What it's like to live in Fairhope
Fairhope is a small city in Alabama with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Fairhope deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and hot summers.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
- Very rainy — 69" of rain per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Fairhope compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Fairhope
Based on Fairhope's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,378
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $67,560 a year
- 51% of Fairhope renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$86,180
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $43,090
- Homes cost 4.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 20% above US
$1,689/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,689 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $430,900. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $430,900 · 51% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 42% below US
2.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 2.5%, well below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 57% below US
141 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1243/100k · Fairhope Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.9 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 91°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 39°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 49% above US
54% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Gulf Islands National Seashore (41 miles away).
Bottom line
Fairhope's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,689/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, anyone prioritizing low crime, and college-educated professionals.
Other places near Fairhope
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