City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Orange Beach, AL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Orange Beach - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

8,244
Residents
$89,034
Median income
$476,000
Median home
$1,345
Median rent (state)

Orange Beach - the verdict

Orange Beach ranks in the 70th percentile for household income and the 27th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

70th
percentile, household income
83rd
percentile, home value
50th
percentile, median rent
27th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Orange Beach, AL

Orange Beach is a small town in Alabama, home to 8,244 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $89,034 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 4.5%. Orange Beach's housing stock carries a median value of $476,000, and the median resident age is 51.1 years. 37.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 60.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 468 residential building permits were authorized in Orange Beach (Building Boom), up 94% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2202.2 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Alabama scores 88.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,345 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Alabama's average monthly utility costs around $245 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 96.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

8,244 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$89,034 /yr

Poverty 4.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Orange Beach compare to other US cities?

Orange Beach measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 70% higher than other cities
Home value 83% pricier than other cities
Median rent 50% pricier than other cities
Safety 27% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Alabama alone, Orange Beach ranks #130 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Orange Beach's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Alabama, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

70thIncome percentile
27thSafety percentile

70th percentile nationally for median household income · 27th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Orange Beach's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Orange Beach's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 44 Avg. percentile National median
Orange Beach's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Orange Beach's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$476,000 17th percentile more affordable than 17% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Orange Beach $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Orange Beach, AL Orange Beach, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Orange Beach, AL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Orange Beach, AL median $89,034/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Orange Beach, AL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Orange Beach, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 37.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
8,244
Median Income
$89,034
Median Home Value
$476,000
Median Age
51.1
Poverty Rate
4.5%
Labor force participation
60.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
37.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2202.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
357.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1844.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
8,000 residents8,200 residents8,400 residents8,600 residents8,800 residents9,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 8,133 residents 8,798 residents ▲ +8.2%
Orange Beach's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
468
housing units authorized
Single-Family
200
detached homes
Multifamily
268
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
56.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 241
2020 363
2021 259
2022 136
2023 168
2024 468

Permit volume increased 94% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.9%
Carpool
8.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
19.6%

Based on 4,338 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alabama - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$138
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$245
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alabama state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alabama state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Orange Beach sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,345/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Bay Minette
8,215 people
Atmore
8,389 people
Brook Highland
8,428 people
Arab
8,573 people
Pinson
7,851 people
Guntersville
8,771 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Orange Beach's 8,244 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Somers, WI
8,245 people
Oak Hills, CA
8,246 people
Denison, IA
8,247 people
Dayton, NJ
8,241 people
Prien, LA
8,248 people
Rhinelander, WI
8,248 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Orange Beach's $89,034 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Halls, TN
$89,032 median income
Circle D-KC Estates, TX
$89,037 median income
Utqiaġvik, AK
$89,038 median income
Helena Valley West Central, MT
$89,040 median income
Firth, NE
$89,044 median income
Newmanstown, PA
$89,023 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Orange Beach, AL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Orange Beach, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.8% White 88.2% Black or African American 4.5% Asian 1.2% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.2% Two or more races 4.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Orange Beach compares to nearby Alabama cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Orange Beach (this city) 8,244 $89,034
Bay Minette 8,215 $39,737
Atmore 8,389 $33,104
Brook Highland 8,428 $87,143
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Orange Beach, AL?

What is the population of Orange Beach, AL? +

Orange Beach, AL has a population of 8,244 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Orange Beach, AL? +

The median household income in Orange Beach is $89,034 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Orange Beach? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Orange Beach; the closest available measure is the Alabama state average, a cost of living index of 88.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alabama vary by metro area.

Is Orange Beach, AL safe? +

Orange Beach has a total crime rate of 2202.2 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Orange Beach, AL? +

Orange Beach's median home value sits at $476,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.