RANK #266 / 1001 NAT · #8 / 27 AL · POP 246,989
1YR FORECAST: -0.5%
5YR OUTLOOK: +20%
Fairhope, a notable town on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay, offers a distinctive blend of arts, boutique shops, and scenic bay sunsets, including its iconic Municipal Pier. Baldwin County, Alabama's largest county by area, stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, approximately 30-45 minutes from Mobile. The community offers a mix of coastal living and small-town charm, with 32 miles of white sand beaches and numerous rivers for paddling. Outdoor recreation is a significant draw, with Gulf State Park providing over 6,000 acres of beaches, trails, and wildlife viewing. Other natural attractions include Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge and Graham Creek Nature Preserve, offering opportunities for hiking, kayaking, and birdwatching in diverse ecosystems.
Life in Baldwin County attracts families, retirees, and remote workers, contributing to its status as Alabama's fastest-growing county. The public school system is considered above average for Alabama, with top-ranked elementary and middle schools. Commute options include the Baldwin Regional Area Transit System (BRATS) which offers door-to-door public transit and a vanpooling program in partnership with Commute with Enterprise, aimed at reducing commuter expenses. The economy is driven by tourism, aerospace and defense, manufacturing, and healthcare. Recent economic developments include investments in industrial and logistics sectors, with new facilities and expansions contributing to job growth.
Baldwin County is one of 76 U.S. counties in this market profile — stronger than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of -0.1% runs above the profile's typical -3.7%.
See all 76 Sun Belt Post-Surge Correction counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Moderate climate & terrain
Above national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 16.7x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: Homicide rates from CDC/NCHS vital-statistics mortality data — a multi-year average that stabilizes counts in smaller counties — compiled in the County Health Rankings 2025 release. Rates per 100,000 population; U.S. average ≈ 6.5. Grade reflects homicide rate relative to the national average. Learn more →
See where Baldwin County stands nationally: safest large counties in America · highest homicide-rate counties.
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Novelis Aluminum Recycling and Rolling Plant
Novelis
|
$4,100M | Under Construction |
|
South Baldwin Regional Medical Center Expansion
South Baldwin Regional Medical Center
|
$300M | Under Construction |
|
Meta-linked Solar Farms (Stockton I & II)
Silicon Ranch (for Meta Platforms)
|
$260M | Planned |
|
Aldi Regional Headquarters and Distribution Center
Aldi Inc.
|
$100M | Completed |
|
Baldwin Preparatory Academy
Baldwin County Public School System
|
$100M | Under Construction |
|
Baldwin County Justice System Expansion
Baldwin County Commission
|
$96M | Under Construction |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 73/100, Baldwin County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. Employment is expanding at +3.3%, and median household income stands at $78,775 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in AL.
Baldwin County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $316,900 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.25 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,277/month on average.
Baldwin County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +2.9% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +3.3% clip. Home values shifted -0.1% in the past year.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 2.02% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Baldwin County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.