City · Alabama
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Gulf Shores, city, in Baldwin County, Alabama. Gulf Shores had 17,394 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 14.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 15,014 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 16,401 (±29). GEOID 0132272.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
17,394
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 15,014 · ACS 2020-2024: 16,401 ±29
Median household income
$78,188
±$7,052 (90% margin)
Alabama: $63,999
Median home value
$382,700
±$21,486 (90% margin)
Alabama: $209,900
Median gross rent
$1,483
±$211 (90% margin)
Alabama: $1,007
Where is Gulf Shores and what county is it in?
Gulf Shores is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama. It covers 28.7 square miles of land, 523 residents per square mile in 2020.
Gulf Shores is in the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Gulf Shores, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 17,394 people lived in Gulf Shores on July 1, 2025, up 14.7% since 2020, faster than Alabama (+3.3%). The 2020 Census counted 15,014 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 16,401 (±29).
| Measure | Gulf Shores | Baldwin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 16,401 ±29 | 246,989 | +4,134 |
| Households | 7,542 ±370 | 98,574 | +1,732 |
| Average household size | 2.17 ±0.11 | 2.47 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 15,263 ±558 | 132,258 | +2,200 |
Gulf Shores's population since 2000
From 5,044 in 2000 to 17,394 in 2025: up 244.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Gulf Shores as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Gulf Shores?
The median resident of Gulf Shores is 50.8 years old; 17.4% are under 18 and 25.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 6.1%. 7.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Gulf Shores | Baldwin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.8 ±3.4 | 43.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.4% ±3.1 pts | 21.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 25.9% ±3.1 pts | 21.7% | – |
| Male | 44.1% ±3.1 pts | 48.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.1% ±3.5 pts | 5.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.3% ±4.1 pts | 80.7% | −8.6 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.7% ±2.4 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±0.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.2% ±1.0 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.5% ±2.7 pts | 4.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.5% ±3.7 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.4% ±2.4 pts | 10.1% | – |
| With a disability | 12.5% ±2.5 pts | 13.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 12.4% ±4.2 pts | 8.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.2% ±1.4 pts | 91.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 39.9% ±4.1 pts | 33.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 13.6% ±2.5 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.5% ±4.1 pts | 88.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 6.5% ±2.5 pts | 3.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Gulf Shores earn?
Half of Gulf Shores's 7,542 households earn less than $78,188 a year (±$7,052), against $78,775 in Baldwin County and $63,999 in Alabama. In 2015-2019 the median was $65,813 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $12,375 after inflation. 11.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Gulf Shores | Baldwin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $78,188 ±$7,052 | $78,775 | +$12,375 |
| Mean household income | $97,166 ±$8,951 | $103,378 | – |
| Per capita income | $45,509 ±$4,257 | $42,357 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 11.5% ±4.7 pts | 10.1% | +5.6 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 16.1% ±11.0 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.0% ±3.1 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.7% ±2.4 pts | 94.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.8% ±2.9 pts | 90.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Gulf Shores?
Owners occupy 70.6% of Gulf Shores's occupied homes and renters 29.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $382,700 by its owner (±$21,486). The median renter pays $1,483 a month including utilities, and 37.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Gulf Shores | Baldwin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $382,700 ±$21,486 | $316,900 | +$83,518 |
| Median gross rent | $1,483 ±$211 | $1,277 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 37.2% ±12.6 pts | 38.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,061 ±$142 | $1,613 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 70.6% ±4.9 pts | 77.6% | +14.6 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 29.4% ±4.9 pts | 22.4% | – |
| Housing units | 15,263 ±558 | 132,258 | +2,200 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.3% ±2.5 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 48.5% ±7.0 pts | 24.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 43.3% ±3.2 pts | 65.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.9% ±0.7 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 6.5% ±1.9 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 10.8% ±1.8 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.2% ±1.8 pts | 2.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Gulf Shores building?
Builders took permits for 242 new housing units in Gulf Shores in 2025 (232 in single-family houses), 13.9 per 1,000 residents against 3.7 across Alabama.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Gulf Shores work and get to work?
72.4% of Gulf Shores's workers drive alone and 19.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.1 minutes.
| Measure | Gulf Shores | Baldwin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.1% ±3.8 pts | 58.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.4% ±1.7 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 72.4% ±5.8 pts | 79.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.1% ±2.8 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 19.8% ±4.7 pts | 11.6% | +10.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.1 min ±2.5 | 27.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Gulf Shores?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Gulf Shores, and 4 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $68,068 (Tract 114.16) to $84,306 (Tract 114.13).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 114.13Baldwin County | 4,244 | $84,306 |
| Tract 114.19Baldwin County | 5,195 | $73,671 |
| Tract 114.16Baldwin County | 1,893 | $68,068 |
| Tract 114.12Baldwin County | 4,034 | $84,010 |
| Tract 114.18Baldwin County | 2,010 | $79,125 |
| Tract 114.11Baldwin County | 6,897 | $65,607 |
| Tract 114.17Baldwin County | 2,454 | $97,955 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Gulf Shores) · Census block assignment files
How does Gulf Shores compare with other places in Alabama?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Gulf Shores is the 2,166th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 40th-most populous of 463 in Alabama.
Gulf Shores ranks 71st of 305 places in Alabama with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 40th | 463 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 26th | 257 |
| Residents per square mile | 109th | 311 |
| Median household income | 71st | 305 |
| Per capita income | 30th | 311 |
| Median home value | 17th | 304 |
| Median gross rent | 20th | 274 |
| Poverty rate | 194th | 258 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33rd | 295 |
| Median age | 16th | 309 |
| Owner-occupied share | 152nd | 310 |
| Work from home | 10th | 138 |
| Travel time to work | 240th | 310 |
Gulf Shores's figures with every place in Alabama (CSV)
Every place in Alabama, sortable · Compare Gulf Shores with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Gulf Shores?
12 of the 57 figures for Gulf Shores on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Gulf Shores are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Gulf Shores.