ZIP Code · AL

ZIP 36561

Part of Orange Beach, AL

Pop. 9,528·Baldwin County·1st most expensive ZIP in Alabama

Median rent (all units)

$2,849/mo

Year-over-Year

Stable

Month-over-Month

+12.5%

vs US Median

+$917

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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ZIP 36561 · $2,849

More expensive than 88% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,200

1 BR

$1,310

2 BR

$1,470

3 BR

$1,850

4 BR+

$2,370

Research median

$1,470/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($98,295) is $2,457 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($2,370).

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 36561. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$34,188/yr

At $2,849/mo median

Location

CityOrange Beach

StateAL

CountyBaldwin County

Rent Market Meter

Strong Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are up 0.0% year-over-year. Expect competition, and move quickly to lock in terms.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.0% YoY, +12.5% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 36561 (Orange Beach, AL) is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 43.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

9,528

Median income

$98,295

Median age

53.4

Renters

29.9%

Age distribution

13.4%

16.4%

23.5%

20.1%

26.6%

Under 1813.4%

18–3416.4%

35–5423.5%

55–6420.1%

65+26.6%

Gender

48.1%

51.9%

Male48.1%

Female51.9%

Race & ethnicity

89.9%

White89.9%

Black3.5%

Hispanic3.7%

Other2.5%

Education (25+)

22.4%

32.3%

43.1%

No HS diploma2.2%

HS diploma22.4%

Some college32.3%

Bachelor's+43.1%

Housing tenure

70.1%

29.9%

Owner70.1%

Renter29.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 36561 in Orange Beach, AL has changed in 5 years

Income

$85,694 → $98,295

up 14.7%

Population

8,801 → 9,528

up 8.3%

Renter share

25.7% → 29.9%

+4.2 pts

Bachelor's+

46.8% → 43.1%

-3.7 pts

Median age

56.3 → 53.4

-2.9 yrs

Household income in the area moved from $85,694 to $98,295 across the same window, up 14.7% versus 2021. Headcount in the area went from 8,801 to 9,528 between 2021 and 2024, a 8.3% change. About 29.9% of households rent today, against 25.7% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher slipped from 46.8% to 43.1%.

Community

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Local insights

Tips for renters in ZIP 36561

About renting in ZIP 36561

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 36561 covers Orange Beach, AL. The median rent here is $2,849/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,310/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,470/mo.

At 35% of local median household income ($98,295/yr), ZIP 36561 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 36561?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $114,000/year (about $55/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $2,849/mo in ZIP 36561. The local median household income is $98,295/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.