Washington County

County Business Patterns, 20232nd largest of 2 counties in the Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL metro areaPopulation 25,545

Washington County had 4,041 private jobs in 445 establishments in March 2023, paying $40,487 on average, 32% below the Florida figure. It is one of three counties with fewer private jobs in 2023 than in 2019 (−3.5%). Its population rose 0.3% over the same years. Pay in manufacturing averages $36,546 a year here, the lowest of the 62 counties with at least 100 jobs in it.

With 4,041 jobs, a few employers can move these averages a lot.

Compare Washington side by side with Sarasota or another county.

The largest industry, retail trade, has 20% of Washington County's jobs. Among its larger industries, pay runs from $20,289 a year in other services to $65,233 in professional, scientific and technical services.

Pays above the county averagePays below itNot shown by industryCounty averageFlorida average

What stands out in Washington County

Jobs fell 1.6% between March 2022 and March 2023, while Florida as a whole kept growing.
Jobs in other services make up 7.8% of all local jobs, the 3rd-highest share of the 59 counties with at least 100 such jobs and 1.8 times the 67-county share.
Total payroll rose 20.4% from 2019 in current dollars, the 5th-slowest increase in the state.
None of its 11 industries with 100 or more jobs pays as much as the same industry does statewide.
91.9% of its establishments have fewer than 20 employees, the 5th-highest share among the 67 counties where size classes are published.

Where Washington County ranks

The four measures on which Washington County sits furthest from the middle county. It is furthest out on job growth since 2019, where it ranks 66th of 67.

Average annual pay$40,487

58thof 67

Jobs per 1,000 residents158

55thof 67

Payroll per resident$6,405

57thof 67

Job growth since 2019−3.5%

66thof 67

WashingtonOther countiesMiddle county

Every industry, line by line

17 industries published; retail trade added the most jobs since 2019 (80), professional, scientific and technical services lost the most (176).

Industry	Jobs	Avg pay	Pay vs same industry statewide	Jobs since 2019
Retail trade	797	$28,996	0.77×	+11.2%
Health care & social assistance	687	$46,975	0.73×	−2.0%
Hotels & restaurants	436	$21,539	0.76×	−17.3%
Construction	403	$48,419	0.76×	+15.5%
Professional & technical services	317	$65,233	0.73×	−35.7%
Other services	315	$20,289	0.51×	+19.8%
Manufacturing	251	$36,546	0.54×	−11.6%
Wholesale trade	167	$58,509	0.74×	+6.4%
Transportation & warehousing	134	$59,716	0.99×	+47.2%
Administrative & support services	112	$29,348	0.50×	−47.7%
Finance & insurance	110	$53,909	0.51×	+35.8%
Arts & recreation	88	$47,045	1.09×	−2.2%
Agriculture, forestry & fishing	76	$54,737	1.22×	+4.1%
Educational services	48	$20,646	0.42×	−2.0%
Utilities	37	$101,432	0.81×	+76.2%
Real estate & rental	32	$35,812	0.58×	+100.0%
Information	25	$67,520	0.66×	−56.9%
All industries	4,041	$40,487	0.68×	−3.5%

Withheld by the Census Bureau: Mining & quarrying, Management of companies.

What sets Washington County apart

Jobs in agriculture, forestry and fishing are 19.7 times as common here as across the 67 counties; administrative and support services is the most under-represented, at 0.40×.

Business sizes

91.9% have fewer than 20 employees; 4 have 100 or more.

EmployeesEstablishments

1–4266

5–980

10–1963

20–4925

50–995

100–2494

250–499withheld

500–999withheld

1,000+withheld

Since 2019

Jobs −3.5%, residents +0.3% since March 2019.

Jobs4,0412019: 4,186−3.5%

Business establishments4452019: 410+8.5%

Average pay (nominal)$40,4872019: $32,473+24.7%

Residents25,5452019: 25,473+0.3%

Share of Florida

Fewer of Florida's jobs (0.05%) than of its residents (0.11%).

Residents0.11%

Businesses0.07%

Jobs0.05%

Payroll0.03%

Source: Census CBP 2023, 2022, 2019; Population Estimates. FIPS 12133. How to read County Business Patterns figures.