Gulf County is one of about 3,141 counties and county equivalents in the United States. It has 554.6 sq. miles in land area and a population density of 28.2 per square mile. In the last three decades of the 1900s its population grew by 32.1%. On the 2000 census form, 98.4% of the population reported only one race, with 16.9% of these reporting African-American. The population of this county is 2.0% Hispanic (of any race). The average household size is 2.42 persons compared to an average family size of 2.87 persons. In 2007 construction was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $28,670. Per capita income grew by 0.4% between 1997 and 2007 (adjusted for inflation).

People & Income Overview (By Place of Residence)	Value	Rank in U.S.	Industry Overview (2007) (By Place of Work)	Value	Rank in U.S.
Population (2008)	15,667	2057	Covered Employment	4,070	2162
Growth (%) since 1990	36.2%	513	Avg wage per job	$30,835	1436
Households (2000)	4,931	2224	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	4.1%	2393
Labor Force (persons) (2008)	6,323	2192	Avg wage per job	$42,787	886
Unemployment Rate (2008)	5.9	1333	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	0.8%	2444
Per Capita Personal Income (2007)	$23,233	2737	Avg wage per job	$40,309	1031
Median Household Income (2007)	$38,160	1947	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	8.7%	1411
Poverty Rate (2007)	16.7	1035	Avg wage per job	$23,476	1738
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	72.6	2,231	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	4.1%	432
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	10.1	2,645	Avg wage per job	$48,192	462