Name: Pensacola, FL
Rating: 0.0

( 39 Ratings )

Living in Pensacola, FL

Ranks better than 83% of areas Follow

Population

52,918

Median Age

36.8 Years

Pensacola Area Facts

Pensacola has a Livability Score of 83_/100, which is considered exceptional
Pensacola crime rates are 21% higher than the Florida average
Cost of living in Pensacola is 2% higher than the Florida average

What do the locals think about Pensacola?

62%

Family friendly

55%

Public transit is accessible

31%

Walkable to grocery stores

48%

Yards are well-kept

52%

Lots of parks

38%

Walkable to restaurants

Friendly neighbors

Safe at night

Pet friendly

Streets have sidewalks

66%

A quiet area

59%

Sense of community

Based on 29 votes from AreaVibes users. Take the poll

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Pensacola Reviews

Write a review about Pensacola Tell people what you like or don't like about Pensacola…

Think again before coming here 2.5 rating By Anonymous ( Apr 08, 2021) I cannot stand the area to be honest. It's too crowded and can't leave car unlocked at night and I actually live in a decent gated community! People aren't nice, snobby and theyll rob you blind. Not that much to do and I don't like the food. Beaches stay trashed. I have decised ...Read More to move away because of it! Read Less

think twice before 1 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 30, 2019) I have lived in pensacola most of my life.i have seen it go down hill.the navy base does not make pensacola.it has nothing to do with pensacola and how this run down city functions. It used to be one of the best cities along the gulf coast.this city just dont want business in.th ...Read More ey have too many regulation and code.yes it's good to have them,but in order for a city to thrive you have to give into the people a little bit.down town nice but it's only for the high end investors. Which that doesn't make pensacola.crime is every where.but if you put people in jail just to make money.your city goona stand out as high rate crime.pensacola is 10 years better behind in infrastructure.but it will take the hard working tax payers money to make this city move forward.but I dont believe that will ever happen to the city as long as greed and corruption exists. Pensacola beach is not pensacola.its a island with high tax revenue. But a island can only go so far.it cant build pensacola.we have hard honest working taxes payers in pensacola that care for their communities. If you want pensacola to be a better city.then listen to the people voices. Read Less

Great town, but I am speaking from the East Side 4 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 20, 2018) I am currently a flight student in the Navy and I have lived here since February of 2018. I know that experiences vary depending on what part of town you live in. Me personally, I live in the East Hill neighborhood (around Cervantes & 17th) and it has been great. Crime is almost ...Read More non existent and downtown nightlife is very easy to access. The summers are brutally hot and humid if you are not from this part of the country. My biggest complaint is that there are a lack of QUALITY shopping opportunities for an area this large. There are no Costcos or Chipotles here... Read Less

Pensavola? 0 rating By Beacon ( Mar 24, 2017) Yeah. The Pensacola News Journal, The Escambia County Board of Commissions, the Pensacola City Board, the Police Dept, ECOH, Waterfront Mission, Escambia Sheriff's Department, are all off their nut, right? So they made laws in Pensacola and Escambia County to stop this increase f ...Read More or nothing. Do not give money to panhandlers like the one below. Your money is buying drugs and booze. Pensacola IS a beautiful city. One that can readily provide help to anyone that is homeless. This is why panhandlers on street corners that create traffic hazards should be removed. This is the particular reason that Pensacola and Escambia County is inacting outright bans on this stuff. It is getting beyond rediculous. And........EVERYBODY knows it. Even the panhandler below, who will definately tell you he is not a panhandler. Read Less

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Great town, but I am speaking from the East Side 4 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 20, 2018) I am currently a flight student in the Navy and I have lived here since February of 2018. I know that experiences vary depending on what part of town you live in. Me personally, I live in the East Hill neighborhood (around Cervantes & 17th) and it has been great. Crime is almost ...Read More non existent and downtown nightlife is very easy to access. The summers are brutally hot and humid if you are not from this part of the country. My biggest complaint is that there are a lack of QUALITY shopping opportunities for an area this large. There are no Costcos or Chipotles here... Read Less

Pensavola? 0 rating By Beacon ( Mar 24, 2017) Yeah. The Pensacola News Journal, The Escambia County Board of Commissions, the Pensacola City Board, the Police Dept, ECOH, Waterfront Mission, Escambia Sheriff's Department, are all off their nut, right? So they made laws in Pensacola and Escambia County to stop this increase f ...Read More or nothing. Do not give money to panhandlers like the one below. Your money is buying drugs and booze. Pensacola IS a beautiful city. One that can readily provide help to anyone that is homeless. This is why panhandlers on street corners that create traffic hazards should be removed. This is the particular reason that Pensacola and Escambia County is inacting outright bans on this stuff. It is getting beyond rediculous. And........EVERYBODY knows it. Even the panhandler below, who will definately tell you he is not a panhandler. Read Less

Pensavola is a Great City 5 rating By Bobcot ( Mar 23, 2017) I dont know what these people are talking about. I rarely even see a panhandler or homeless around the area. Pensacola is a beautiful city with great places to shop,eat, or to expierance nature. Good people,fun activities and a beautiful beach. ...Read More Read Less

Observe rules 0 rating By Beacon ( Mar 23, 2017) I am not the person who has repeated the post in Craigslist, but I very much agree with them. I copied it and pasted it in here, because the post on Craigs list is flagged over and over again, with no reason, other than the information is feared. This is why it keeps getting repo ...Read More sted. This information needs to be posted everywhere. We have had so much of an increase in these individuals that is has become the subject of ordinances inacted to curb it. I have been homeless and our area is better than any in the area for helping. Panhandlers harm this process. Read Less

Panhandlers on the increase 0 rating By Beacon ( Mar 23, 2017) http://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/pensacola/2017/03/03/pensacola-considering-panhandling-ordinance/98655658/Yes I agree with the person speaking of panhandlers. The article above shows just how much they have increased. To the pount that both the city and county have inacted or ...Read More dinances to curb them. Read Less

Very few panhandlers or beggers 3.5 rating By Bobcot ( Mar 22, 2017) Pensacola is a place like no other. We have hardly any panhandlers or beggers. I've seen other cities and we dont even come close. We do on the other hand have a few too many idiots. (Check the post below for example). This crazy person post that exact same message thousands of t ...Read More imes on craigslist, then warns everyone shes/he is posting it elsewhere. Anyhow, honestly we have no problem with panhandlers. Come see for yourself and have a great day. Read Less

From a former homeless person 0 rating By Beacon ( Mar 09, 2017) 3702 N Pace Blvd is where Escarosa Coalition On The Homeless is located. They are one of many services and opportunities for homeless in both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. There are corporations, hospitals, construction companies, grocery networks and more that participate in ...Read More providing jobs, housing and food, in cooperation with Escarosa, for every single homeless person that reaches them. There are no tax dollars involved. These resources will provide a roof, money and food in exchange for work, no matter what the physical condition of the person. There is not another area in the entire state of Florida that can provide for the homeless, as adequately as these two counties. It does not matter who you are or why you are homeless, there is ample opportunity for anyone in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, to recover. Even if you are disabled. I speak from experience.Loaves and Fishes, Waterfront Mission and several others are also involved with the same type of services.So why do we see homeless on corners with signs? Because none of these programs will allow the participants to use drugs, stay drunk or break the law. There is now NO REASON AT ALL, for any person to hold a sign and stand on a corner, in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties. No reason at all. All they have to do is stay clean. Keep this in mind the next time you see someone with a sign that asks for help. According to ECOH, 50% of the people you see with a sign are not even homeless. They are there because they can panhandle 150 to 200 bucks a day from people who think that they are. Escarosa advises on their website, not to give panhandlers money. Instruct them to contact Escarosa Coalition On The Homeless.By the way, the Sheriffs Dept is constantly telling these people to leave and giving them this information. They ignore the info and come right back. Also, all anyone has to do to find this information, is to simply ask an officer or church. This information is widely known and offered at every single soup kitchen in this area as well.Again, many of the panhandlers that you see in Pensacola are not even homeless and can collect as much as $150 to $200 tax free money from people who think that they are helping someone in need. I know some of these folks and they are aware that this is commiting fraud. Keep in mind, that ECOH can even place people in wheelchairs. A large percentage of the panhandlers here are from Mobile. They are here because of the stricter laws against panhandling in Mobile. Don't give them money. Give to the services that actually help the needy.Code of Ordinances  Supplement 73  Online content updated on January 27, 2017CODE OF ORDINANCES  County of  ESCAMBIA, FLORIDA   Codified through  Ordinance No. 2017-5, enacted January 5, 2017.  (Supp. No. 73)Sec. 86-108. - Approaching motor vehicles on roadways or rights-of-way.* (1) Findings. * The county commission finds and determines that any commercial use of the publicright-of-way is incompatible with the intended use of the right-of-way, which is primarily for motor vehicle traffic, is dangerous and otherwise poses a hazard to both motorists and non-motorists by distracting motorists and by causing nonmotorists to stop and stand in ways that interrupt normal traffic movements often on the county's most heavily traveled thoroughfares. These hazards are also created by persons who use the public right-of-way to solicit donations or distribute printed materials and other items not of a commercial nature. These safety concerns can be minimized by restricting the solicitation of donations and distribution of printed materials to sidewalks and other nontraffic areas intended for pedestrian use. The county commission finds and determines that preserving the safety of persons using the public right-of-way is a significant governmental interest and the restrictions on solicitation set forth below are the least restrictive means of advancing that interest. * (2) Prohibition. * It is unlawful to approach a motor vehicle being operated on a public roadway or right-of-way open for vehicular traffic for the purposes of:  (a) Soliciting or attempting to solicit as defined in section 86-251 of this Code, from any occupant of the motor vehicle; or  (b) Collecting or attempting to collect donations of money or property of any kind or for any other purposes from any occupant of the motor vehicle; or  (c) Distributing or attempting to distribute literature, property or advertising of any nature whatsoever to any occupant of the motor vehicle; or  (d) Requesting or attempting to request employment or the purchase of property or services of any nature whatsoever from any occupant of the motor vehicle; or  (e) Selling or attempting to sell property or services of any nature whatsoever to any occupant of the motor vehicle. (Ord. No. 2011-35, § 1, 11-17-2011)  Sec. 86-109. - Penalty.* Any person convicted of violating this division shall be prosecuted in the same manner as a misdemeanor in the second degree, and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $500.00 or imprisonment in the county jail, not to exceed 60 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment Read Less

Okay place to live... 1.5 rating By dupuylove ( Dec 10, 2015) I'll start with the not so great things:
I've lived here in Pensacola for about 6 months now. I came down here for a job. The job is well paying but the job market here in general is not very good ie..most of the job opportunities are in fast food restaurants and chain stores.

...Read More The cost of living is relatively low and you can find a decent place to live for the money.

The place is rampant with fast food chains and there's seems to be a lot of obesity..no surprise.

Aside from the higher end seafood restaurants..the food here leaves much to be desired. Even the fast Chinese food is horrible.

The population seems to consist mostly of military and it isn't very racially or ethnically diverse. People proudly display their confederate flags and Escambia County has the largest School to Prison system in the country..ie, they have the police handle normal school disciplinary matters.

There seems to be very little celebration of cultural and ethnic diversity here because there is none and it seems to be deliberate. If you like living around different kinds of people and different cultural flavorings in restaurants and shops...you won't find it here...

Pensacola is the only city that doesn't have laws that forbid racial discrimination in public places. I was shocked to learn this. There are meetings being held though by both White and Black citizens who don't agree with bigotry and the lack of diversity here and want to see it change. Its a very segregated place for the year 2015. The city doesn't seem to understand that racism isn't sexy anymore and that it's economy will suffer if people continue to feel un-welcomed. It's really ashamed because the beaches and weather and the city itself is very beautiful.

The positive side is that the city is very beautiful and the beaches are amazing. There are tourists who come in and make the place slightly more diverse. The military folks are very nice too.

I'd say if you want to be part of making Pensacola more up to date with the rest of the country and the world with more diversity, culture and nightlife...you should come. If you don't want to have to deal with ignorance and do all that work...don't bother. Read Less

On its way to up and coming, but still a bit podunk 2.5 rating By mr. cheese ( Apr 07, 2015) I've lived in Pensacola for over two years now. I grew up near Los Angeles, and my wife near New York, so we had that perspective coming into Northwest Florida. Initially I lived in Warrington to be near NAS, however I left as soon as I could because it quite frankly is not a goo ...Read More d place to live. There are a couple nice areas right on the Bayous, however other than that, stay away from Warrington unless you are looking to shop at a dollar store.

My wife and I then rented an apartment in Downtown Pensacola, just a few blocks from Garden and Palafox. At first we were a bit iffy about the neighborhood because everyone we spoke to said that downtown was dumpy. If you go west of Rues street then such an explanation becomes true. However, downtown has sort of adopted an L shape of niceness. South of Blount Street, between De Villier and Palafox is call North Hill, and is a wonderful residential area until you go south of Cervantes. Then the nice area shrinks to between Barcelona and Palafox, which is where I lived. That block stays nice all the way to the water. Once you get to Garden street the nicer areas head East, making the bottom of the "L". Everything is very nice from Barcelona all the way to 9th avenue between Garden street and the water. This is were all the bars, restaurants, parks, and community events are. This area has experienced a lot of renovation and growth in recent times. Since I moved there a year and a half ago 4 new restaurants have opened on Palafox. The only major problem with the area that my wife and I noticed is the lack of a grocery store. There is only a very expensive organic type store near by, otherwise you have to drive up to the mall area or to Navy Boulevard.

Other than downtown, East Hill is a well known, very nice residential neighborhood. Its general boarders are between 12th Avenue and Bayou Texar west to east, and Belmont to Texar south to North. Lots of parks and nice houses with a couple little restaurants mixed in (Cactus Flower is a gem). The area around the Cordova mall has some decent areas to live, mainly southeast of the airport. The most expensive area in town is East of Bayou Texar off of Scenic Highway. I don't go around there much as it is mostly houses. However, on Cervantes once you cross Bayou Texar there are several great restaurants such as New Yorker Deli and Pizzeria and Nancy's Haute Affairs.

Beyond these areas listed, the rest of Pensacola is run down, full of overgrowth and crime. There are homeless on every major street corner, and the city is filled to the brim with fast food restaurants. There are a few good places for the kids to go to school, but many more to avoid at all costs. The food options are sparse. I think we've visited every "good" restaurant in town several times in the last two years. The places that are good can be great, such as Pot Roast and Pinot or Jackson's Steak House, but they are few and far between. The nightlife is contained to the 4 or 4 bars downtown, a couple of random places throughout the city, and the beach area. Nothing to crazy, but it can be fun when its nice out to spend an evening roaming Palafox. However, the city seems to be enjoying a slight growth in economy and it is showing in the investments made downtown. Read Less

Beautiful beaches, but... 2 rating By melody ( Nov 19, 2012) I lived my entire life in Pensacola until age 27. That was almost 30 years ago. My family still lives there so I visit often. It wasn't until I moved away and experienced other parts of the country that I realized how disheveled and unkempt this little city was. There are pretty, ...Read More well maintained parts of the city, and the beaches are always beautiful, but the city and surrounding areas are tired looking and very unattractive. I said I would never move back unless it was for family reasons, and now I'm at that point. I have to move "home" due to aging parents. In looking for a place to live, I am disheartened and amazed at the same time, given the choices I have before me. If it were not for family, I would vacation here, but never live here again. Read Less

Pensacola, Florida - A Beautiful Place to Live 5 rating By Anonymous ( Jan 30, 2012) I have lived in Pensacola, Florida for my entire life. Nothing beats the gorgeous, sandy white beaches, and warm sunshine. Some of my personal favorite beaches to visit are Pensacola Beach, Golf Shores and Casino Beach. I love to swim, or relax on the shore and look out at the em ...Read More erald colored water. The souvenir shops are definitely places to check out. So many rare gifts and friendly service.

One of the most interesting and educational places to visit is the National Naval Aviation Museum. They have over 150 aircraft representing different branches of the military. Pensacola, Florida is also the home to the Blue Angels. The Blue Angels are a U.S Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron. If you haven't gotten a chance to catch one of their shows, definitely try to watch one on your visit!

In downtown Pensacola, there is so much rich culture and wonderful arts and crafts to see. I love to go to the theater and watch ballet. Nightlife is just as exciting with lots of Irish Pubs to go to or a martini bar. Pensacola has quite a few food and wine festivals throughout the year, and those are always fun and informative.

I have been to many other places in the United States, but I have to admit Pensacola has some of the nicest and helpful people that I have ever met. There is more than enough family fun activities to enjoy that are both fun and affordable. I love living in this great city! Read Less