City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Mobile, AL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Mobile - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

185,097
Residents
$51,090
Median income
$170,300
Median home
$1,083
Median rent (state)

Mobile - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Mobile lands in the 21st percentile for household income and the 24th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

21st
percentile, household income
34th
percentile, home value
27th
percentile, median rent
24th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Mobile, AL

Alabama's Mobile is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 185,097 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Mobile brings in $51,090 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 14.4%. Typical homes in Mobile are valued around $170,300, and the median resident age is 37.7 years. Educational attainment runs 31.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 55.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 674 residential building permits were authorized in Mobile (Building Boom), up 407% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2426.5 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 67.6°F with 67.1 inches of precipitation per year and 0.2 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: the state registers 88.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,083 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Alabama's average monthly utility costs around $245 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 98.0 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

185,097 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$51,090 /yr

Poverty 14.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Mobile compare to other US cities?

Where Mobile sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 21% higher than other cities
Home value 34% pricier than other cities
Median rent 27% pricier than other cities
Safety 24% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Alabama, Mobile ranks #141 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Mobile against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Alabama only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Alabama-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Mobile toward the top of Alabama's cities

Among the 556 Alabama cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Mobile ranks #78 - the 86th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Mobile only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#278 of 530
48th percentile in Alabama
Median Gross Rent
#160 of 556
69th percentile in Alabama
Median Home Value
#182 of 517
65th percentile in Alabama
Poverty Rate
#219 of 556
60th percentile in Alabama
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#78 of 556
86th percentile in Alabama

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Alabama only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

21stIncome percentile
24thSafety percentile

21st percentile nationally for median household income · 24th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Mobile's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Mobile's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 38 Avg. percentile National median
Mobile's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Mobile's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$170,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 66% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Mobile $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Mobile, AL Mobile, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Mobile, AL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Mobile, AL median $51,090/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Mobile, AL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Mobile, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
185,097
Median Income
$51,090
Median Home Value
$170,300
Median Age
37.7
Poverty Rate
14.4%
Labor force participation
55.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2426.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
752.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1674.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
67.6°F
Annual Precipitation
67.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"

Schools

Total Schools
57
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
200,000 residents202,000 residents204,000 residents206,000 residents208,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 206,485 residents 200,824 residents ▼ -2.7%
Mobile's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
674
housing units authorized
Single-Family
410
detached homes
Multifamily
264
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 133
2020 119
2021 99
2022 84
2023 166
2024 674

Permit volume increased 407% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.2%
Carpool
7.6%
Public Transit
0.7%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
8.1%
Other
1.0%

Based on 82,131 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alabama - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$138
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$245
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alabama state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alabama state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Mobile sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,083/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Montgomery
198,440 people
Birmingham
199,322 people
Huntsville
218,814 people
Tuscaloosa
107,699 people
Hoover
92,401 people
Auburn
78,738 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Mobile's 185,097 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Newport News, VA
184,774 people
Paradise, NV
186,178 people
Tempe, AZ
186,419 people
Shreveport, LA
183,483 people
Fort Lauderdale, FL
183,032 people
Chattanooga, TN
182,832 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Mobile's $51,090 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Fort Stewart, GA
$51,090 median income
Shawneetown, IL
$51,089 median income
Junction City, OH
$51,087 median income
Dinosaur, CO
$51,086 median income
Mullan, ID
$51,094 median income
Belmont, NH
$51,086 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Mobile, AL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Mobile, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 39.9% 53.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.1% White 39.9% Black or African American 53.0% Asian 2.1% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 0.9% Two or more races 3.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Mobile compares to nearby Alabama cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Mobile (this city) 185,097 $51,090
Montgomery 198,440 $55,687
Birmingham 199,322 $44,376
Huntsville 218,814 $70,778
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Mobile, AL?

What is the population of Mobile, AL? +

185,097 people live in Mobile, AL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Mobile, AL? +

In Mobile, the typical household earns $51,090 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Mobile? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Mobile; the closest available measure is the Alabama state average, a cost of living index of 88.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alabama vary by metro area.

Is Mobile, AL safe? +

Mobile has a total crime rate of 2426.5 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Mobile, AL? +

Mobile's median home value sits at $170,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Mobile? +

Mobile has an average annual temperature of 67.6°F, 67.1 inches of precipitation, and 0.2 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.