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Retire To Gulf Shores, AL
City Report

Gulf Shores, Alabama is one of the great places in the U.S. for that retirement or second home. Find city facts on home sales prices, air quality, water quality, medical care, cost of living, weather and other demographics.


Click for Gulf_Shores, Alabama Weather Forecast

Read the city profile and recent blog posts from local real estate experts. The EPA map shows superfund cleanups in the area and the interactive map provides a birds-eye view of the city.

Links in the data below provide a list of cities similar to Gulf Shores in that certain data category. Check back often for home price updates.


Gulf Shores, Alabama
Dune fence on Gulf Shores, Alabama beach
© iStockPhoto.com/choicegraphx

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Gulf Shores, Alabama


Population
. 1990 2000 2007
Baldwin County blank 140,415 blank
Gulf Shores 3,261 5,044 10,207



Gulf Shores
Home Sales Prices
(new & existing homes)
. Average Annual Average Yr-Over-Yr Change
2010 .$212,292-15.1%
Jun $228,000 . .
May $184,000 . .
Apr $202,000 . .
Mar $235,000 . .
Feb $113,000 . .
Jan $230,000 . .
2009 .$249,993-9.4%
2008 .$275,948-33.8%
2007 . $416,607 27.6%
2006 . $326,558 -2.3%
2005 . $334,320 54.9%
 Local Home Resources Resources:
     






Cost of Living (2010)
98% GPTR 99 City Average
127%



Home Sales Price Comparison
(2010)
. . GPTR 99 City Avg
Near Large City Mobile na
Home Sales Price in Mobile $116,000 $213,000
Home Sales Price Bargain Index 183% of Mobile home prices 155%



Gulf Shores
Distance to Nearest Large City
(pop. > 200,000)
46 miles  to Mobile GPTR 99 City Average
97 miles



Air Quality
Baldwin County
. Good Days Moderate Days Unhealthy for Sensitive Persons Days Unhealthy Days
2008 235 30 2 0
2007 220 46 7 0
2006 227 52 2 0
2005 220 42 0 0




Gulf Shores
Water Quality
. % Good % Threatened % Impaired
2006 na na na
2004 na na na
2002 na na na




Taxes
(2009-2010)
blank Tax Rate Days Worked to Pay State Rank Tax Rate
(99 City Avg)
Days Worked to Pay
(99 City Avg)
State and Local Sales Tax 6.2% -- 31* 6.8% --
Federal, State and Local Tax -- 92 days 42* -- 99 days
* State rank of 1 pays the highest taxes



Gulf Shores
Recreation
. # of Parks # of Parks
(99 City Avg)
National Parks, Historic Sites, etc.
(managed by National Park Service)
Gulf Islands National Seashore 7
National Campgrounds, Lodges, etc.
(other federal agency-managed sites)
2 26
State Parks, Sites, etc. 2 11



Crime Report
(crimes per 10,000 population)
. Total Crimes Violent Crimes Property Crimes
2008 542 30 512
2007 565 91 474
2006 677 64 613
2005 742 65 677




Gulf Shores
Climate
(1971-2000)
. . 99 City Avg
January - Avg Low Temp 45 F 27 F
January - Avg Daily Temp 51 F 37 F
July - Avg Daily Temp 83 F 74 F
July - Avg High Temp 89 F 86 F
Avg Annual Precipitation 64 in 35 in



Elevation
8 feet GPTR 99 City Average
1,660 feet



Gulf Shores
Natural Hazards
. Risk Level 99 City Average
Total Hazard Risk Higher Moderate
Earthquake .1% .6%
Tsunami No Risk No Risk
Hurricane 40-60 0
Flood Very High Very High
Tornado Low Low
Volcano No Risk No Risk
Wildfire High Low



Demographics
(2006)
. . 99 City Avg
White 97.5% 83.3%
Black 0.2% 6.9%
Native American 0.4% 0.8%
Asian 0.3% 3.2%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.0% 0.2%
Other 0.4% 3.3%
Multiple Races 1.1% 2.4%
Hispanic (of any race) 1.2% 8.7%



Gulf Shores
Median Age (2006)
46 years GPTR 99 City Average
36 years



Family Income & Housing
(2006)
. . 99 City Average
Total Housing Units 6,810 26,131
Occupied Housing Units 34% 86%
Vacant Housing Units (seasonal or recreational use) 66% 14%
Home Ownership Rate na 54%
Median Family Income $51,862 $55,423
Average Family Size 2.56 2.91



Gulf Shores
Medical Care
(2009)
Hospital/Medical Center City Distance from City Accredited - Dept. of HHS, AOA or JCAHO GPTR 99 City
Average
South Baldwin Regional Medical Center Foley 14 miles Yes 4 accredited hospitals within 10 miles of city



Population Density
(2007)
. . 99 City Avg
Land Area (sq mi) 18 31
People Per Square Mile 567 2,035



Gulf Shores
Building Permits
(single family homes)
2009 40
2008 81
2007 143
2006 161
2005 504




Heating and Cooling Degree Days
(avg annual)
. . 99 City Avg
Total Degree Days 4,308 5,926
HDD 1,504 4,677
CDD 2,804 1,249



EPA Hazardous Material Cleanup Sites
(Gulf Shores Area)
Gulf Shores Area EPA Cleanup Sites


Legend:
Small green circles (older style maps) or multi-colored circles (newer style maps: click here for legend) indicate 1)Superfund Sites 2)Federal Facilities 3)RCRA Corrective Action Sites and 4)Brownfields Properties (EPA hazardous material cleanup sites defined at Environment link)



Gulf Shores Area Interactive Maps

(Click map icons to Zoom In/Out, change format, navigate or rotate. Click map and drag mouse
to pan. Use Pegman for a StreetView.)



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