Places › Florida › Pensacola

Living in Pensacola, FL

Small city in Florida

Pensacola is a small city in Florida, home to about 54,000 people, with 425,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Pensacola a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Low taxes: no state income tax, 0.61% property tax
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $259k and rents for $1,950 a month
  • Easy flying: PNS is 2 mi away
  • Strong healthcare: 4 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Smaller job market: about 425,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Fewer graduates: 43% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Pensacola ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
54,000
425,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
65°F / 91°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$259k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,950/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
98
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
No income tax
State income tax per resident · 0.61% property tax
Safety
1.6× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
15 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly hurricanes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
4
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
43%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
PNS
2 mi away

Living in Pensacola: common questions

What is the cost of living in Pensacola?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $259k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,950 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 98, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Pensacola?

Florida has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 0.61% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Pensacola safe?

Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.6× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Pensacola?

Pensacola is warm all year: winter days average around 65°F and summer days around 91°F.

Does Pensacola get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from hurricanes and flooding: 15 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.53 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Pensacola?

The nearest major airport is PNS, about 2 mi away.

How Pensacola scores

Each bar compares Pensacola with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Suburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature on the doorstep Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Warm all year Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Relaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Excellent
💼Job market Below average
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Below average
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Good
⛰️Outdoors Good
🎭Culture Below average
🛡️Safety Moderate crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Good
🌤️Mild summers Average
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is Pensacola right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.