The Pensacola metropolitan area is the metropolitan area centered on Pensacola, Florida. It is also known as the Pensacola–Ferry Pass–Brent Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) used for statistical purposes by the United States Census Bureau and other agencies. The Pensacola Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area was first defined in 1958, with Pensacola as the principal city, and included Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The SMA was renamed Pensacola–Ferry Pass–Brent MSA in 2003, with the unincorporated census-designated places Ferry Pass and Brent added as principal cities.[1] The population of the MSA in the 2020 census was 511,502.[2]

Pensacola metropolitan area
Pensacola–Ferry Pass–Brent, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area
F-14A Tomcat in front of the National Naval Aviation Museum
Map
Interactive Map of Florida Panhandle
with inset of Pensacola MSA
CountryUnited States
State(s)Florida
Largest cityPensacola
Other citiesNavarre
Gulf Breeze
Milton
Jay
Pace
Ensley
Warrington
Brent
Ferry Pass
McDavid
Pensacola Beach
Cantonment
Perdido Key
Myrtle Grove
Walnut Hill
West Pensacola
Molino
Innerarity Point
Goulding
Gonzalez
Barrineau Park
Area
 • Total2,049 sq mi (5,310 km2)
Highest elevation
Jay Florida 290 ft (88.39 m)
Population
 (2020 census)
 • Total511,503
 • Rank110 in the U.S.
 • Density219.12/sq mi (230.99/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)

The five incorporated cities within the MSA are Pensacola (Population: 51,923), Milton (8,866), Gulf Breeze (6,466), Century (1,786), and Jay (590). In addition, several unincorporated census-designated places account for a great number of the population. Most notable is Navarre (41,940); its population makes it the second largest community in the metro area, only behind Pensacola.[3][4][5]

Demographics edit

Year Escambia County, FL Santa Rosa County, FL Total
2000 Census 294,410 117,743 412,153
2010 Census 297,619 151,372 448,991
2020 Census 321,905 188,000 509,905

As of the census[6] of 2020, there were 509,905 people residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 70.2% White, 15.7% African American, 0.7% Native American, 2.7% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 2.2% from other races, and 8.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.4% of the population.[citation needed]

Economy edit

Personal income edit

The median income for a household in the MSA was $38,558, and the median income for a family was $44,319. Males had a median income of $32,966 versus $22,164 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $19,365.

Tourism edit

Tourism in the Pensacola Bay area brings in about $552 million annually.[7] Palafox Place contains multiple venues for nightlife.

Beaches edit

 
Pensacola Beach

Retail edit

Transportation edit

Commercial airports edit

Airport IATA code ICAO code County
Pensacola International Airport PNS KPNS Escambia

Interstate Highways edit

 
Interstate 110

U.S. Highways edit

State Highways edit

Codes of metropolitan Pensacola edit

Area codes edit

ZIP codes edit

The following is a list of ZIP codes for selected areas within the metropolitan area.

Escambia County

Santa Rosa County

Culture edit

Pensacola shares some aspects of European colonial culture seen in other Gulf cities like New Orleans, Galveston, TX, Biloxi, MS, and Mobile, AL. Initially settled by the Spanish, Pensacola celebrates this history with the annual Festival of the Five Flags. Pensacola also celebrates Mardi Gras each year, though, the city's festivities focus on the weekend before Mardi Gras.

Pensacola has a vibrant food culture that blends Southern cuisine with the bountiful seafood offerings of its coastal geographic setting. Among its popular dishes are fried mullet, shrimp and grits, fried grouper sandwiches, and grilled red snapper. Pensacola is world renowned for its seafood markets, none better know than Joe Patti's Seafood, the largest seafood market in America. Pensacola's proximity to fertile agricultural lands allows for seasonal harvests of peanuts, butter beans, silver corn, tomatoes, strawberries, and blue berries.

 
Museum of Naval Aviation

Performing Arts edit

Museums edit

Sports edit

 
Community Maritime Park in Downtown Pensacola

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Metro Area History 1950–2020". U.S. Census Bureau. March 2020. Row 3868. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  2. ^ "Resident Population in Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL (MSA)". St. Louis Federal Reserve Economic Data. May 5, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  3. ^ Siler, Wes (October 2022). "Navarre Incorporation Feasibility Study (October 2022 Update)" (PDF). Preserve Navarre.
  4. ^ "ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05 - 2019 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles): Navarre CDP, Florida". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  5. ^ "Navarre Beach 2020 Census". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  6. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
  7. ^ Fahrenthold, David A. (2 May 2010). "Obama to survey environmental damage in gulf". Washington, DC: Washington Pose. pp. A6.