Fairhope receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fairhope
Gulf Shores
Opportunity
77 · Top 11%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
72 · Top 14%
vs66 · Top 23%
Climate
84 · Top 10%
vs84 · Top 10%
Physical resilience
29 · Bottom 23%
vs29 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 40%
vs68 · Bottom 31%
Access
88 · Bottom 35%
vs73 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 31%
vs36 · Bottom 13%
Measured values
| Metric | Fairhope | Gulf Shores | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,190 | 16,401 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $94,274 | $78,188 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,666 | $45,509 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,632/sq mi | 572/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $430,900 | $382,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,689 | $1,483 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.4% | 70.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.5% | 39.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 11.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 259 | 171 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 10.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.8% | -29.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 65.8" | 65.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.2 | 50.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.43 | 17.18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 25.7% | 32.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Fairhope
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Gulf Shores
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fairhope
68
Your Score
67
Area Score
Gulf Shores
61
Your Score
62
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fairhope, AL · Gulf Shores, AL · How this is calculated: methodology