6.5 avg / 10

Best Schools in Panama City Beach, Florida

7 schools · 5 Elementary · 1 High · 1 Other

Last updated: July 2026

Public: 7

Districts: 1

Avg Rating: 6.5/10

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Choosing a school in Panama City Beach?

Use this page to compare every school in Panama City Beach by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.

Explore the map How we rate schools

Shortlist starter

Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.

Elementary · Bay. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Panama City Beach for 2026 are West Bay Elementary School (7.1/10), Patronis Elementary School (6.8/10), and Breakfast Point Academy (6.5/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 6 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Top-Rated Schools in Panama City Beach

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (6 of 7). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#	School	Rating	Level	Value	State %ile
1	West Bay Elementary School	7.1 / 10	Elementary	—	66th
2	Patronis Elementary School	6.8 / 10	Elementary	—	61th
3	Breakfast Point Academy	6.5 / 10	Elementary	—	55th
4	Hutchison Beach Elementary School	6.1 / 10	Elementary	—	48th
5	Surfside Middle School	5.7 / 10	Other	—	40th
6	J.r. Arnold High School	5.1 / 10	High	—	28th

See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

Family Snapshot

At a glance

Avg school rating: 6.5/10
Median household income: $75,795
Median home value: $379,967
Bachelor's degree or higher: 37%
Avg commute: 22 min
Owner-occupied homes: 66%

How Panama City Beach compares

Florida rank

#117 of 280

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

+0.2

above Florida avg (6.3)

Median household income

$76k

101% of Florida median

Schools in this city

7

About Schools in Panama City Beach, Florida

Panama City Beach, Florida is home to 7 schools, including 7 public schools. The city's schools span 5 elementary schools, , and 1 high school.

With an average rating of 6.5 out of 10, schools in Panama City Beach show moderate performance on the MySchoolScout composite scale, which blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

The highest-performing school in Panama City Beach is A. Gary Walsingham Academy with a composite score of 8.2/10, demonstrating strong academic outcomes and school quality metrics.

Panama City Beach is served by 1 school district: BAY. These districts collectively serve 27,675 students.

Panama City Beach's community shows 37% bachelor's degree attainment with a median household income of $75,795. The poverty rate in the area is 7.9%.

Browse the schools below to compare ratings, test scores, enrollment, and other key metrics. Use the filters to focus on specific school levels or types that match your family's needs.

Filter by Level: All Levels (7) Elementary (5) High (1)

Filter by Type: All Types (7) Public (7)

Filter by Rating: All Ratings (7) Academics (7) Growth (6) Diversity (7) Resources (7)

Filter by ZIP: 32407 (4) 32413 (2)

Elementary Schools

5 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	A. Gary Walsingham Academy 423 students · Pre-K–4th	423	Pre-K–4th	8.2
2	West Bay Elementary School 357 students · Kindergarten–5th	357	Kindergarten–5th	7.1
3	Patronis Elementary School 634 students · Kindergarten–5th	634	Kindergarten–5th	6.8
4	Breakfast Point Academy 1,044 students · Pre-K–8th	1,044	Pre-K–8th	6.5
5	Hutchison Beach Elementary School 585 students · Kindergarten–5th	585	Kindergarten–5th	6.1

High Schools

1 school

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	J.r. Arnold High School 1,637 students · 9th–12th	1,637	9th–12th	5.1

Other Schools

1 school

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Surfside Middle School 825 students · Pre-K–12th	825	Pre-K–12th	5.7

Schools in Panama City Beach

Panama City Beach, Florida · 7 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 3 ZIP codes

Median Income

$75,795

Median Home Value

$379,967

Median Rent

$1,625/mo

Population

48,999

College Educated

37%

Homeownership

66%

Avg Commute

22 min

Poverty Rate

7.9%

Community Profile

Panama City Beach has a median household income of $75,795. It is an area where 37% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $379,967, with a median rent of $1,625/month. The local poverty rate of 7.9% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 22 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Schools by Level

State: Florida
Elementary: 5
High: 1
Other: 1

Resources

🔍 Google "Panama City Beach schools" 🏫 GreatSchools Panama City Beach 📊 Niche Panama City Beach Rankings 📍 Google Maps: Schools

School District

BAY

49 schools · 27,675 students

Nearby Cities

Lynn Haven (4 schools)

10 mi

Panama City (43 schools)

10 mi

Southport (1 school)

12 mi

Inlet Beach (1 school)

13 mi

Tyndall Afb (1 school)

15 mi

Santa Rosa (1 school)

21 mi

Santa Rosa Beach (10 schools)

25 mi

Youngstown (1 school)

Other Major Cities in Florida

Top metros statewide by school count.

Miami 497 schools Orlando 299 schools Jacksonville 296 schools Tampa 239 schools Hialeah 118 schools

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Panama City Beach, Florida

How many schools are in Panama City Beach, Florida?

Panama City Beach has 7 schools, including 7 public and 0 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Panama City Beach, Florida?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Panama City Beach is 6.5 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

What is the top-ranked school in Panama City Beach, Florida?

The top-ranked school in Panama City Beach on MySchoolScout is West Bay Elementary School with a composite score of 7.1/10.

What is the best elementary school in Panama City Beach, Florida?

The top-ranked elementary school in Panama City Beach on MySchoolScout is West Bay Elementary School with a composite score of 7.1/10.

What is the best high school in Panama City Beach, Florida?

The top-ranked high school in Panama City Beach on MySchoolScout is J.r. Arnold High School with a composite score of 5.1/10.

How many school districts serve Panama City Beach, Florida?

Panama City Beach is served by 1 school district: Bay.

What is the education level in Panama City Beach, Florida?

According to Census data, 37% of adults in Panama City Beach have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Panama City Beach, Florida?

The median household income in Panama City Beach is approximately $75,795 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Panama City Beach, Florida?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Panama City Beach is 17.1:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Panama City Beach, Florida?

MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.