Cities
Cities in Baldwin County range from rapidly growing residential communities near Mobile Bay to coastal destinations and smaller inland towns. This guide provides a practical overview of the communities within Baldwin County, including their 2026 population figures, relative size, and general location within the county. The population table is arranged from largest to smallest so residents, visitors, property owners, and people considering a move can quickly compare Baldwin County cities and towns.
Largest Cities in Baldwin County
Daphne is the most populous city in Baldwin County, with an estimated 2026 population of 32,162. Foley follows extremely closely with 32,147 residents, making the two cities nearly equal in population. Fairhope ranks third with 27,463 residents. Together, these communities represent some of the county's largest concentrations of housing, businesses, schools, shopping, and everyday services.
Gulf Shores is the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 17,908. Spanish Fort follows with 11,444 residents. Orange Beach and Bay Minette each have more than 8,000 residents, while Robertsdale has a population approaching 8,000. These communities are distributed across different parts of Baldwin County and serve different residential, commercial, governmental, and coastal needs.
Baldwin County Cities by Population
| City | Population |
|---|---|
| Daphne | 32,162 |
| Foley | 32,147 |
| Fairhope | 27,463 |
| Gulf Shores | 17,908 |
| Spanish Fort | 11,444 |
| Orange Beach | 8,914 |
| Bay Minette | 8,653 |
| Robertsdale | 7,973 |
| Loxley | 6,515 |
| Silverhill | 2,837 |
| Elberta | 2,218 |
| Summerdale | 1,753 |
| Magnolia Springs | 888 |
| Perdido Beach | 598 |
Eastern Shore Communities
Daphne, Fairhope, and Spanish Fort are among the best-known communities on the Eastern Shore of Baldwin County. Daphne has the county's largest population, while Fairhope is the third-largest city. Spanish Fort is smaller but still exceeds 11,000 residents. Their position near Mobile Bay places these communities in one of Baldwin County's major residential growth areas.
The population differences between these cities can be useful when comparing community size. Daphne has more than 32,000 residents, Fairhope has more than 27,000, and Spanish Fort has more than 11,000. Someone searching for a Baldwin County city based primarily on population can therefore distinguish between larger urbanized communities and smaller residential areas without relying solely on geographic location.
Coastal Cities and Beach Communities
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are Baldwin County's two largest coastal cities. Gulf Shores has an estimated population of 17,908, placing it fourth countywide. Orange Beach has 8,914 residents. Their permanent populations are considerably smaller than those of Daphne, Foley, and Fairhope, even though coastal activity can make these communities feel much busier during periods of heavy visitor activity.
Perdido Beach is also located in the southern portion of the county and has a much smaller population. With 598 residents, it is the least populous community included in the countywide list. This illustrates the wide range of community sizes found along and near Baldwin County's coastal areas.
Central and Northern Baldwin County Communities
Bay Minette, Robertsdale, Loxley, Silverhill, Elberta, and Summerdale provide additional population centers away from the larger Eastern Shore and beach cities. Bay Minette has 8,653 residents, while Robertsdale has 7,973. Loxley has grown to 6,515 residents, placing it ahead of the county's smaller towns by a substantial margin.
Silverhill has a population of 2,837, followed by Elberta with 2,218 and Summerdale with 1,753. Magnolia Springs has 888 residents. These smaller communities can be important when searching for local addresses, municipal services, property information, or community-specific records because a Baldwin County mailing address does not necessarily identify one of the county's largest cities.
Population Differences Across Baldwin County
Baldwin County contains 14 incorporated communities in the population list, and their sizes vary considerably. The largest, Daphne, has more than 32,000 residents, while Perdido Beach has fewer than 600. Foley is only 15 residents behind Daphne in the 2026 figures, making the distinction between the county's two largest cities especially narrow.
Population growth also differs significantly from one community to another. Several smaller places have expanded rapidly from their 2020 populations, while established cities have continued adding residents at a steadier pace. Loxley, for example, increased from 3,630 residents in 2020 to 6,515 in 2026. Silverhill increased from 796 to 2,837 during the same comparison period. Foley also experienced substantial growth, rising from 20,975 residents in 2020 to 32,147 in 2026.
Using City Population Information
City population figures can help users understand the relative scale of communities when researching Baldwin County. Larger cities generally contain more residential neighborhoods, businesses, and locally administered services, while smaller towns may cover a limited area or serve a much smaller permanent population. Population alone, however, does not indicate municipal boundaries, mailing areas, school attendance zones, or service jurisdictions.