"Florida's Quiet Alternative." "The Undiscovered Gulf Coast." "The Perfect Escape." These are just a few of the monikers that convey what Mexico Beach, Florida is all about. Located between Cape San Blas and Panama City, Mexico Beach is a serene destination for visitors and a welcoming haven for those who call it home. While the area maintains a healthy tourism trade that contributes to its strong economy, it is distinctly free of the "tourist trap" feel of other beach communities. You are likely to find the three and a half miles of white sand beaches relatively uncrowded, possibly contributing to the community feeling like one of the friendliest and safest towns you've ever experienced.

This peaceful enclave supports a permanent population of just slightly over 1,000 people. The median age of a resident here is 54, with an average household income of approximately $32,000 per year. Home values here are stable yet affordable, averaging at around $200,000, far less than one might pay in comparable seaside locations. The retail trade is the largest employment sector here. Professional services, tourism and health services are also strong components of the local economy.

While thousands of families choose the area to vacation in each year, Mexico Beach is truly a delight for its residents. The powdered sugar sands and emerald green waters are a perfect spot to relax in the sun. It is also an exceptional boating location, with several marinas offering charter boats and scuba excursions. Surf fishers can stand in the rolling tides and cast their lines for trout, whiting and mackerel. Several record sized fish are caught year round off the piers. And if you choose to take a boat out into the canal, you just might bring home some redfish, flounder or blue crabs for dinner.

Residents also enjoy taking a peaceful drive or boat ride to nearby St. Joseph's Bay. This is a world famous estuary that draws snorkelers and scuba divers to enjoy the underwater scenery. In the summer, this is also a premier spot to catch scallops and other fresh shellfish.

Restaurants here highlight this natural bounty, and whether you choose to dine indoors or al fresco, you will sample some of the freshest and most innovative seafood preparations. With the small population, you will always know your neighbors. You'll run into them as you run errands or spend an evening out on the town. In Mexico Beach, you will be on a first name basis with your grocery clerk, postal carrier, and everyone on your block.

There has been a concerted effort by the town's governors and citizens to maintain the natural beauty of the area. Unlike so many other coastal communities in America, Mexico Beach does not promote or accept overdevelopment. There are no McMansions here! It is a generally accepted rule that by limiting growth, residents are able to enjoy the town's well maintained natural resources. They also get to experience a way of life that is becoming increasingly hard to find. There are no traffic jams here, no hustle and bustle. Simplicity is deemed the greatest quality of life factor and has resulted in a lifestyle free of deadlines and worries.

While there are many beach communities that you could choose to call home, Mexico Beach is one of the most unique pockets in America. Its infrastructure and town planning allow residents to live a life that the rest of us only dream about. It is Margaritaville. It is Valhalla. It is a place that most of us think exists only in songs and legends. But the thousand or so residents of Mexico Beach know differently. And they simply couldn't imagine living in a place where crowds vie for space and days are planned around rush hour traffic.


If you're thinking of moving to Mexico Beach, Florida, our relocation packet is yours for the asking!