Cost of Living in Mobile, AL
Mobile is about 22% cheaper than the national average.
What Things Cost
Compared to the US average (100)
Census ACS 2024
Census ACS 2024
BEA RPP 2023
BEA RPP 2023
Mobile at a Glance
On the median income of $55,307, state income tax is roughly $2,765/year.
Sources: Census ACS 2024, Tax Foundation.
Mobile is Alabama's port city on the Gulf Coast, claiming the original Mardi Gras celebration (before New Orleans). Housing costs run about 31% below the national average. The shipbuilding industry (Austal USA) and the port drive the economy alongside healthcare and aerospace (Airbus has an assembly plant here).
Who Lives Here
Source: Census ACS 2024.
Why People Move to Mobile
Gulf Coast access without Gulf Coast resort prices. The Mardi Gras tradition is centuries old. The Airbus A320 assembly line has added aerospace jobs. The food scene features Gulf seafood, particularly oysters and shrimp. The Bellingrath Gardens are stunning.
Neighborhoods
Downtown has been revitalized with restaurants along Dauphin Street. Midtown is the established residential core. Spring Hill is affluent near Spring Hill College. West Mobile is suburban growth. For the beaches, head to nearby Gulf Shores and Orange Beach (1 hour south).
Things to Consider
Hurricane risk is significant along the Gulf. Summer heat and humidity are extreme. The economy is narrower than Birmingham or Huntsville. Some neighborhoods have elevated crime. The 10% combined sales tax is among the highest nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mobile
Very. About 13.5% below the national average with median homes at $200,000. Gulf Coast living at inland prices.
Mobile claims America's first Mardi Gras celebration, predating New Orleans by about 15 years. The celebration here is more family-friendly and less raucous than New Orleans.
Port operations, shipbuilding (Austal), aerospace (Airbus), healthcare (USA Health), and chemical manufacturing. The economy is stable but not fast-growing.