PlainZIP

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
$79,639
Median income
$383,500
Median home value
38.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

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 Alabama average), while per-capita income is $44,566. Poverty here runs at 10.4%, with unemployment measured at 2.4%. Housing costs here run $383,500 for a typical home value (117% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,502 a month; 72.6% of homes are owner-occupied.

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. To put 36542 in local context, 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Baldwin County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 36542?

50.0

Median Age

45.2%

Male

54.8%

Female

6.8%

Foreign-Born

White 88.2%
African American 2.3%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%

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

$44,566

Per Capita Income

10.4%

Poverty Rate

2.4%

Unemployment Rate

22.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 36542 ranks nationally

Gulf Shores, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$79,639 Top 39% higher than 61% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 60.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 38.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

19,232

Total Housing Units

8,347

Occupied Units

10,885

Vacant Units

2.26

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 72.6%
Renter 27.4%

$383,500

Median Home Value

+117% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 36542 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 36542 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

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.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
36511 Bon Secour, AL 764 2.5 mi
36535 Foley, AL 26,767 7.5 mi
36555 Magnolia Springs, AL 654 8.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Baldwin County

36526 standard
Daphne, AL
Pop: 27,890
36532 standard
Fairhope, AL
Pop: 27,829
36535 standard
Foley, AL
Pop: 26,767
36507 standard
Bay Minette, AL
Pop: 19,090
36567 standard
Robertsdale, AL
Pop: 12,672
36527 standard
Daphne, AL
Pop: 12,109

Related Areas

Baldwin County Gulf Shores, AL Alabama

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.

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