52% of U.S. towns and #149 of 634 in Florida. It grades B+ for health and B for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Yes. The typical home is worth about $438,000, 17% above the Florida typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.