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Living in
Gulf Shores.
About
Life in Gulf Shores
Living in Gulf Shores means accepting that your economy and your daily life are both tied to the tourism industry—hotels, restaurants, vacation rentals, and seasonal retail dominate employment here—but it also means year-round access to warm water, mild winters, and a laid-back Gulf Coast lifestyle that keeps people rooted here long-term. The median household income sits at $78,188 with an unemployment rate of just 2.5%, and housing costs are moderate for a waterfront community, with median home values around $383,000 and rent averaging $1,483 monthly, though you'll notice that roughly half of the housing stock sits vacant because of seasonal tourism patterns. Summers are genuinely hot and humid (averaging near 90°F with nighttime lows around 78°F), winters are genuinely mild and sunny (60s during the day, 40s at night), and the Gulf water stays swimmable from May through November, but there's a real hurricane vulnerability you can't ignore—Ivan in 2004, Katrina in 2005, and Sally in 2020 all caused serious damage, and that's part of the calculus of living on the Gulf Coast.
Gulf Shores at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
50.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
11.5%
Foreign-Born
7.5%
Broadband Internet
93.8%
of households
Population Growth
+14.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.5% foreign-born, most often from Jamaica
Who lives in Gulf Shores: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Gulf Shores, the largest foreign-born group is from Jamaica (23.2%), and 5.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
17.4%
of residents
65 and Older
25.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.9%
of households
Married Couples
47.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.17
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 47% above AL average
Rent, home values, and income in Gulf Shores
In Gulf Shores, rent runs 47% above the AL average, and home values are 82% above the AL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
94.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,206
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
70.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2000
median year built
Vacant Homes
50.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $452,589 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below AL average
Unemployment in Gulf Shores
Unemployment in Baldwin County, which includes Gulf Shores, is 0.4 percentage points lower than the AL average.
Unemployment rate
Gulf Shores: Baldwin County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Baldwin County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Gulf Shores Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.1 min avg
How Gulf Shores residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Gulf Shores, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 73% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 2 mi
Jack Edwards National Airport (GUF)
Regional airport · few flights38k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 12% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Gulf Shores runs 12% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
289
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,745.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Gulf Shores Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Baldwin County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Baldwin County, which includes Gulf Shores, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $320,000 |
| 2021 | 20 | Flash Flood | $250,000 |
| 2020 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $234.5M |
| 2019 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $17,000 |
| 2018 | 14 | Rip Current | $165,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Baldwin County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Baldwin County, which includes Gulf Shores, is typically good — 268 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
268
per year
Moderate Days
87
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Baldwin County, county-wide
Climate89°F summers, 41°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Gulf Shores has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and mild winters (avg low 41°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
77°/55°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
79°/57°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
63°/41°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
67.7"
Annual Snowfall
0.1"
Hot Days/Year
69
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
28
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
97
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61°F | 39°F | 5.51" |
| Feb | 65°F | 42°F | 4.46" |
| Mar | 71°F | 48°F | 5.51" |
| Apr | 77°F | 54°F | 5.58" |
| May | 84°F | 62°F | 4.42" |
| Jun | 88°F | 70°F | 7.07" |
| Jul | 90°F | 72°F | 9.11" |
| Aug | 90°F | 72°F | 6.91" |
| Sep | 87°F | 67°F | 6.40" |
| Oct | 79°F | 57°F | 4.22" |
| Nov | 70°F | 47°F | 4.77" |
| Dec | 63°F | 41°F | 5.02" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Gulf Shores
Uninsured
12.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Gulf Shores's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Baldwin Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.4 mi away · Foley
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Gulf Shores
Gulf Shores's student/teacher ratio is 17.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 39.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
39.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Gulf Islands National Seashore, 28 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Gulf Shores
Gulf Shores has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Gulf Islands National Seashore (28 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Gulf Islands National Seashore
National Seashore
28 mi awayPublic Libraries in Gulf Shores
Gulf Shores - Thomas B. Norton Public Library
221 West 19th Avenue, Gulf Shores
Cities Near Gulf Shores
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Gulf Shores?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Gulf Shores FAQ
Is Gulf Shores, Alabama affordable?⌄
Gulf Shores's median rent is $1,483/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $78,188/year. Median home value is $382,700.
Is Gulf Shores, Alabama safe?⌄
Gulf Shores's violent crime rate was 289 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1745 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Gulf Shores, Alabama?⌄
Baldwin County, which includes Gulf Shores, has an unemployment rate of 2.5%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Gulf Shores, Alabama?⌄
The cost of living in Gulf Shores is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,483/month and median household income is $78,188/year. The median home value is $382,700. About 43% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Gulf Shores, Alabama?⌄
The average commute in Gulf Shores is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from