Mexico Beach is a city in Bay County, Florida, United States. It is located southeast of Panama City on the Florida Panhandle. It is part of the Panama City-Panama City Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area in North Florida. The population was 916 at the 2020 census, down from 1,072 at the 2010 census.
The community was extensively damaged by Hurricane Michael on October 10, 2018. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declared the community "wiped out" in the aftermath of the hurricane's devastating impact. The city has rebuilt since that storm.
History
The City of Mexico Beach was founded in 1946 when real estate development began, but officially incorporated as a municipality in 1967.
On November 22, 1985, Hurricane Kate's eye passed over Mexico Beach. Category 2 winds and tides destroyed beachfront homes and businesses.
Hurricane Michael
Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach on October 10, 2018, just before 1 p.m. local time with maximum sustained winds of , the first Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Michael made history as the third strongest (by pressure) and fourth strongest (by wind speed) landfalling storm in the continental United States. The storm caused extensive damage to the community, and to the nearby Tyndall Air Force Base. Nearly all homes were totally destroyed. Brock Long, the FEMA administrator, told CNN that Mexico Beach was "wiped out" and referred to the community as "ground zero". The elementary school and city hall were among the buildings devastated; the pier washed away, and the water tower was knocked down.
A report by the State indicated that roughly 285 people in Mexico Beach had declined to evacuate the area, although some of those may have left before the peak of the storm. Three people from Mexico Beach were listed among the deaths due to the hurricane. At that time, Mayor Al Cathey told residents it might be months before electricity, water, and plumbing were restored.
Rebuilding
The city has rebuilt since the storm, with aid from the federal government and its own expenditures. The population of the county rebounded by 2024.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Mexico Beach has a humid subtropical climate zone (Cfa).
Demographics
2010 and 2020 census
{| class="wikitable"
|+Mexico Beach racial composition<br> (Hispanics excluded from racial categories)<br> (NH = Non-Hispanic)<br>
!Race
!Pop 2010
!Pop 2020
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|White (NH)
|981
|828
|91.51%
|90.39%
|-
|Black or African American (NH)
|19
|9
|1.77%
|0.98%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native (NH)
|4
|1
|0.37%
|0.11%
|-
|Asian (NH)
|8
|6
|0.75%
|0.66%
|-
|Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)
|0
|0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|-
|Some other race (NH)
|0
|0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|-
|Two or more races/Multiracial (NH)
|32
|37
|2.99%
|4.04%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|28
|35
|2.61%
|3.82%
|-
|Total
|1,072
|916
|
|
|-
|}
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 916 people, 745 households, and 415 families residing in the city.
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 1,072 people, 599 households, and 325 families residing in the city.
thumb|right|Sunset over Mexico Beach pier from the dunes
In 2010, the population density was . There were 1,852 housing units at an average density of .
In 2010, there were 599 households, out of which 11.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were headed by married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were non-families. 38.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.90, and the average family size was 2.43. Mexico Beach is located within the school district boundary of Bay District schools, which then pays the Gulf County district the tuition money for Mexico Beach residents.