Mobile, AL Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Mobile, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Mobile →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Population in Mobile, Alabama runs approximately 186,316. Median household income sits at $48,524, landing below the benchmark median we track across cities (-33%).
For renters and buyers alike, Mobile offers a median home value of $158,400 (below the tracked median, -52%) and median rent of $985 monthly. Local property taxes and current mortgage rates will shape the real cost of buying.
Home prices in Mobile run about 3.3× the typical household income — among the more affordable ratios we track, and a favorable starting point for buyers. Prices in the area have gained 2.21% year over year, a moderate pace that suggests a stable market around Mobile. FEMA classifies Mobile's hazard risk as Relatively High. That elevated rating is a major driver of home insurance premiums in the area.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $985/mo in Mobile would take 24.4% of your income.
$228/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($158,400) would take 20.9% of your income toward principal & interest.
$287/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Mobile
Median home value is $158,400 and median gross rent is $985/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Mobile rose 2.21% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,083/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Mobile's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Mobile reported a violent crime rate of 588.4 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Mobile
Planning a move to Mobile? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Mobile, AL?
- Mobile's key cost-of-living figures: $158,400 median home value, $985 median monthly rent, and $48,524 median household income, per the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Mobile?
- Comfortably affording rent in Mobile — where the median runs $985/month — typically means earning about $39,400 a year, per the standard 30%-of-income benchmark. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Mobile.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Mobile?
- Mobile's median rent of $985/month translates to about $39,400 a year needed to rent comfortably, versus roughly $36,241 a year for principal and interest on the $158,400 median home (20% down, 30-year fixed, today's rates). How long you'll stay is usually the deciding factor.
- Is Mobile safe?
- In 2025, Mobile reported 588.4 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, according to FBI data.
See the full salary breakdown for Mobile →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Mobile's.