ALMap-doton-Creola, 2004
Creola’s story
141 years in pictures
Census counts: 472 in 1970, 1,936 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1941 on.
- 1885Creola is settled
CreolaAL
A town of 1,963, settled in 1885.
Population
1,963
2025 Census estimate · +1.4% since 2020
Typical home
$221K
+3.5% in a year
Household income
$67K
median
Median age
42.6
years
Jobs based here
678
Balanced
Is Creola a good place to live?
The best of Creola’s subject grades are a B+ for the outdoors and cost of living; the weakest is a D for hazard risk. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 92% of U.S. towns. Among 139 Alabama towns, just 8 have a lower property crime rate than Creola. Creola's schools rank behind 76% of the state's. 22% of the land in Creola is conserved, against 1.2% in Alabama’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Only 15 of Alabama’s 308 towns score higher on the outdoors. Creola's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 88% of U.S. towns. Creola has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
How Creola grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Creola is from typical.
Hazard riskhurricanes tops the listDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.6 of 20; 2% of households have no car; 0.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →SchoolsC−Open →Jobs & income$67K median household incomeCOpen →Cost of livingB+Open →HealthUsa Health University Hospital 12.1 miles awayC+Open →SafetyBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors6 miles of trailsB+Open →HistoryDOpen →Civic life1.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 42.6; 15% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 30 attractions →USS Alabama and 13 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Creola. Close and well known come first.
Big draw13 mi MuseumUSS Alabama
13 mi MuseumUSS Drum
13 mi MuseumBattleship Memorial Park7 mi Ancient siteOld Mobile Site
13 mi Stadium & arenaMobile Civic Center
13 mi MuseumFort CharlotteSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
USS Alabama: USN, Public domain · USS Drum: Jean-Pierre Martin, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Battleship Memorial Park: Rennett Stowe from USA, CC BY 2.0 · Mobile Civic Center: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Charlotte: DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Creola: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Creola, and how to reach them.
PowerAlabama Power17.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Satsuma, the Wwb of the water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers87% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Creola’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Alabama you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMobile County Absentee Elections ManagerMobile County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2024
ZIP codes36525, 3650536525 91% · 36505 9%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Creola.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Creola faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by hurricanes
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 83% of U.S. communities. Since 2005, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Creola.
83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland flooding
3
paid flood claims since 2005
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsB+
Creola has set aside 21.8% of its land for conservation
6.3 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Creola City Park, at 23 acres.
21.8%conserved
21.8%
conserved · 2,321 of 10,632 acres
6.3 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Creola City Park | — | 23 |
| 2. River Delta Marina and Campground | — | 20 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
In Creola, expect mild winters and hot summers
Creola has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. At 91°F, Creola’s July high is near the Alabama town median (91°F) and above the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
91°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter42–64°
Spring56–78°
Summer72–91°
Fall57–79°
Nov 25
typical first frost
Feb 28
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
91°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Residents of Creola are less healthy than 64% of U.S. towns
Creola beats the Alabama average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 41% of Creola adults have high blood pressure.
37%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Creola | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 43% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 15% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 14% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 36% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Alabama
4 better27 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Creola | AL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.7% | 9.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.6% | 13.9% |
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 51.7% | 56.9% |
Usa Health University Hospital
12.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
About two in five of Creola’s working residents commute to Mobile
Most working residents leave Creola for work: only 2% work in town. 18% of residents live below the poverty line in Creola. Jobs based in Creola grew to 678 in 2023, 91 more than in 2013.
2%work in town
| Creola | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.1% | 10% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $67,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Creola2%
Mobile40%
Saraland7%
Prichard2%
Axis2%
16 mi
median commute distance
678
jobs based in Creola
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 8% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SafetyB
Crime per resident in Creola is lower than in 56% of U.S. towns
The violent crime rate in Creola is 1.5 per 1,000 residents.
56%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Creola1.5
Alabama3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Creola4.5
Alabama15
U.S.15.5
56th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
9
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HousingCost of living grade B+
A typical Creola home is worth about $221K
The typical Creola home is worth about $221,000, up 3.5% in a year, 7% below the Alabama typical home.
$221KZillow home value
| Creola | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 84% | 69% | 73% |
| Median rent | $959 a month | $940 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Creola$221K
Alabama$239K
+3.5%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in March
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Creola
19pages on Creola
The big questions
SchoolsC−Behind 76% of AL districtsSafetyB1.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC+Better than AL on 4 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$221K typical home · up 3.5% in a yearWork & commuteC$67K median household income · 678 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 83% of U.S. communities · hurricanes
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Creola
University of MobileUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Mobile9 mi$26,910 tuitionBishop State Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Mobile12.8 mi$5,340 in-state tuitionCoastal Alabama Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Bay Minette13.8 mi$5,040 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Creola residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.
About Creola
City in Alabama, United States
Creola is a city in Mobile County, Alabama, United States. Incorporated in 1978, the city had a population of 1,936 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Mobile metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 15 sq mi
- Elevation
- 23 ft
- ZIP code
- 36525
- Area code
- 251
Creola’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Creola.
SatsumaAxisSaralandCreola
How the neighbors grade
| Town | AL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creola | — | — | B+ | B | C− | C+ |
| Satsuma | #44 | B | B− | B+ | A− | B |
| Axis | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Saraland | #64 | B− | C+ | B− | A+ | B− |
Creola has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Axis isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Creola with a neighbor →
Questions about Creola
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Creola, AL expensive?
Not for the area. That is 3.8 years of the area's median household income ($58,880 across the Mobile, AL metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.