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Buying a home in Fairhope, Alabama

The typical owner-occupied home in Fairhope is worth about $430,900, 2.1 times the Alabama median of $209,900 and 30% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,758 a year in property taxes, about 0.41% of their home's value, higher than the Alabama rate of 0.38%. The median household earns $94,274 a year, so the median home costs 4.6 times the median income (3.3 times for Alabama). 80% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 56% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Fairhope at a glance

Fairhope Alabama U.S.
Median home value $430,900 $209,900 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,758 $788 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.41% 0.38% 0.94%
Median household income $94,274 $63,999 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 80% 70% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 56% 54% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,923 $1,433 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 22.1% 19.0% 21.0%
Median rent $1,689 $1,007 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 32.3% 29.5% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1998 1986 1980
Vacant homes 9.5% 14.5% 10.1%
Population 24,190 5,086,768 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Fairhope

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Fairhope home of $430,900 with 20% down costs about $2,646 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,364, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $113,388 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 34% of the median Fairhope household income of $94,274; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $358,000.

The median rent here is $1,689 a month, so owning the median home costs about $957 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$86,180
Loan amount$344,720
Principal and interest$2,319
Property taxes (0.41% a year)$147
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$180
PMI$0
Total per month$2,646

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$15,082
Loan amount$423,095
Principal and interest$2,846
Property taxes (0.41% a year)$147
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$180
FHA mortgage insurance$191
Total per month$3,364

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Questions about home buying in Fairhope

What is the median home value in Fairhope?

About $430,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Fairhope?

Homeowners pay a median $1,758 a year, which is about 0.41% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Fairhope?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,646 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $113,388 a year.

More about Fairhope

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data