Jobs, pay and daily life in Pensacola, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Pensacola is a city in Florida with 54,036 residents. The median household earns $74,212 a year and the median rent is $1,322 a month, which is 21.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 190,480 jobs.
How Pensacola compares. Among the 120 largest places in Florida, Pensacola is #75 by population, #7 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #14 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #28 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Escambia County, is #17 of 67 counties for average pay ($60,268).
Pensacola has 54,036 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Florida. It covers 23 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,373 people per square mile. The median age is 41.3, 3% younger than the state median (41.3 against 42.6).
The median gross rent is $1,322 a month (rent plus utilities), 21% below the state median ($1,322 against $1,669). Over a year that is 21.4% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $314,400, which is 4.2 times the median household income ($74,212). 64.2% of households own their home, 5% below the state average (64.2% against 67.6%).
The Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL metropolitan area has 190,480 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,240 a year, 9% below the national median ($46,240 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (23,680 jobs, median $44,450); food preparation and serving related (22,460 jobs, median $31,040); sales and related (20,150 jobs, median $35,640). The area is most specialised in food preparation and serving related (1.3 times) and installation, maintenance, and repair (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($99,080) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($77,810). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Escambia County was 4.7%. 61.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Escambia County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 72.9% drive alone, 0.7% use public transit, 1.2% walk, 16.7% work from home. 10.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 41% below the state average (10.6% against 18.1%).
43.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 26% above the state share (43.0% against 34.1%). 5.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 77% below the state share (5.1% against 21.9%). The poverty rate is 12.6%, about the same as the state rate (12.6% against 12.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (27.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 52°F (11.2°C). About 1,549 mm (61 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (177 mm) and Nov the driest (86 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Navarre (18 miles, rent 49% higher); Foley (29 miles, rent 6% lower); Gulf Shores (33 miles, rent 12% higher); Fairhope (41 miles, rent 28% higher). Rent differences are against Pensacola; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Florida (1,224) →State guide: FloridaCountry guideEscambia CountyFlorida rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,224 federal postings open in Florida (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Florida →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 6,970 | 1.48 | $28,360 | $27,190 | $34,640 | -9% |
| Retail Salespersons | 6,720 | 1.41 | $31,870 | $27,670 | $43,700 | -10% |
| Registered Nurses | 5,070 | 1.22 | $77,890 | $63,780 | $99,030 | -20% |
| Cashiers | 4,690 | 1.24 | $29,910 | $27,040 | $36,090 | -9% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 4,260 | 1.53 | $35,340 | $27,040 | $59,820 | +0% |
| Office Clerks, General | 4,160 | 1.38 | $39,960 | $30,680 | $61,100 | -11% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,040 | 0.94 | $97,350 | $48,100 | $201,910 | -8% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,630 | 1.04 | $34,920 | $29,700 | $45,350 | -6% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3,280 | 1.03 | $43,290 | $30,530 | $55,470 | -3% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 2,760 | 1.63 | $50,360 | $50,250 | $60,530 | -21% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,490 | 0.92 | $32,010 | $28,290 | $40,090 | -13% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,450 | 0.68 | $36,540 | $29,460 | $46,870 | -9% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 2,430 | 1.29 | $45,190 | $33,900 | $73,640 | -9% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 2,260 | 1.31 | $35,800 | $29,630 | $44,610 | -4% |
| Nursing Assistants | 2,150 | 1.21 | $36,430 | $33,090 | $45,200 | -14% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 2,010 | 1.34 | $42,110 | $29,880 | $61,080 | -4% |
| Construction Laborers | 1,930 | 1.44 | $43,050 | $33,400 | $57,290 | -9% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,920 | 1.63 | $38,750 | $33,320 | $53,600 | -16% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,790 | 0.86 | $43,660 | $32,370 | $62,700 | -8% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 1,790 | 1.31 | $46,790 | $31,400 | $74,510 | -4% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 530 | 0.64 | $150,160 | $98,590 | $207,500 | -14% |
| Pharmacists | 600 | 1.52 | $132,560 | $48,340 | $160,240 | -6% |
| Financial Managers | 960 | 0.93 | $127,340 | $72,560 | $216,440 | -24% |
| Lawyers | 960 | 1.04 | $126,790 | $69,680 | $264,570 | -21% |
| Managers, All Other | 510 | 0.67 | $109,300 | $47,480 | $167,530 | -23% |
| Software Developers | 1,000 | 0.48 | $108,430 | $67,010 | $168,270 | -20% |
| Sales Managers | 650 | 0.83 | $107,470 | $62,640 | $221,620 | -28% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 940 | 1.29 | $105,140 | $68,290 | $164,830 | -15% |
| Project Management Specialists | 1,280 | 0.98 | $98,670 | $57,140 | $183,040 | -4% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,040 | 0.94 | $97,350 | $48,100 | $201,910 | -8% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 790 | 1.25 | $94,290 | $61,090 | $124,970 | -11% |
| Registered Nurses | 5,070 | 1.22 | $77,890 | $63,780 | $99,030 | -20% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,170 | 0.66 | $76,410 | $48,950 | $127,420 | -9% |
| Management Analysts | 1,670 | 1.52 | $75,700 | $49,750 | $133,470 | -26% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | 1,030 | 1.37 | $74,010 | $46,740 | $113,620 | -7% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 1,450 | 1.46 | $70,510 | $47,990 | $99,920 | -12% |
| Financial and Investment Analysts | 500 | 1.12 | $68,700 | $58,200 | $112,820 | -33% |
| Training and Development Specialists | 590 | 1.05 | $68,620 | $39,490 | $163,980 | -1% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 1,510 | 1.13 | $67,620 | $45,250 | $119,430 | -19% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 1,060 | 0.95 | $66,260 | $42,970 | $105,580 | -13% |
These figures are for the whole Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,240 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.6% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 13.1% |
| Retail trade | 12.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 12.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.0% |
| Construction | 5.7% |
| Other services | 5.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.4% |
| Public administration | 3.9% |
| Manufacturing | 3.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.5% |
| Information | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Pensacola lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escambia County | 325,923 | $24,363 million | $74,750 | 145,972 | 9,738 | $60,268 | +0.2% | 4.7% | 149,985 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 23,956 | 19.8% | $66,557 | 1.14 |
| Accommodation and food services | 17,408 | 14.4% | $28,076 | 1.31 |
| Retail trade | 17,213 | 14.2% | $38,192 | 1.18 |
| Finance and insurance | 12,047 | 10.0% | $89,839 | 2.03 |
| Construction | 9,339 | 7.7% | $63,693 | 1.22 |
| Professional and technical services | 8,125 | 6.7% | $97,719 | 0.80 |
| Administrative and waste services | 7,664 | 6.3% | $50,154 | 0.89 |
| Manufacturing | 5,464 | 4.5% | $84,160 | 0.46 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4,992 | 4.1% | $45,568 | 1.14 |
| Wholesale trade | 4,676 | 3.9% | $80,660 | 0.81 |
| Real estate and rental | 2,773 | 2.3% | $51,810 | 1.22 |
| Educational services | 2,545 | 2.1% | $51,546 | 0.84 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 2,172 | 1.8% | $25,788 | 0.89 |
| Management of companies | 1,401 | 1.2% | $95,764 | 0.57 |
| Information | 878 | 0.7% | $77,749 | 0.32 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 148 | 0.1% | $48,232 | 0.13 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 89 | 0.1% | $62,366 | 0.16 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 72.9% |
| Public transit | 0.7% |
| Walk | 1.2% |
| Work from home | 16.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 10.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,212 |
| Income per person | $48,536 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,322 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 21.4% |
| Median home value | $314,400 |
| Homeowners | 64.2% |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 97.7 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $46,240 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 41.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 43.0% |
| Born abroad | 5.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11.2 | 52 | 98 |
| Feb | 13.1 | 56 | 117 |
| Mar | 16.2 | 61 | 115 |
| Apr | 19.7 | 67 | 125 |
| May | 23.8 | 75 | 105 |
| Jun | 27.1 | 81 | 170 |
| Jul | 27.9 | 82 | 175 |
| Aug | 27.8 | 82 | 177 |
| Sep | 25.9 | 79 | 143 |
| Oct | 21.4 | 71 | 102 |
| Nov | 16.2 | 61 | 86 |
| Dec | 13.0 | 55 | 136 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navarre | FL | 18 mi | 39,838 | $105,265 | $1,966 |
| Foley | AL | 29 mi | 24,026 | $66,336 | $1,242 |
| Gulf Shores | AL | 33 mi | 16,401 | $78,188 | $1,483 |
| Fairhope | AL | 41 mi | 24,190 | $94,274 | $1,689 |
| Daphne | AL | 43 mi | 29,453 | $87,250 | $1,388 |
| Spanish Fort | AL | 45 mi | 10,662 | $99,346 | $1,390 |
| Mobile | AL | 57 mi | 203,416 | $53,558 | $1,068 |
| Prichard | AL | 60 mi | 18,961 | $36,588 | $922 |
| Tillmans Corner | AL | 62 mi | 17,677 | $60,837 | $908 |
| Saraland | AL | 62 mi | 16,404 | $61,509 | $1,060 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
54,036 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,322 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 21.4% of the median household income.
$74,212 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.7% (BLS county, Escambia County (latest month 2026M09)).
Florida. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.