Downtown Panama City is in ZIP 32401, zoned for Bay High. Zillow put the typical home value in 32401 at $217,221 in August 2026.
Last checked Oct. 10, 2026. Sources: the City of Panama City’s Downtown CRA page and golf cart neighborhoods map, Bay County’s school attendance zone maps, the Florida Department of Education’s 2026 school grades, Zillow Research and OpenStreetMap.
Downtown is where Panama City began: the waterfront and the first blocks of Harrison Avenue, with City Hall, the courthouse, McKenzie Park and the marina. It has shops, restaurants and offices on the street and homes and apartments on the blocks around them.
What this means for you
- Zoned high school: Bay High, graded C in 2026.
- Home value: $217,221 in ZIP 32401 in August 2026, according to the Zillow Home Value Index.
- Main roads: Harrison Avenue, and 6th Street and Beach Drive, both part of Business U.S. 98.
Part of our Panama City neighborhoods guide.
Where it is
The city’s Downtown CRA page tells how the area grew. It was first called “Harrison” and briefly “Park Resort,” took the name Panama City in 1906 and was incorporated in 1909. Business spread up Harrison Avenue from the waterfront, reaching the 300 and 400 blocks in the 1910s. By the late 1930s, the city says, “the limits and shape of the downtown were now firmly established, with business extending as far as the 700 block.”
On the city’s golf cart neighborhoods map, Downtown is the area south of 6th Street around Harrison Avenue, down to the bay, with Beach Drive on its west side. The Cove lies to the east and St. Andrews to the west. City Hall is at 501 Harrison Ave. Everything here is in ZIP code 32401.
The main roads, with their route numbers from OpenStreetMap’s road data, are Harrison Avenue, 6th Street and West Beach Drive, both parts of Business U.S. 98. U.S. 98 itself runs along 15th Street, about a mile north.
Extra tax. Property in the Downtown Improvement District pays 3.0000 mills to that district in addition to the city, county and school rates, according to the Bay County Tax Collector’s 2025 millage table. See our property taxes guide.
Schools
Bay County’s school attendance zone maps place downtown in these zones. Grades are from the Florida Department of Education’s 2026 school grades:
| Level | Zoned school | 2026 grade | 2025 grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Merriam Cherry Street Elementary, 1125 Cherry St. | C | B |
| Middle | Jinks Middle, 600 W. 11th St. | C | C |
| High | Bay High, 1200 Harrison Ave. | C | B |
Zones can change. Confirm an address with the district’s School Zone and Bus Route search or call Student Services at 850-767-4328. More in our schools guide.
Home values
The typical home value in ZIP 32401 was $217,221 in August 2026, up 1.3% from $214,538 in August 2025, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. That is a modeled typical value for the middle third of homes in the whole ZIP code, not a sale price. The figure for Panama City as a whole was $284,369. ZIP 32401 also covers St. Andrews, the Cove, Millville and Glenwood, so it is not a downtown-only number. See our home prices guide.
Parks and the waterfront
- McKenzie Park, 17 E. Third Ct., with its main entrance on Harrison Avenue. A shaded park with a large gazebo used for concerts, weddings and art shows, lit at night.
- Panama City Marina, at the foot of Harrison Avenue, with a public boat ramp. The city posted a Downtown Marina progress report on its recovery and redevelopment after hurricane damage.
More in our parks and trails guide.
Getting around
- Main roads: Harrison Avenue north to 15th Street (U.S. 98) and 23rd Street; Business U.S. 98 west along Beach Drive toward St. Andrews and east along 6th Street.
- Airport: Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is about 29 miles from downtown by road, measured on the OpenStreetMap road network. That is a distance, not a drive time.
- Buses: Bayway, the county bus system, lists routes 3 to 7. Find the stops nearest an address with its trip planner or call 850-769-0557.
- Golf carts: allowed on designated downtown streets under the city’s golf cart rules, never on Harrison Avenue, Beach Drive, 5th Street or 6th Street.
- Parking: many downtown spaces have 2- and 3-hour limits; see our getting around guide.
Groceries and everyday stores
OpenStreetMap lists a CVS Pharmacy at 660 E. Business Highway 98, just east of Harrison Avenue. The nearest supermarkets in its data are a Piggly Wiggly at 1380 W. 15th St. and a Publix at 650 W. 23rd St. and Walmart Supercenter at 513 W. 23rd St., all north of downtown.
Nearby areas
The Cove, St. Andrews and Downtown North. For the history of the district’s buildings, see historic downtown Panama City.
Frequently asked questions
What ZIP code is downtown Panama City?
- Zillow put the typical home value in ZIP 32401 at $217,221 in August 2026, up 1.3% from a year earlier.
What schools is downtown Panama City zoned for?
Bay County’s attendance zone maps place downtown in the zones for Merriam Cherry Street Elementary, Jinks Middle and Bay High. All three earned a C in Florida’s 2026 school grades.
Is downtown Panama City a good place to live?
Downtown is the city’s original business district around Harrison Avenue, with City Hall, McKenzie Park and the marina. Homes there are in ZIP 32401, where the typical value was $217,221 in August 2026, according to Zillow, and the zoned high school is Bay High, graded C in 2026.
Do downtown Panama City properties pay an extra property tax?
Property in the Downtown Improvement District pays 3.0000 mills to that district in addition to the city, county and school rates, according to the Bay County Tax Collector’s 2025 millage table.
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