Thinking of Moving to Pensacola?
Discover what living in the Panhandle is like.
If you're thinking about relocating to Pensacola and in the process of researching various cities around Florida, you're in the right place. This page has been assembled to help you gain a better understanding of Pensacola and the Emerald Coast of Florida, what the area offers residents in terms of lifestyle, amenities, employment and healthcare. We also encourage you to reach out to Natalie Carmichael, our Pensacola relocation expert as she is glad to answer any questions you may have about the area, including the Pensacola real estate market, housing and living costs.About Pensacola, FL
Pensacola is the most northwestern city in the Florida panhandle and is only 13 miles from the Alabama state border. The waterfront city, known for its white sand beaches and rich historical past, offers year-round residents a high-quality of life with endless outdoor activities, a strong employment market and top-rated healthcare. Pensacola’s population is approximately 54,000 (total Escambia County population is 322,390 persons).Experience Pensacola and our beautiful white-sand beaches in the below video. Make sure your volume is on.
Pensacola Awards and Accolades
Pensacola commonly receives awards and accolades each year for it Gulf beaches, top-rated healthcare and area attractions. View recent awards below.- 2023
Pensacola Ranks as the #3 "Best Place to Retire" in the U.S. - US News & World Report - 2022
Pensacola Beach Recognized as a "Top White Sand Beach" in Florida - Trips to Discover Pensacola Named the 6th "Best City to Live" in Florida - US News & World Report - 2021
Pensacola Ranks as a Top 10 City To Retire In Florida - Investment U Pensacola is Named the 5th "Best Place to Live" in Florida - US News & World Report
Top 10 Reasons to Relocate to Pensacola
- Pensacola is a Top-Rated City to Retire In
With its small-town charm, rich historic heritage, emerald-colored gulf waters and attractive real estate prices, Pensacola is commonly ranked as a top Florida city to retire in. In late 2022, Penscola was offically ranked as the #3 "Best Place to Retire" in the entire U.S. by US News & World Report (see rankings below).
# City Name Average Home Price Average Age 1 Lancaster, PA $313,675 32.7 2 Harrisburg, PA $213,757 31.5 3 Pensacola, FL $241,322 36.8 4 Tampa, FL $371,253 35.9 5 York, PA $247,372 32.2 Average Home Prices as of Mar 2023. - Pensacola Has Beautiful White Sand Beaches
Pensacola's gulf beaches rank among the most beautiful in all of Florida and regularly receive top ratings each year by popular review sites such as Trip Advisor, Dr. Beach and USA Today. In 2020, Pensacola Beach officially ranked as the #4 "Best Beach in America" by Trip Advisor. The sugar like white powder sand, which stays cool on a hot summer's day, is located along the barrier islands of Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key. See the coastline from the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier. - Pensacola Offers Affordable Real Estate
The Pensacola real estate market offers some of the most attractive housing prices in all of Florida as compared to the larger, more poluated metropolitan areas of the state. In early March of 2023, the median Pensacola home price is $241,322 and this represents a 9.6% year-over-year increase. Living gulf side or on the Intracoastal waterway will cost you more for the amazing water views. For exact housing prices and a list of current homes matching your criteria, contact Natalie Carmichael, our Pensacola relocation expert listed on this page. - Florida Does Not Have a State Income Tax
One of the biggest benefits of being a Florida resident is the lack of a state income tax. This allows you to keep more of your income. In place of the state tax, Florida earns revenues from the millions of tourists that vacation in our state each year through a 7% sales tax (state level) and a 5% tourist tax (county level) on revenues from rental properties and hotel stays that are for a term of six month or less. Once you become a Florida resident, you will be thankful for the tourists as they pay your share of the state taxes. - Pensacola is a Year-Round Playground for Outdoor Activities
With 224 sunny days each year and average temperature of 68' year-round, Pensacola is a the ideal city to enjoy outdoor activities by land, sea and air. If you enjoy playing on the water, experience stand-up paddle boarding, kayak through our mangroves or go for a boat ride. By land, play a round of golf or explore our many recreational parks and nature trails. If you're feeling more adventurous, try parasailing or paragliding over the gulf. - Pensacola Has Great Cuisine & Dining Options
Downtown Pensacola area and the surrounding keys offering many great dining choices. The quaint, historic downtown area offers a full mix of cuisines from casual eateries to 5-star, fine dining restaurants. Pensacola also offers hip and trendy craft beers establishments that have live entertainment, many on a daily basis. If you preference is dining with a water view, there are lots of popular places near Pensacola Bay and Seville Harbor. - Pensacola Has Top-Rated Healthcare
When relocating to a new city, especially in your retirement years, it's important to have quality healthcare available to you for regular check-ups and emergency care. Pensacola's main hospital, West Florida Hospital, has been Named One of the Nation's 100 Top Hospitals for Three Years in a Row by Truven Health Analytics. Truven Health Analytics is a part of IBM Watson Health. - Pensacola Has a Strong Employment Market
Pensacola's job and employment market has been very strong post Covid with a current unemployment rate at just under 3% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). Top sectors of employment in the Pensacola area include military, tourism and hospitality, medical and healthcare services, education, retail and various professional services. The largest non-military employers in Escambia County include the local School District, Baptist Health Care Corporation and The University of West Florida. - Pensacola is Rich with Historical Heritage
Pensacola is said to be the first European settlement in the New World as the city lies claim to the nation's first settlement by Spanish sailor Don Tristan de Luna in 1559. Residents and visitors alike can view popular historical sites contained with an eight-and-a-half acre Historic Pensacola Village district located downtown Pensacola. This area includes many popular historical sites such as the Pensacola Lighthouse, Fort Pickens, Fort Barrancas and Emanual Point just to name a few. - Many Wildlife, Parks & Nature Trails to Explore
The Pensacola area offers miles of natural Florida beauty and wildlife along its protected Gulf Coast, which is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. On Pensacola Beach, one popular attraction is the 8.5 mile Eco-Trail which allows you to experience the local ecology including wild birds, turtles, crabs and sea life. There are 29 stops total on the eco-trail. Each stop provides you with maps and pictures to guide you in your exploration of the winding trail.
Natalie Carmichael
Realtor®Your Pensacola Relocation Expert
704-678-7075
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The Pensacola Real Estate Market
Market outlook, trends & relocation advice by Natalie Carmichael
The Pensacola real estate market continues to see consistent demand from buyers as our market slowly transitions back to a more balanced one, where buyer and seller demand are more equal. While the average Pensacola home is now selling for $241K in the spring of 2023, and represents a 11.3 year-over-year increase, we are now seeing much healthier market signals such as listings spending more days on the market (31 days now vs 15 days nearly a year ago), fewer multiple offer situations than was during the market peak, as well as more families now stepping up to purchase homes who didn’t want to compete against all the investors during the market frenzy.
As for Pensacola’s new construction market, custom built homes are still running longer to complete, approx. 9+ months vs the standard 6 months, due to some lingering supply chain issues. However, for new homes where builders pre-select finishes, they are being released for sale roughly 60 – 90 days before scheduled completion allowing for quicker move-ins. Also, builders are once again offering buyer incentives in the form of a rebate, typically around $30K or so.
As for Pensacola’s new construction market, custom built homes are still running longer to complete, approx. 9+ months vs the standard 6 months, due to some lingering supply chain issues. However, for new homes where builders pre-select finishes, they are being released for sale roughly 60 – 90 days before scheduled completion allowing for quicker move-ins. Also, builders are once again offering buyer incentives in the form of a rebate, typically around $30K or so.
Pensacola Housing Market Outlook
My outlook for the Pensacola real estate market in early 2023 and in the months ahead is for housing prices to remain relatively flat as our market continues to normalize. Should interest rates continue rising this year, I don’t really see this affecting demand much as real estate prices here in the Panhandle are much more attractive than most of the larger metropolitan areas of Florida.Market Trends I'm Observing
I have been observing the following market trends.- Fewer investors chasing properties for Airbnb rentals than was during the market peak.
- An uptick in younger buyers purchasing their first home to escape rising rental rates.
- A more balanced number of cash and financed deals now taking place.
My Relocation Advice
The best advice I can provide is to talk to a lender and make sure you take the appropriate steps to get pre-approved before you relocate (i.e. get pre-approved while you’re still working and quit your job to move here). I would also mention that the longer you wait to move here, prices are likely to increase due to the strong demand for housing.Pensacola Relocation Reviews:
Read what Natalie's past clients are saying.
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"Natalie Carmichael is phenomenal! She is extremely efficient at her job! The whole process of finding houses, vewing them, going through the process of buying one has been as streamlined as it could be. If I ever had a question or just wanted more info, she was already on it! I can't recommend Natalie enough!"
R. Dean
Home Buyer -
"Natalie was amazing. We were having trouble finding what we were looking for and she didn't stop until we found it. She went well above and beyond to help us out. If you’re looking for the perfect person to find your dream house, your search ends with Natalie!"
John C.
Home Buyer -
"One-of-a-kind, very reliable! Natalie got us 200% from our 1st meeting she gets EACH buyer's tastes and attitude and professionally blends in. RARE TO FIND A REALTOR AS HER! WE definitely will use her services again! One-of-a-kind and fantastic!"
Alma N.
Home Buyer -
"I personally felt that Natalie went above and beyond what I was expecting. She was prompt, always followed through and very professional. I will use her again for my next property and recommend her to other people looking for an amazing realtor!"
JM Cohen
Home Buyer
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