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City · 24,190 residents · Baldwin County, Alabama

Fairhope , Alabama

In Fairhope, a typical home is worth $430,900 and typical rent is $1,689 a month. Compared with all of Baldwin County, the typical home value is 36% higher and typical rent is 32% higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $430,900

    36% above the county

    105% above Alabama

    • Fairhope
    • Baldwin
    • Alabama

  • Typical rent

    $1,689a month

    32% above the county

    68% above Alabama

    • Fairhope
    • Baldwin
    • Alabama

  • Typical household income

    $94,274a year

    20% above the county

    47% above Alabama

    • Fairhope
    • Baldwin
    • Alabama

  • Households that own their home

    80%

    3 points above the county

    10 points above Alabama

    • Fairhope
    • Baldwin
    • Alabama

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$470,927
1.7% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,771 a month
0.5% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Fairhope is in Baldwin County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Baldwin County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Fairhope apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Mobile, the typical home value is $193,300: 55% less than in Fairhope ($430,900).

  2. Fairhope has the 4th highest typical rent of the 117 cities in Alabama with more than 5,000 people ($1,689).

  3. Nearby, in Robertsdale, the typical rent is $996: 41% less than in Fairhope ($1,689).

  4. Fairhope has the 6th highest typical home value of the 120 cities in Alabama with more than 5,000 people ($430,900).

  5. The typical household income in Fairhope is $94,274, 20% more than in Baldwin County as a whole ($78,775).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Fairhope

What homes there are in Fairhope, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house rules in Fairhope: 86% of homes, more than in Baldwin County (65%).

Year built

The typical year built in Fairhope is 1998, about the same as in Baldwin County (1999).

Homes in Fairhope are bigger: 83% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Baldwin County, 72%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,923 a month

Baldwin County: $1,613 a month

Without a mortgage

$589 a month

Baldwin County: $474 a month

Owners with a mortgage

56%

Baldwin County: 59%

In Fairhope, 56% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,923 a month, against $1,613 in Baldwin County. Without one it drops to $589.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Fairhope rose 44%; in Baldwin County, it rose 60%.

The typical rent in Fairhope rose 41% over the same time; in Baldwin County, it rose 25%.

Housing prices ran ahead of income in Fairhope: typical income rose 25%, against +44% for home values and +41% for rent.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureFairhopeBaldwin CountyAlabamaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate24.9%7.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.7%1.1%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.6%1.7%3.4%
People per household 2.472.472.482.53
Drive alone 83%79%81%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate6%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate1%1%3%
Work from home 13%12%9%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

By size, households in Fairhope look like those in Baldwin County: 2.47 people on average.

To get to work, 83% of workers in Fairhope drive alone; in Baldwin County, 79%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Fairhope?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Fairhope, worth $430,900, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 43% of the typical household income in Fairhope, which is $94,274 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $145,009 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Baldwin County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Fairhope. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $15,082 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$3,384

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$423,095
Total interest
$608,734
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $7,277 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,200 a month

  • Tight

    $2,200 to $2,828 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,828 a month

    Your payment · 43%

Compared with the typical household income in Fairhope ($94,274 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,384
Principal & interest$2,866
Property tax$147
Home insurance$180
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$191

You need at least $15,082 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Fairhope and Baldwin County

Fairhope is in Baldwin County, Alabama. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Fairhope's own numbers

Typical home value
$430,900
Typical monthly rent
$1,689
Typical yearly household income
$94,274
Households that own their home
80%
Effective property tax rate
0.41%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Baldwin County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,434
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+56%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
11%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Baldwin County.

Everything about Baldwin County

Buying

Buying a home in Fairhope

A typical home in Fairhope is worth $430,900: 36% above the county and 105% above Alabama. With the typical household income in Fairhope ($94,274 a year), a typical home costs 4.6 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Fairhope 4.6 years
  • Baldwin 4.0 years
  • Alabama 3.3 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Baldwin County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Baldwin County rose 103% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Baldwin County.

Period County Alabama U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.3% +2.5% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +56% +47% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +103% +77% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Fairhope next to Baldwin County, Alabama and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Fairhope $430,900
  • Baldwin $316,900
  • Alabama $209,900
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Fairhope $1,689
  • Baldwin $1,277
  • Alabama $1,007
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Fairhope $94,274
  • Baldwin $78,775
  • Alabama $63,999
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Fairhope next to Baldwin County and Alabama
Measure Fairhope Baldwin County Alabama U.S.
Typical home value $430,900 $316,900 $209,900 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,689 $1,277 $1,007 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $94,274 $78,775 $63,999 $80,734
Households that own their home 80% 78% 70% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,758 $960 $788 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.41% 0.3% 0.38% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 55% 47% 49% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Baldwin County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Fairhope

For a typical $430,900 home in Fairhope, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Fairhope's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,384a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $15,082
    Cash to close
    $28,009
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $191

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,305a month

    Down payment
    $21,545
    Cash to close
    $34,472
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $205

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,662a month

    Down payment
    $86,180
    Cash to close
    $99,107
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $3,060a month

    Down payment
    $64,635
    Cash to close
    $77,562
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Fairhope and for Baldwin County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Fairhope

0.41%of the home’s value each year

$1,758 a year for the typical owner in Fairhope.

  • Fairhope 0.41%
  • Baldwin 0.3%
  • Alabama 0.38%

What Alabama publishes Basic homestead exemption (type H-1) (Alabama Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Alabama

Flood risk in Baldwin County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Baldwin County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
11%
10,442
Of those, with NFIP insurance
64%
County Alabama U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 11% 3.2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 64% 29% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Fairhope

Typical rent in Fairhope is $1,689 a month: 32% above the county. In Fairhope, 55% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Baldwin County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,434 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $27.58 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Baldwin County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,180 $22.69 $47,200
1 bedroom $1,317 $25.33 $52,680
2 bedrooms $1,434 $27.58 $57,360
3 bedrooms $1,855 $35.67 $74,200
4 bedrooms $2,347 $45.13 $93,880

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Fairhope

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Fairhope is in ZIP code 36532.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,680: $246 more than the fair market rent for Baldwin County ($1,434).

  • 36532 $1,680$2,170

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Fairhope when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Fairhope

HUD lists 4 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Fairhope. These are the largest.

  • Shellbrooke Pointe Apts 7684 Twin Beech Rd, Fairhope 36532 96 low-income homes · 1 bd: 16 · 2 bd: 56 · 3 bd: 24 · In service since 2006 · For people with disabilities, families
  • AHEPA 310 III Apartments 20765 Bishop Rd, Fairhope 36532 50 low-income homes · For older adults (251) 928-7352
  • Spring Run Apts 201 Spring Run Dr, Fairhope 36532 50 low-income homes · 1 bd: 16 · 2 bd: 24 · 3 bd: 10 · In service since 1994 · For families (251) 928-0981
  • Village at Meadowview 950 Spring Run Dr, Fairhope 36532 40 low-income homes · 1 bd: 40 · In service since 2007 · For older adults, people with disabilities (251) 928-7787

See all 41 buildings in Baldwin County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Fairhope

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Baldwin County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A young man and a young woman look something up together on a laptop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Fairhope

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Fairhope or Baldwin County. The ones below are statewide in Alabama: they work in Fairhope the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Alabama

  • Step Up

    Statewide in Alabama

    Alabama state authority program with down payment assistance of 4% of the price (up to $10,000) as a 10-year second mortgage, alongside a 30-year fixed mortgage. Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

  • First Step Mortgage Revenue Bonds

    Statewide in Alabama

    Alabama state authority 30-year low-rate mortgage, for first-time buyers and for people who have owned a home before, with down payment assistance of 4% of the price, up to $10,000, as a ten-year second mortgage. Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

  • Affordable Income Subsidy Grant

    Statewide in Alabama

    Alabama state authority grant for closing costs with an HFA Advantage conventional loan: 1% of the loan if you earn up to 50% of the area median, or half a percent if you earn 50% to 80%. Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).

    Grant

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Fairhope

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Fairhope, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Center for Fair Housing

    602 Bel Air Blvd, Mobile · 18 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (251) 479-1532

  • Renaissance Community Loan Fund-Mobile County, AL

    584 Azalea Rd, Mobile · 19 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 4 more
    (228) 896-3386

  • CCCS of Mobile

    705 Oak Circle Dr E, Mobile · 19 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (251) 602-0011

All counseling agencies in Alabama

Help in Spanish near Fairhope

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Fairhope

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Baldwin County is named for Fairhope or Baldwin County.

2 other authorities have an office in Baldwin County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Baldwin County

These cities are also in Baldwin County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Baldwin County Housing in Alabama

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Fairhope, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Baldwin County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Fairhope.

All guides
Three women of one family talk as they cook vegetables in the kitchen.

Questions

Housing questions about Fairhope

Short answers with the numbers for Fairhope and all of Baldwin County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Fairhope?

The typical home value in Fairhope is $430,900, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Baldwin County it is $316,900.

How much does it cost to rent in Fairhope?

Typical rent in Fairhope is $1,689 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Baldwin County is $1,434.

What is the FHA loan limit in Fairhope?

Fairhope uses the FHA limit for all of Baldwin County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Fairhope?

The typical homeowner in Fairhope pays $1,758 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.41% of the home’s value; in Baldwin County, the rate is 0.3%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Fairhope?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Baldwin County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).