Orange Beach, AL

This city of 9,076 residents needs 667 more housing units over the next five years. Orange Beach is part of the Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization.

Housing snapshot

Population
9,076 (2026)
Households
4,149
Median household income
$103,492 (2026)
Typical home value
$682,132
Owner-occupied
18%
Five-year housing need
667 units

Comparison to other Alabama municipalities

Orange Beach: $103,492 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$8K >$131K
Orange Beach: 1.98 jobs to household ratio
<0.04 >2.65
Orange Beach: Permits since 2021 represent 7.7% of housing
<0% >16.2%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

The typical home in Orange Beach, AL is valued at $682,132, well above the Alabama average of $183,532. Orange Beach, AL's median household income of $103,492 falls well short of what is needed to afford the typical home, leaving a gap of about $61,298.

This chart tracks whether housing prices are keeping pace with local incomes. The gap between what homes cost and what households can afford reveals affordability trends over time.

How is the population changing?

Orange Beach, AL has a population of roughly 8,407 and is one of the faster-growing communities in its state, adding residents at 3.2% per year.

Population growth patterns reveal how communities are evolving. This chart shows historical population changes by age group and projects future trends based on demographic patterns.

How has employment changed over time?

Jobs by industry sector since 2012. Switch between local jobs — counted where the jobs are located — and resident jobs, counted where the workers live. On the local view the most recent year is a nowcast: it grows the latest local LODES job mix forward using recent county employment growth from QCEW and the BLS local employment series, so the newest point tracks today's economy instead of data that is roughly two years old.

How are households changing by income?

Orange Beach, AL is one of the faster-growing communities in Alabama, adding households at 3.2% per year and totaling roughly 4,149 households.

Understanding how households at different income levels are growing or declining helps identify which groups face the greatest housing pressure and where new housing is most needed.

Who lives here today?

In Orange Beach, AL, 50+ unit multifamily accounts for 53% of the housing stock. Orange Beach, AL is a heavily renter-occupied market, with just 18% of households owning their home.

Households may have different structure type preferences depending on characteristics such as household size, income, employment, presence of children, age of individuals, and lifestyle choices. Understanding the housing stock in corresponding terms helps assess how well existing units align with existing households' ideals.

What does the housing stock look like?

The mix of housing types and ownership patterns shapes a community's character. This chart breaks down housing units by structure type and whether they're owner-occupied or rented.

How much new housing supply is needed?

To keep up with growth and fill current housing shortages, Orange Beach, AL needs 667 new units over the next 5 years.

597
Units needed to keep up with expected growth
Projected total household growth from 2026 to 2031.
14.4%
Projected household growth rate
Expected increase in total households from 4,149 in 2026 to 4,746 in 2031.
70
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
70
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 0.9 per 1,000 units.
667
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
133
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
4.5%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
0.9%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

How does this place compare to similar communities?