Birmingham vs Mobile
Birmingham, Alabama versus Mobile, Alabama: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Birmingham and Mobile score about the same overall (44 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Birmingham | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $42k | $49k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $45k |
| Home Value | $123k | $158k |
| Monthly Rent | $995 | $985 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.70% | 0.56% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.29% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.10% | 9.88% |
| Unemployment | 7.5% | 6.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 44°F | 52°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 83°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.3 in | 73.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.4 in | 0.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 264 days | 235 days |
| Summer Humidity | 71°F | 74°F |
| Comfortable Days | 85 days | 108 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 72.4 | 86.5 |
| Air Quality | 56 AQI | 34 AQI |
| School Quality | 54.3 | 40.9 |
| Violent Crime | 3419/100k | 3311/100k |
| Property Crime | 4245/100k | 3056/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 200,431 | 186,316 |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 37.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.47 | 0.55 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.89 | 0.89 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | R+12 |
| White (%) | 23.4% | 39.7% |
| Black (%) | 68.4% | 52.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.0% | 2.8% |
| Asian (%) | 1.5% | 1.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 13.7/20 | 9.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 6 mi | 137 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 81.4% | 79.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 11.97 | 12.83 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Birmingham or Mobile more affordable?
- Mobile has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Birmingham's $49k and Mobile's $45k. Median rent is $995 in Birmingham versus $985 in Mobile.
- Is Birmingham or Mobile safer?
- Mobile has the lower violent crime rate. Birmingham reports 3419/100k and Mobile reports 3311/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Birmingham or Mobile?
- The median home value is $123k in Birmingham and $158k in Mobile, so homes are more affordable in Birmingham.