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Living in Mobile, AL

Mid-size city in Alabama

Mobile is a mid-size city in Alabama, home to about 185,000 people, with 389,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Mobile a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $192k and rents for $1,410 a month
  • Low taxes: about $1,147 state income tax per resident, 0.54% property tax
  • Easy flying: PNS is 56 mi away
  • Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places

👎 Cons

  • Smaller job market: about 389,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Fewer graduates: 32% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Mobile ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
185,000
389,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
64°F / 91°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$192k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,410/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
88
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,147
State income tax per resident · 0.54% property tax
Safety
No data
Not in FBI 2019 city table
Natural disasters
16 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly hurricanes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
1
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
32%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
PNS
56 mi away

Living in Mobile: common questions

What is the cost of living in Mobile?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $192k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,410 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 88, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Mobile?

Alabama collects about $1,147 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.54% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Mobile safe?

Mobile isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.

What is the weather like in Mobile?

Mobile has mild winters: winter days average around 64°F and summer days around 91°F.

Does Mobile get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from hurricanes and flooding: 16 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.64 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Mobile?

The nearest major airport is PNS, about 56 mi away.

How Mobile scores

Each bar compares Mobile with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Mild winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Private AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Excellent
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Good
🎓Education Below average
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Good
⛰️Outdoors Average
🎭Culture Below average
🛡️Safety No crime data (counted as average)
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Good
🌤️Mild summers Average
✈️Airport Good

Places like Mobile

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.

Nearby

Is Mobile right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.