Skip to content

Let's keep in touch

Subscribe to our newsletter for timely insights and actionable tips on your real estate journey.

By signing up, you indicate that you agree to the BiggerPockets Terms & Conditions
Please log in or sign up for a free account to continue.

Pensacola, FL

(Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL)
There are many reasons to consider investing in Pensacola, including a low vacancy rate, appreciating home prices, and fast-growing rent.
×
 

At a Glance

Top 5 reasons to invest in Pensacola, FL

PRO

Build Your Team

Top Investor-Friendly Experts in Pensacola, FL

Lender
Property Manager
Tax Professional
Accountant

Key Stats

Median Rental Income
$286,000
Median Home Price
Rent to Price Ratio
Affordability

About

As one of Florida's 10 largest metro areas, Pensacola offers many opportunities for real estate investors. It is a popular place to live, a tourist destination, and a short-term rental-friendly area, giving investors many options.

Pensacola has experienced steady population growth, with the current count at 524,395 residents, a 1.43% change from the previous year. This growth, coupled with the area’s 207,329 households averaging 2.4 members, just below the national average, presents promising opportunities for investors to consider purchasing properties of various sizes, catering to different budget restraints.

Pensacola's median home price of $286,000 is compelling for investors. This figure represents a 9.8% change from the previous year's home price.

Pensacola's rental rates are notably lower than the national average, making it an attractive option for residents and real estate investors. The median rent is $1,354, a 6.9% change from last year. The rent-to-price ratio is 0.5%.

The area is home to many large industries and businesses, attracting many high-level professionals. The main industries are aerospace and defense, advanced manufacturing, and cybersecurity. The area also has a 4.6% unemployment rate, and the average income in the area is $75,967. Pensacola also has a heavy military presence and is known as the Cradle of Naval Aviation.

The area has one four-year college, the University of West Florida, home to 14,300 students. Around 40% of these students come from areas other than West Florida and potentially need student housing.

The Pensacola area is known for its vacation rentals along the Gulf of Mexico. The market is short-term rental friendly, giving investors options to take advantage of the 2.5 million-plus visitors annually. Insurance rates may cut into some cash flow, especially at properties near the beach.

The median resident's age is 38.9 in the market. Since about half of renters are 45 or younger, this provides investors with a large tenant pool. Approximately 31% of properties here are rentals, and the vacancy rate is only 10%, reassuring investors of the stability of their investment in the Pensacola real estate market.

Overall, Pensacola offers investors the best of both worlds, whether you want a long-term lease or prefer the profits of short-term rentals. With a prominent college and military base in the area, a diverse crowd of potential tenants is looking for rentals. The home prices are affordable, and rent isn't super high, making it affordable for those just starting their journey or experienced professionals who prefer to rent rather than buy a property.

Growth Stats

9.79%
Appreciation
6.87%
YoY Rent Growth
Population Growth Rate

Macro Stats

Population
Unemployment Rate
Median Household Income

Build Your Team

Quickly find investor-friendly professionals who can help you succeed in real estate investing at any stage of the investing journey.
Real Estate Agents
Match with investor-friendly agents who can help you find, analyze, and close your next deal
Interested in becoming a featured agent? Apply Now
Lenders
Get the best funding…find lenders who specialize in your investing strategy
Interested in becoming a featured lender? Apply Now
Property Managers
Transition to passive investing. Find a trusted property management partnership that lasts.
Interested in becoming a featured property manager? Apply Now
Tax Professionals and Accountants
Taxes and financial reporting made easy—find experts to create tax savings strategies, file taxes, and analyze finances.
Interested in becoming a featured tax pro? Apply Now

Location

Community Score

Demographics scorecard for Pensacola, FL

Public Schools Score
Cost Of Living Score
Crime And Safety Score
Diversity Score
Jobs Score
Commute Score
Walkability Score
Public Transit Score
Weather Score
Health And Fitness Score

Browse by Market

Hammond, LA Niles, MI Akron, OH San Diego, CA Albuquerque, NM Allentown, PA Sandusky, OH San Luis Obispo, CA Sumter, SC Alexandria, LA Asheville, NC Gainesville, GA Syracuse, NY Austin, TX Gettysburg, PA North Port, FL Norwich, CT Ocala, FL Tallahassee, FL Beaumont, TX Beckley, WV Bend, OR Lewiston, ME Lewiston, ID Lexington, KY Goldsboro, NC Boston, MA Boulder, CO Bowling Green, KY Grand Island, NE Grand Junction, CO Grand Rapids, MI Brunswick, GA Greeley, CO Green Bay, WI Chambersburg, PA Greensboro, NC Greenville, SC Hanford, CA Cape Girardeau, MO Charleston, SC Hattiesburg, MS Helena, MT Hickory, NC Hinesville, GA Homosassa Springs, FL Hot Springs, AR Houma, LA Houston, TX Huntington, WV Huntsville, AL Odessa, TX Indianapolis, IN Ogden, UT Wichita Falls, TX Columbia, MO Columbia, SC Columbus, GA Iowa City, IA Lima, OH Lincoln, NE Logan, UT Longview, TX Altoona, PA Decatur, AL Deltona, FL Denver, CO Louisville, KY Minneapolis, MN Amarillo, TX Ames, IA Anchorage, AK Ann Arbor, MI Anniston-Oxford, AL Appleton, WI Atlanta, GA Auburn, AL Augusta, GA El Paso, TX East Stroudsburg, PA Bakersfield, CA Bangor, ME Eugene, OR Barnstable Town, MA Battle Creek, MI Bay City, MI Abilene, TX Fort Smith, AR Fresno, CA Gadsden, AL Gainesville, FL Lubbock, TX Bellingham, WA Binghamton, NY Grants Pass, OR Great Falls, MT Bloomington, IL Bloomington, IN Hagerstown, MD Harrisburg, PA Manchester, NH Bremerton, WA Hilton Head Island, SC Mansfield, OH Bridgeport, CT Buffalo, NY Idaho Falls, ID Jackson, MS Jackson, TN Burlington, NC Ithaca, NY Jackson, MI Jacksonville, NC Kahului, HI Kingsport, TN Janesville, WI Jefferson City, MO Johnson City, TN Punta Gorda, FL Burlington, VT Canton, OH Cape Coral, FL Carson City, NV Casper, WY Cedar Rapids, IA Champaign, IL Charleston, WV Charlotte, NC Charlottesville, VA Chattanooga, TN Little Rock, AR Cheyenne, WY Chicago, IL Chico, CA Cincinnati, OH Clarksville, TN Lynchburg, VA Macon, GA Cleveland, OH Medford, OR Miami, FL Cleveland, TN Missoula, MT Modesto, CA Coeur d'Alene, ID Colorado Springs, CO Columbus, IN Columbus, OH Corpus Christi, TX Michigan City, IN Corvallis, OR Crestview, FL Cumberland, MD Dallas, TX Davenport, IA Dayton, OH Decatur, IL Des Moines, IA Owensboro, KY Johnstown, PA Midland, MI Midland, TX Jonesboro, AR Joplin, MO Pocatello, ID Racine, WI Portland, ME Kalamazoo, MI Kankakee, IL Kansas City, MO Provo, UT Raleigh, NC Rapid City, SD Killeen, TX Milwaukee, WI Redding, CA Kingston, NY Rochester, NY Kokomo, IN Minot, ND Salem, OR Salinas, CA Toledo, OH Salisbury, MD La Crosse, WI San Francisco, CA San Jose, CA Monroe, MI Montgomery, AL Mount Vernon, WA Santa Rosa, CA Savannah, GA Lafayette, IN Lake Charles, LA Lake Havasu City, AZ Lakeland, FL Lancaster, PA Sebring, FL Topeka, KS Lansing, MI Laredo, TX Las Cruces, NM Muncie, IN Spartanburg, SC Spokane, WA Urban Honolulu, HI Valdosta, GA Vallejo, CA Lawrence, KS Lebanon, PA Muskegon, MI St. Cloud, MN Detroit, MI Dothan, AL Dover, DE Dubuque, IA Duluth, MN Eagle Pass, TX Eau Claire, WI Victoria, TX Vineland, NJ Virginia Beach, VA Visalia, CA El Centro, CA Utica, NY Albany, GA Albany, OR Albany, NY Elmira, NY Pine Bluff, AR Athens, GA Atlantic City, NJ Baltimore, MD Baton Rouge, LA Billings, MT Birmingham, AL Bismarck, ND Blacksburg, VA Bloomsburg, PA Boise, ID Bozeman, MT Morgantown, WV Morristown, TN Myrtle Beach, SC Napa, CA Brownsville, TX California, MD Carbondale, IL Salt Lake City, UT College Station, TX Dalton, GA Ocean City, NJ Danville, IL Daphne, AL Durham, NC Elizabethtown, KY Elkhart, IN Memphis, TN Merced, CA Fayetteville, NC Oshkosh, WI Fort Collins, CO Los Angeles County, CA Glens Falls, NY Madera, CA Madison, WI Greenville, NC Gulfport, MS Harrisonburg, VA Hartford, CT Santa Cruz, CA Jacksonville, FL Kennewick, WA Tampa, FL Knoxville, TN Lafayette, LA Las Vegas, NV Lawton, OK Enid, OK Erie, PA Evansville, IN Fairbanks, AK Fargo, ND Farmington, NM Fayetteville, AR Flagstaff, AZ Flint, MI Florence, AL Florence, SC Fond du Lac, WI McAllen, TX Mankato, MN Monroe, LA Olympia, WA Paducah, KY Palm Bay, FL Panama City, FL Portland, OR Poughkeepsie, NY Prescott Valley, AZ Fort Wayne, IN Sacramento, CA Sioux Falls, SD Springfield, IL Terre Haute, IN Texarkana, TX The Villages, FL Trenton, NJ Tulsa, OK Tuscaloosa, AL Naples, FL Nashville, TN New Bern, NC New York, NY Grand Forks, ND Longview, WA Manhattan, KS Mobile, AL New Haven, CT New Orleans, LA Oklahoma City, OK Omaha, NE Orlando, FL Oxnard, CA Parkersburg, WV Pensacola, FL Peoria, IL Philadelphia, PA Phoenix, AZ Pinehurst, NC Pittsburgh, PA Reading, PA Pittsfield, MA Port St. Lucie, FL Riverside, CA Roanoke, VA Providence, RI Pueblo, CO Reno, NV Richmond, VA Rochester, MN Rockford, IL Rocky Mount, NC San Angelo, TX San Antonio, TX Rome, GA Saginaw, MI Santa Fe, NM Santa Maria, CA Scranton, PA Seattle, WA Sebastian, FL Sheboygan, WI Sherman, TX Shreveport, LA Sierra Vista, AZ Sioux City, IA South Bend, IN Springfield, MO Springfield, OH State College, PA Springfield, MA Staunton, VA St. George, UT St. Joseph, MO St. Louis, MO Stockton, CA Traverse City, MI Tucson, AZ Waterloo, IA Twin Falls, ID Tyler, TX Waco, TX Wenatchee, WA Walla Walla, WA Warner Robins, GA Washington, DC Watertown, NY Wausau, WI Weirton, WV Wheeling, WV Wichita, KS Williamsport, PA Wilmington, NC Winchester, VA Winston-Salem, NC Worcester, MA Yakima, WA York, PA Youngstown, OH Yuba City, CA Yuma, AZ