Gulf Shores, AL · standard
ZIP Code 36542
Baldwin County, Alabama - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 12,705
- 93/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $79,639
- Median income Near-median income area
- $383,500
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 38.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Gulf Shores pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 39%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 22%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 93
- people per sq mi
- 73%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 36542 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 36542 (Gulf Shores, AL) fell -4.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 326.9 in 2023 to 313.9 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 36542 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Gulf Shores, Baldwin County, Alabama, home to 12,705 residents across 136.0 square miles, a density of 93 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 36542 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $79,639 (31% above the average Alabama ZIP), while per-capita income is $44,566. The poverty rate is 10.4%, with unemployment at 2.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $383,500 (117% above the average Alabama ZIP), while 72.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,502.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 38.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 50, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Baldwin County, so 36542 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 36542
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Gulf Shores, AL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 36542.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
112 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
101 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
100 establishments
- Construction
Construction
69 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
63 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 36542, Gulf Shores, AL · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
12,705
Population
136.0
Area (sq mi)
93
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 36542?
50.0
Median Age
45.2%
Male
54.8%
Female
6.8%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$79,639
Median Household Income
+31% vs state ZIP avg
$44,566
Per Capita Income
10.4%
Poverty Rate
2.4%
Unemployment Rate
22.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 36542 ranks among Alabama ZIPs
Gulf Shores, AL household income vs. every Alabama ZIP code
Median household income among 587 reporting Alabama ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$79,639 Top 16% higher than 84% of 587 Alabama ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Alabama ZIPs. 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 · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
19,232housing units
19,232
Total Housing Units
8,347
Occupied Units
10,885
Vacant Units
2.26
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$383,500
Median Home Value
+117% vs state ZIP avg
$1,502
Median Rent
2000
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
-4.0%
YoY Change (2024)
314
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+214%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 36542 have decreased 4.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +214% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.4% | 197 |
| 2021 | +18.2% | 233 |
| 2022 | +21.9% | 284 |
| 2023 | +15.1% | 327 |
| 2024 | -4.0% | 314 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 688 business establishments in ZIP 36542, employing approximately 7,128 people with a combined annual payroll of $289,847,000.
688
Businesses
7,128
Employees
$289.8M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 112 | 16.3% |
| Retail trade | 101 | 14.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 100 | 14.5% |
| Construction | 69 | 10.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 63 | 9.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 48 | 7.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 41 | 6.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 37 | 5.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 29 | 4.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 26 | 3.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 18 | 2.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 12 | 1.7% |
| Manufacturing | 11 | 1.6% |
| Information | 8 | 1.2% |
| Educational services | 8 | 1.2% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 36542 vs 36511 →
ZIP 36542 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 36535
Foley (36535)
26,767 residents
- 36542
Gulf Shores (36542)
12,705 residents
- 36511 764
Bon Secour (36511)
764 residents
- 36555 654
Magnolia Springs (36555)
654 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 36542 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 36542 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 36511
Bon Secour (36511)
$87,607 median income
- 36555
Magnolia Springs (36555)
$86,705 median income
- 36542
Gulf Shores (36542)
$79,639 median income
- 36535
Foley (36535)
$66,714 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 36542 ranks #3 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 36542, both outside AL so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (12,705 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Baldwin County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 36542 in?
ZIP code 36542 (Gulf Shores) is located in Baldwin County, Alabama. Baldwin County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/baldwin-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 36542?
ZIP code 36542 in Gulf Shores, AL has a population of 12,705 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 36542?
The median household income in ZIP 36542 is $79,639, which is 4% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 36542?
The median home value in ZIP 36542 is $383,500, which is 38% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 36542?
The largest racial group in ZIP 36542 is White at 88.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 36542?
ZIP code 36542 has 688 business establishments employing approximately 7,128 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 36542?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 36542 are: Accommodation and food services (112), Retail trade (101), Real estate and rental and leasing (100). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 36542?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 36542 decreased by 4.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 214%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 36542?
In ZIP code 36542, 60.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 38.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 36542?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 36542 is 22.4 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 36542?
In ZIP code 36542, approximately 72.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 36542?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 36542 is 10.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 36542's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 36542 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Gulf Shores, AL ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.