Gulf Shores is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, home to about 16,401 people across 28 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 36542 and 36547, and parts of 36561 are in Gulf Shores too.
Homes sold for a median of $317 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Mostly Gulf Shores; also Foley
All in Gulf Shores
Mostly Orange Beach; part is in Gulf Shores
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Gulf Shores. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Gulf Shores’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Gulf Shores well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Pensacola International Airport (PNS)36 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | New Orleans, LA131 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Houston, TX458 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Gulf Shores; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Gulf Shores had 15,014 residents in the 2020 census, up 198% since 2000.
It’s the 44th largest of 591 towns in Alabama by population.
Baldwin County grew from 13,194 residents in 1900 to 231,767 in 2020.
Baldwin County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 88°F in summer, and winter lows average 46°F. About 61.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Dauphin Is #2, AL weather station (20 miles away).
72,022 jobs at 6,409 businesses in Baldwin County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
123 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Gulf Shores’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 11 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 6 |
| Dentists | 17 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 31 |
| Mental health providers | 25 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 25 |
| Optometrists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 6 |
| Pharmacies | 9 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (2 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 3.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Gulf Shores City. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf Shores Elementary SchoolGulf Shores | Pre-K–5 | 1,230 | Public | 4.2 mi |
| Gulf Shores Middle SchoolGulf Shores | 6–8 | 591 | Public | 4.2 mi |
| Gulf Shores High SchoolGulf Shores | 9–12 | 927 | Public | 4.4 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Baldwin Christian AcademyGulf Shores | Pre-K–12 | 157 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 5.5 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Orange Beach and Foley.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.