Orange Beach, AL

Census place 0157144 · pop 8,407

D59/ 100
😐 Meh
B
in AL
📍 Alabama ranks #23 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.29% · top 2%
🚽 Cost$502,400 · bottom 19%
Taxes
0.29% property · US 0.99%9.46% sales · US 7.00%up to 5.00% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Housing cost$502,40019

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$502,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level98/10020

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

98/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$2,250/mo24

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,250/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Violent crime rate357/100k28

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

357 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Property crime rate1879/100k31

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

1879 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Commute time25 min44

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

25 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Income inequality0.4260

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.42 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Homeownership67.5%61

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

67.5% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Adult obesity32.5%64

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

32.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Broadband access93.6%66

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

93.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Air quality (AQI)County-level40 AQI68

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

40 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Bachelor's degree or higher40.7%70

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

40.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Physical inactivity20.8%73

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

20.8% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Median household income$97,73674

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$97,736 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Adult smoking10.6%75

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

10.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Uninsured adults5.9%86

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

5.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poor mental health13.6%90

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

13.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Unemployment rateCounty-level2.6%91

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

2.6% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Poverty rate2.6%97

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

2.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Population growth (5yr)+39.7%98

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+39.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Property-tax burden0.29%98

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.29% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Frequently asked

Is Orange Beach, AL a good place to live?
By the numbers, Orange Beach scores 59/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property-tax burden and its weakest is housing cost. Alabama overall ranks #23 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Orange Beach, AL?
Orange Beach reports 357 violent crimes per 100k and 1879 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Orange Beach, AL expensive to live in?
Orange Beach has a median home value of $502,400 and typical rent around $2,250/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Orange Beach, AL?
Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($502,400) — 19/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Orange Beach, AL best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.29%) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.