Mobile vs Montgomery
Mobile, Alabama versus Montgomery, Alabama: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Montgomery edges out Mobile on overall objective livability (51 vs 42 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Mobile | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $49k | $54k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $45k |
| Home Value | $158k | $142k |
| Monthly Rent | $985 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.56% | 0.38% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.29% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.88% | 9.06% |
| Unemployment | 6.5% | 7.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 52°F | 48°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 73.4 in | 54.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2 in | 0.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 235 days | 249 days |
| Summer Humidity | 74°F | 71°F |
| Comfortable Days | 108 days | 82 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 86.5 | 57.1 |
| Air Quality | 34 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 40.9 | 39.7 |
| Violent Crime | 3311/100k | 12/100k |
| Property Crime | 3056/100k | 2/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 186,316 | 199,819 |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 36.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.55 | 0.52 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.89 | 0.88 |
| Political Leaning | R+12 | D+32 |
| White (%) | 39.7% | 27.8% |
| Black (%) | 52.9% | 62.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.8% | 3.9% |
| Asian (%) | 1.8% | 3.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.7% | 2.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 9.2/20 | 14.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 137 mi | 89 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 79.1% | 87.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 12.83 | 6.16 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | 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 Mobile or Montgomery more affordable?
- Mobile has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Mobile's $45k and Montgomery's $45k. Median rent is $985 in Mobile versus $1k in Montgomery.
- Is Mobile or Montgomery safer?
- Montgomery has the lower violent crime rate. Mobile reports 3311/100k and Montgomery reports 12/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Mobile or Montgomery?
- The median home value is $158k in Mobile and $142k in Montgomery, so homes are more affordable in Montgomery.