Mobile County vs Tuscaloosa County
Mobile County, Alabama versus Tuscaloosa County, Alabama: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Tuscaloosa County edges out Mobile County on overall objective livability (45 vs 39 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Mobile County | Tuscaloosa County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $55k | $62k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $48k |
| Home Value | $165k | $219k |
| Monthly Rent | $973 | $974 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.50% | 0.33% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.29% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.57% | 9.24% |
| Unemployment | 5.9% | 5.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 51°F | 45°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 82°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 68.6 in | 57.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 235 days | 264 days |
| Summer Humidity | 74°F | 71°F |
| Comfortable Days | 109 days | 75 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.0 | 90.8 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 40.9 | 41.4 |
| Violent Crime | 2685/100k | 1948/100k |
| Property Crime | 2415/100k | 1849/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 413,878 | 231,558 |
| Median Age | 38.2 | 32.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.55 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.92 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | R+12 | R+15 |
| White (%) | 55.8% | 60.5% |
| Black (%) | 36.0% | 32.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.0% | 4.0% |
| Asian (%) | 2.0% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.1% | 2.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 6.8/20 | 6.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 133 mi | 44 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 81.3% | 86.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 3.48 | 1.17 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Mobile County or Tuscaloosa County more affordable?
- Mobile County has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Mobile County's $45k and Tuscaloosa County's $48k. Median rent is $973 in Mobile County versus $974 in Tuscaloosa County.
- Is Mobile County or Tuscaloosa County safer?
- Tuscaloosa County has the lower violent crime rate. Mobile County reports 2685/100k and Tuscaloosa County reports 1948/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Mobile County or Tuscaloosa County?
- The median home value is $165k in Mobile County and $219k in Tuscaloosa County, so homes are more affordable in Mobile County.