The typical owner-occupied home in Gulf Shores is worth about $382,700, 82% above the Alabama median of $209,900 and 15% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,206 a year in property taxes, about 0.32% of their home's value, lower than the Alabama rate of 0.38%. The median household earns $78,188 a year, so the median home costs 4.9 times the median income (3.3 times for Alabama). 71% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 56% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Gulf Shores at a glance
| Gulf Shores | Alabama | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $382,700 | $209,900 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,206 | $788 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.32% | 0.38% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $78,188 | $63,999 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 71% | 70% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 56% | 54% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,061 | $1,433 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 22.0% | 19.0% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,483 | $1,007 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 29.0% | 29.5% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 2000 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 50.6% | 14.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 16,401 | 5,086,768 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Gulf Shores
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Gulf Shores home of $382,700 with 20% down costs about $2,321 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,959, 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 $99,474 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 36% of the median Gulf Shores household income of $78,188; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $301,000.
The median rent here is $1,483 a month, so owning the median home costs about $838 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $76,540 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $306,160 |
| Principal and interest | $2,060 |
| Property taxes (0.32% a year) | $102 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $159 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,321 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $13,394 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $375,768 |
| Principal and interest | $2,528 |
| Property taxes (0.32% a year) | $102 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $159 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $169 |
| Total per month | $2,959 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Gulf Shores
What is the median home value in Gulf Shores?
About $382,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Gulf Shores?
Homeowners pay a median $1,206 a year, which is about 0.32% 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 Gulf Shores?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,321 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $99,474 a year.
More about Gulf Shores
- Mortgage Refinance in Gulf Shores
- Debt Relief in Gulf Shores
- Home Equity Loans in Gulf Shores
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
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