[marcrnsm]

My girlfriend and I are thinking of moving to north florida and were wondering which city best meets our needs? Our unemployment rate is 15%, and we like to work full time. We are 38 she likes retail, and I work manufacturing or warehousing. Were tired of seasonal work and of course the brutal winters. Any advice would be helpful! Thanks!

[TD*]

Your best chance to find work in north florida without considering Jacksonville, is Tallahassee.

Those other cities are smaller and are not faring to well during this economy.

Tallahassee, is ranked in the top 10 nationwide in cities able to still find a steady job.

[DixieChick1972]

I haven't been there in a long time, but if I remember correctly Panama City is quite the party town... being your age (I'm not far behind you), I do not know how happy you would be living amongst drunk college kids. Especially working in retail, I would think dealing w/party animals would get really old really quick. Especially Spring Break!

[beachmouse]

There isn't much in the way of manufacturing in the Panhandle; it's pretty much either tourism or military and military-related. Given the options, I'd go more towards Pensacola-Ft. Walton Beach than PCB because PCB is more tourist-driven and even with moderate numbers of snowbirds, tends to grind to a screeching halt in winter months.

Unemployment rates for June/July:

Ft. Walton Beach area: 7.1%
Panama City area: 8.7%
Pensacola: 9.9%

[ohioaninsc]

I'm 90% sure I'm going to take a job in the Panama City/Lynn Haven area...can someone tell me what the area is really like...I'm 30, single, will look to rent at first, and have a golden retriever...the job would be in Lynn Haven, but as long as I'm w/in 20-30 min commute, I'll be fine...what are the best areas to look at...also, what is the area's cost of living like? Do a lot of young professionals live in the area...I know it's Spring Break haven (I went there 12 yrs ago as a freshman at Ohio State for Spring Break, but honestly, I don't remember much about it besides the bars/clubs, the beach, and the alcohol)...I still like to party some, but have gotten passed the wild craziness of my college days.

[FSUMike]

Florida is weak when it comes to manufacturing jobs, since the economy is so service-driven. There is some manufacturing, but jobs can be hard to come by, especially now. I have been working part-time in manufacturing for the past 9 months and we have really slowed down. I would strongly suggest securing a job before you move to Florida.

As far as comparing Pensacola to Panama City - The Pensacola area is a larger metro area than Panama City, so there may be more opportunity there. The cities themselves are pretty comparable though, except during Spring Break season when Panama City gets crowded and crazy.