| Official Name: | Orange Beach, Alabama |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Alabama |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Baldwin |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Tony Kennon |
| Leader Party: | R |
| Leader Title1: | Mayor Pro Tem |
| Leader Name1: | Jeff Boyd |
| Leader Title2: | City Council |
| Leader Name2: | Place 1: Annette Mitchell Place 2: Jeff Boyd Place 3: Jerry Johnson Place 4: Jeff Silvers Place 5: Joni Blalock |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | Mid-1860s |
| Established Title1: | Incorporated |
| Established Date1: | August 1, 1984 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Area Total Km2: | 41.261 |
| Area Land Km2: | 38.114 |
| Area Water Km2: | 3.1474 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 15.931 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 14.716 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 1.215 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Est: | 8534 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2023 |
| Population Total: | 8095 |
| Population Density Km2: | 223.9 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 580.0 |
| Timezone: | Central (CST) |
| Utc Offset: | –6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | –5 |
| Elevation M: | 0 |
| Elevation Ft: | 0 |
| Coordinates: | 30.2944°N -87.5736°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP Code |
| Postal Code: | 36561 |
| Area Code: | 251 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 01-57144 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 0124297 |
| Blank2 Name: | Sales tax |
| Blank2 Info: | 10.0%[3] |
Orange Beach is a resort city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. The population was 8,095 at the 2020 census.[4] and according to 2023 census estimates, the city is estimated to have a population of 8,534.
Orange Beach is located on Perdido Key along the Gulf of Mexico, and is the easternmost community on Alabama's Gulf Coast, with the community of Perdido Key, Florida bordering it to the east. The city of Gulf Shores is to the west.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.931sqmi, of which 14.716sqmi is land and 1.215sqmi is water.[2]
Orange Beach has a humid subtropical climate, with mild-to-warm winters, and hot and humid summers.
| White (NH) | 7,373 | 91.08% | |
| Black or African American (NH) | 85 | 1.05% | |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 39 | 0.48% | |
| Asian (NH) | 57 | 0.7% | |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 1 | 0.01% | |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 22 | 0.30% | |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 305 | 3.80% | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 213 | 2.63% | |
| Total | 8,095 | 100.00% |
As of the 2010 census, there were 5,441 people, 2,492 households, and 1,544 families residing in the city. The population density was 370.1PD/sqmi. There were 11,726 housing units at an average density of 737.5PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 94.3% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 1.4% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. 2.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 2,492 households, out of which 21.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.70.
In the city, the population was 18.7% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 31.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $66,656, and the median income for a family was $69,964. Males had a median income of $54,806 versus $47,019 for females. The per capita income for the city was $40,153. About 1.2% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.0% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.
The city of Orange Beach hosts many sporting events and tournaments at the Orange Beach Sportsplex. The Sportsplex, located north of the Gulf State Park and a short distance from The Wharf, comprises a football/soccer stadium with a seating capacity of 1,500. The facility also has several baseball and softball fields.[9] The Backcountry Trail system through the Gulf State Park has a trailhead located at the Sportsplex.[10]
The Sportsplex has hosted the SEC Women's Soccer Tournament on numerous occasions, in addition to the NCAA Division II men and women's soccer tournament. The facility once served as home to the Alabama Lightning of the North American Football League.
A high Ferris wheel is located at The Wharf in Orange Beach.[11]
Orange Beach is home to the Orange Beach Running Club, which meets every Monday evening to run a 5K.
Orange Beach is part of the Orange Beach City Schools system. Orange Beach Elementary School is the city's only school and serves students in grades kindergarten through sixth grade. Students in grades seven and twelve attend Orange Beach Middle and High School.
Previously residents were zoned to Gulf Shores Middle School and Gulf Shores High School in neighboring Gulf Shores. In 2019, these schools separated into the Gulf Shores City Schools district. For the 2019-2020 school year, Orange Beach grade 7-10 students and grade 7-10 students in unincorporated areas had a choice between remaining with Gulf Shores schools or attending temporary classrooms established by Baldwin County schools.[12] Orange Beach Middle and High opened in 2020.[13]
Columbia Southern University is a private, online-only university that is located in Orange Beach, with a campus in Orange Beach on Canal Road and a larger campus on the Beach Express road.