ZIP 36542 · Gulf Shores, Alabama
2026 Edition · 8 cards · data as of Oct 30, 2026
Read it as a page
-
Population
18,906 people call ZIP 36542 home.
18,906
people.
Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Sources: Census ACS 5-year
-
Rent
Median rent is up 70% since the 2010–2014 survey, before inflation.
$1,502
a month. Alabama's median is $1,007.
Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024 (latest), with earlier 5-year windows. Sources: Census ACS 5-year
-
Room to build
The median rent is above what local wages can carry.
$863–$1,294
is the monthly rent range local workforce wages support.
- $1,502 median
Supportable rent computed by the Almanac from 2023 source wage data. Median rent: Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Sources: Computed by the Almanac, Census ACS 5-year
-
Building
49% of the housing here was built before 2000.
- 49% of all homes were built before 2000
Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Sources: Census ACS 5-year
-
Units needed
Closing the gap would add 0.1–0.4% to the 19,232 homes here.
22–81
is the estimated number of missing housing units, from the lowest to the highest of three estimates.
Range computed by the Almanac from 2023 jobs and household data, using three demand models: 1% of jobs located here, 1% of renter households, and a rate by town size applied to renters. The low end is the lowest of the three and the high end the highest. It is an estimate, not a count. Sources: Computed by the Almanac
-
Home value
A median home costs 83% more than Alabama's.
$383,500
median home value in ZIP 36542.
- $383,500 ZIP 36542
- $209,900 Alabama
- $332,700 U.S.
Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Sources: Census ACS 5-year