Gulf Shores, Alabama
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Gulf Shores is a city located in Baldwin County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 5,044.
Gulf Shores is the only major seaside resort in the state of Alabama. (Dauphin Island also contains a large number of beachfront homes, but is too isolated and vulnerable to hurricanes to be a viable resort). Most of the town is therefore devoted to hotels and a service industry. Because the nearby Mississippi Gulf Coast is protected by barrier islands, Gulf Shores is the only resort with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico between New Orleans, Louisiana and the well-known resorts of Florida. Gulf Shores is therefore more popular with local populations in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana than the Florida resorts, which tend to be dominated by customers from other regions of the United States. (However, the extensive spring break facilities of Panama City and Destin on the east side and the casinos of Gulfport and Biloxi on the west give Gulf Shores plenty of competition.) Gulf Shores bore the brunt of Hurricane Ivan on September 16, 2004.
Geography
Gulf Shores is located at 30°16'4.069" North, 87°42'5.285" West (30.267797, -87.701468)Template:GR.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 59.6 km² (23.0 mi²). 47.6 km² (18.4 mi²) of it is land and 12.0 km² (4.6 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 20.11% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 5,044 people, 2,344 households, and 1,544 families residing in the city. The population density is 105.9/km² (274.3/mi²). There are 6,810 housing units at an average density of 143.0/km² (370.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 97.54% White, 0.22% Black or African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. 1.23% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 2,344 households out of which 20.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% are married couples living together, 7.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% are non-families. 26.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.15 and the average family size is 2.56.
In the city the population is spread out with 16.4% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 23.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 46 years. For every 100 females there are 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $41,826, and the median income for a family is $51,862. Males have a median income of $40,259 versus $22,467 for females. The per capita income for the city is $24,356. 9.9% of the population and 6.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 6.4% of those under the age of 18 and 6.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.