Gulf Shores, Alabama

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Gulf Shores is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 5,044.

Gulf Shores is one of only two major (Orange Beach being the other one) seaside resorts in the state of Alabama. (Dauphin Island also contains a large number of beachfront homes. 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 visitors 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.

Contents

[edit] Nearby Towns

[edit] Geography

Location of Gulf Shores, Alabama

Gulf Shores is located at 30°16'4.069" North, 87°42'5.285" West (30.267797, -87.701468)GR1.

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 (20.11%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 5,044 people, 2,344 households, and 1,544 families residing in the city. The population density was 105.9/km² (274.3/mi²). There were 6,810 housing units at an average density of 143.0/km² (370.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 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 were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,344 households out of which 20.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.56.

In the city the population was 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 were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $41,826, and the median income for a family was $51,862. Males had a median income of $40,259 versus $22,467 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,356. About 6.8% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Education

Gulf Shores is a part of the Baldwin County Public Schools system.

An elementary school, a middle school, and a high school serve Gulf Shores.

[edit] Schools

[edit] Secondary schools

[edit] High schools
  • Gulf Shores High School (9-12)

[edit] Middle schools
  • Gulf Shores Middle School (6-8) [1]

[edit] Primary schools

  • Gulf Shores Elementary School (K-5) [2]

[edit] Climate

Gulf Shores enjoys a very mild climate throughout the year. High temperatures in the winter average around 65 degrees; summer-time high temperatures average around 87. Gulf Shores also averages 61 inches of rainfall per year.

The location of Gulf Shores on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico makes it especially vulnerable to hurricanes. In September 1979, Gulf Shores received the full brunt of category 3 Hurricane Frederic which leveled most of the beachfront of the city. In September 2004, category 3 Hurricane Ivan made landfall only a few miles from Gulf Shores, causing extensive wind and flooding damage. Gulf Shores is still recovering from the results of the storm. Nearby Orange Beach suffered even greater damage from its location east of Ivan's eyewall. Over 800 homes (mainly condominiums) were destroyed by Ivan. Gulf Shores suffered an estimated 1.5 to 2 billion dollars in total damage from the hurricane.

[edit] Trivia

  • It is believed that the first European to visit Gulf Shores, indeed the entire Gulf Coast, was Welshman Prince Madoc.

[edit] External links

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