Neighborhood
Walker Key
Orange Beach, Alabama US
Walker Key in Orange Beach, Alabama is a high-price coastal-style market relative to the state, with prices about 210% above the state median and in line with the city median. Gross yield is 3.8%, and prices have risen 9.4% over the past year. The neighborhood has a Red Flag score of 80, walkability of 21, and education in the 51st percentile, combining recent appreciation with low walkability and elevated overall risk.
AI Summary•Updated May 2026
Area
6.00 mi²
ZIP Code
36561
County
Baldwin County
State
Alabama
Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesWashU ACAG — satellite PM2.5US Census ACS / TIGER 2024
Verified Price · Median Sale
$709,789
YoY+9.4%
Gross Rental Yield
3.8%
Listed rent · ZORI annualized
Red Flag Index
High
80 / 100
Walkability Score
21
OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile
Education Score
51 / 100
Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy
AI Score
43
DistrictScore attractiveness · national model
Walker Key Property Prices & Rental Yield
Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for Walker Key, Orange Beach.
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Sign in to view — freeMarket Economics Snapshot
May 2026| Metric | Value | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $709,789 | +9.4% |
| Price / Sq Ft (Verified) | $481/sqft | -0.8% |
| Asking Rent (Median) | $2,250/mo | — |
| Gross Rental Yield | 3.8% | — |
| Liquidity Score | 59 / 100 | Moderate |
| Homes Sold (Period) | 339 | +29.4% |
Is Walker Key Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk
FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Alabama crime context.
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Sign in to view — free What Stands Out AI Insight
Appreciating market — +9.4% sale-price YoY
Liquid resale market — liquidity 59/100
Active transaction volume — 339 homes sold last period
Flood risk is Very High (100/100)
Wildfire risk is Very High (100/100)
Insights are generated from Walker Key's live DistrictScore metrics.
Walker Key Environment & Safety
Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Alabama-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.
Air Quality — PM2.5
2015–20245.6 µg/m³ Meets EPA, above WHO guideline+2.8% since 2015
EPA 9WHO 5
20152024
Annual mean fine-particle (PM2.5) concentration at the Walker Key centroid, satellite-derived (ACAG). References: WHO guideline 5 µg/m³ · EPA annual standard 9 µg/m³. Latest year ranks worse than 39% of U.S. neighborhoods.
Alabama Crime Trend
FBI UCR20132024
All crimes / 1k
Violent / 1k
| Year | Crimes / 1k | Violent / 1k | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 19.3 | 3.6 | -15.1% |
| 2023 | 22.8 | 4.2 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 22.7 | 4.4 | +25.6% |
| 2021 | 18.2 | 3.5 | -27.9% |
| 2020 | 25.9 | 4.5 | -16.9% |
| 2019 | 31.3 | 5.0 | — |
Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; Walker Key inherits the Alabama figures.
Radon Potential
EPAZone 3
Zone 3 — Lowest potential · Walker Key
EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.
Walkability & Amenities in Walker Key
Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.
Walkability & Amenities
OpenStreetMap POI21
Minimal
Walkability Score
3
Grocery
15
Dining
1
Schools
0
Universities
3
Hospitals
0
Pharmacies
6
Parks
0
Rail Transit
0
Coworking
POI counts are amenities within Walker Key's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.
Walker Key vs Orange Beach vs Alabama
How Walker Key benchmarks against its city and state medians.
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Sign in to view — freeBuying Property in the US as a Foreigner
Federal & Alabama tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.
Buying as a Foreigner
US Tax & OwnershipApplies to everyone7
Capital Gains (Federal)
Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).
Property Tax
Property tax: ~0.37% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).
State Income Tax
State income tax up to 5.00%; rental income is taxed at these rates.
State Capital Gains
Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income at state rates.
Transfer Tax
Real estate transfer tax: deed tax $0.50 per $500.
Assessment Cap
No Proposition 13-style assessment cap; property is reassessed at market value.
Mansion Tax / Rent Control
No statewide mansion tax or statewide rent control.
US citizens & tax residents7
Primary-Home Exclusion
Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.
1031 Like-Kind Exchange
A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.
Depreciation Recapture
Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).
Mortgage Interest Deduction
Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).
Opportunity Zones
Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.
Rental Income (Resident)
Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.
1031 State Conformity
The state conforms to the federal 1031 like-kind exchange rules.
Foreign buyers (non-residents)5
FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)
FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.
Non-Resident Capital Gains
Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.
Non-Resident Rental Tax
Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).
Estate Tax (Non-Resident)
Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.
ITIN Requirement
Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.
Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor
FIRPTA, ITIN & Alabama property-tax guidance for foreign buyers
Walker Key Real Estate FAQ
Walker Key in Orange Beach, Alabama has a mixed profile. Prices are about 210% above the state median and in line with the city median, gross yield is 3.8%, and prices have risen 9.4% over the past year. The Red Flag score is 80, so the overall risk reading is elevated.
Neighborhoods near Walker Key
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