Ivan Gillis

Active Retirement Communities

 State:     Florida

City:       Pensacola

Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County.  As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2006, the estimated population was 53,248.  However, the Pensacola--Ferry Pass--Brent Metropolitan Statistical Area, comprising Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, had a population of 439,877.

Pensacola is a sea port on Pensacola Bay, which connects to the Gulf of Mexico. A large United States Naval Air Station, the first in the United States, is located southwest of Pensacola (near the community of Warrington) and is home to the Blue Angels flight demonstration team and the National Museum of Naval Aviation. The main campus of the University of West Florida is situated north of the city center.

Pensacola is nicknamed "The City of Five Flags" due to the five governments that have flown flags over it during its history: the flags of Spain (Castile), France, Great Britain, the Confederate States of America, and the United States. Other nicknames include "World's Whitest Beaches" (due to the white sand prevalent along beaches in the Florida panhandle), "Cradle of Naval Aviation" (the National Museum of Naval Aviation is located at the Pensacola Naval Air Station, home of the legendary Blue Angels), "Western Gate to the Sunshine State," "America's First Settlement," "Emerald Coast," "Redneck Riviera," and "Red Snapper Capital of the World."

Pensacola's location on the Florida Panhandle makes it vulnerable to hurricanes. Major hurricanes which have made landfall at or near Pensacola include Eloise (1975), Frederic (1979), Juan (1985), Erin (1995), Opal (1995), Georges (1998), Ivan (2004), and Dennis (2005).

Pensacola and several surrounding areas were devastated by Hurricane Ivan. Pensacola found itself on the eastern side of the eyewall, which sent a large storm surge into Escambia Bay that eventually destroyed most of the I-10 Escambia Bay Bridge.  The storm heavily damaged the bridge. It knocked 58 spans off of the eastbound and westbound bridges and misaligned another 66 spans causing the bridge to close to traffic in both directions.  Over six billion dollars in damage occurred in the metro area and more than 10,000 homes were destroyed, with another 27,000 heavily damaged. NASA created a comparison image to illustrate the massive damage. Hurricane Ivan drove up the cost of housing in the area, leading to a severe shortage of affordable housing.

Historic Seville Square and it adjacents parks, Fountain Park and Bartram Park are the sites of most of Pensacola's festivals. In the summer on Thursdays and on the Thursday in the beginning of the Christmas season, the Pensacola Heritage Foundation presents local bands in its famous gazebo for free and very popular concerts. In December the Pensacola Christmas Market is a popular event in Seville Square as is the Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival and Seafood Festival are in the fall and the Cajun Crawfish Festival is in the spring. Festivals in Seville Square is a successful tradition begun by local preservations in the early 60's led by Mary Turner Rule Reed and the Pensacola Heritage Foundaion who started the movement to save and restore this square and Pensacola's old settlement around it.

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Income & Housing Costs Numbers:

Estimated median household income in 2008: $40,938 (it was $34,779 in 2000)

Pensacola:	$40,938
Florida:	$47,778

Estimated per capita income in 2008: $25,861

Estimated median house or condo value in 2008: $163,714 (it was $91,300 in 2000)

Pensacola:	$163,714
Florida:	$218,700

Mean prices in 2008: All housing units: $203,596; Detached houses: $204,631; Townhouses or other attached units: $142,211; In 2-unit structures: $138,954; In 3-to-4-unit structures: $172,957; In 5-or-more-unit structures: $137,360; Mobile homes: $35,865; Occupied boats, RVs, vans, etc.: $275,000

Dec. 2009 cost of living index in Pensacola: 84.3 (less than average, U.S. average is 100)

 In-Depth Facts and Figures as listed below, plus other information:

·        Climate Charts

1.      Average Temperature

2.      Precipitation (Rain)

3.      Humidity

4.      Wind Speed (MPH)

5.      Snowfall

6.      Sunshine

7.      Cloudy Days

·        Tornado Activity History

·        Hospitals & Medical

·        Airports

·        Colleges/Universities

·        High Schools

·        Locations of Interest

·        Shopping Centers

·        Churches

·        Lakes/Streams/Rivers/Creeks/Parks

·        Tourist Attractions

·        Banks

·        Housing Costs Information

·        Crime Statistics

·        Radio Stations AM/FM

·        TV Broadcast Stations

·        Discussion Forums

For the above information and photos, click this link:

http://www.city-data.com/city/Pensacola-Florida.html

Total Tax Burden--Data for Calculation

http://www.retirementliving.com/RLstate1.html#FLORIDA

Listing of Active Retirement Communities:

http://www.retirenet.com/location/communities/36-florida/1-active-lifestyles?s=Pensacola

Visit our Senior Cruising Site at: http://seniorcruisers.org

Other sites of interest:

World of Collectibles

http://www.collectibleshg.info

DOGS

http://www.zcanines.com

CATS

http://www.zcats.com

BIRD WATCHING

http://www.zavians.com

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