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Gulf Shores,
Alabama
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 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,
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.
Contents
* 1 Nearby Towns
* 2 Geography
* 3 Demographics
* 4 Education
o 4.1 Schools
+ 4.1.1 Secondary schools
# 4.1.1.1 High schools
# 4.1.1.2 Middle schools
+ 4.1.2 Primary schools
* 5 Climate
* 6 Trivia
* 7 External links
Nearby Towns
* Foley, Alabama
* Orange Beach, Alabama
* Elberta, Alabama
* Summerdale, Alabama
* Silverhill, Alabama
* Robertsdale, Alabama
* Point Clear, Alabama
* Fairhope, Alabama
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 is water. The total area is 20.11% water.
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. 9.9% of the population and
6.8% of families were below the poverty line. 6.4% of those under
the age of 18 and 6.5% of those 65 and older were living below the
poverty line.
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.
Schools
High schools
* Gulf Shores High School (9-12)
Middle schools
* Gulf Shores Middle School (6-8)
Primary schools
* Gulf Shores Elementary School (K-5)
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.
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