What are the schools like in Orange Beach, AL?

Orange Beach is served primarily by Orange Beach City. The district operates 1 elementary schools, several middle schools, and 1 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 14.8:1.

What is the median household income in Orange Beach?

The median household income in Orange Beach, AL is $90,402 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 4.4%.

What is the weather like in Orange Beach, AL?

Orange Beach has an average high temperature of 61.1°F in January and 89.3°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 65.3 inches.

Orange Beach, AL Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Orange Beach, AL affordable or expensive?

Orange Beach's cost of living index is 100, where 100 represents the national average. This means Orange Beach is 0% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $453,700 and the median rent is $1,260 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Orange Beach, AL?

Orange Beach has a violent crime rate of 357.4 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1844.8 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Orange Beach, AL a Good Place to Live?

Orange Beach is a small town of 8,048 in Alabama, with a median household income of $90,402 and a 4.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 100 (US average = 100), which is 0% below the national average.

Strengths: Orange Beach stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Orange Beach is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Orange Beach city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 99.7

Orange Beach's overall cost of living index is 99.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Orange Beach costs roughly 0% less than the average American city.

Metric	Orange Beach, AL	National Avg
Median Home Value	$453,700	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,260	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	68.2%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$90,402	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Orange Beach's violent crime rate is 357.4 per 100,000 residents — 6% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

357.4 /100k

Property Crime

1844.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Orange Beach is served primarily by Orange Beach City. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Orange Beach, AL	National Avg
School District	Orange Beach City	—
Elementary Schools	1	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	1	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	14.8:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	39.5%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	96.5%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Orange Beach sees average highs of 61.1°F in January and 89.3°F in July, with 65.3 inches of annual precipitation .

Metric	Orange Beach, AL
Average High — January	61.1°F
Average High — July	89.3°F
Annual Precipitation	65.3"
Annual Snowfall	Trace / None

Demographics

Metric	Orange Beach, AL	National Avg
Population	8,048	—
Median Age	51.6	38.9
Unemployment Rate	4.4%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	24.5 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	94.5%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.1%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	0.9%	18.9%
Asian	1.7%	6.3%
Under 18	15.5%	22.2%
65 and over	28.5%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Elberta, AL 6 mi Gulf Shores, AL 6 mi Perdido Beach, AL 7 mi Bon Secour, AL 8 mi Foley, AL 8 mi

ZIP Codes in Orange Beach

Orange Beach, AL is covered by 1 ZIP code:

36561

Orange Beach vs Other Cities

Orange Beach, AL vs Elberta, AL Orange Beach, AL vs Gulf Shores, AL Orange Beach, AL vs Perdido Beach, AL Orange Beach, AL vs Bon Secour, AL Orange Beach, AL vs Foley, AL

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Orange Beach, AL affordable or expensive?

Orange Beach's cost of living index is 100, where 100 is the national average. That makes Orange Beach roughly 0% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $453,700 and median rent is $1,260/month.

What is the crime rate in Orange Beach, AL?

Orange Beach's violent crime rate is 357.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1844.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Orange Beach?

Public schools in Orange Beach are operated by Orange Beach City. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.8:1. 39.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Orange Beach, AL a good place to live?

Orange Beach, AL has a population of 8,048, a median household income of $90,402, and an unemployment rate of 4.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Orange Beach?

Orange Beach averages 61.1°F in January and 89.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 65.3 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Orange Beach?

Orange Beach, AL is covered by 1 ZIP code: 36561.

What is the population of Orange Beach?

The population of Orange Beach, Alabama is 8,048 with a median age of 51.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Orange Beach?

Key numbers for living in Orange Beach: cost of living index 100 (100 = US average), median home $453,700, median household income $90,402, crime index 92 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Orange Beach side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.