Mobile, AL — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Alabama·Mobile

Mobile County · Mobile · population 201,367

Affordability
Mobile, AL
Image: Wikipedia · Mobile, Alabama
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
63
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Mobile stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $197,044
1-year -1.7%
5-yr CAGR +4.6%
vs 5-yr peak -1.9%
Population +1.9%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2025-02$197k$107k$141k$175k$209k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
30/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
38/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
85/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,301/mo$872$1,126$1,379202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent125140100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 12.6
Buy

At a 12.6 price-to-rent ratio, buying generally beats renting in Mobile on a long-enough horizon. The headline math is that one year of mortgage payments approximates 12.6 years of rent — well below the 15+ threshold where ownership starts to dominate.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
41 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
63 · w22%
Distance from peak
79 · w18%
Population growth
78 · w16%
Rent YoY
63 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
65 · w10%
Long thesis

Mobile offers a $197,044 median home with +4.6% annualized 5-year appreciation. Affordability + positive trend is one of the better risk/reward setups in US residential — small downside, room to compound.

Short thesis

Mobile's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Mobile

Mobile is a city in Mobile County, Alabama, with an estimated population of 201,367. The population grew 1.9% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Mobile is $197,044 as of 2026-04, down 1.7% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.6% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Mobile average $1,301 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.7%). The composite momentum score is 63 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Net positive migration: population up 1.9% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.
●Held the highs: currently -1.9% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
●Cheap entry point: $197,044 median home is well below the US median of $355k — room to grow without overpaying.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Mobile (Wikipedia)

Mobile is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population was 187,041 at the 2020 census and estimated at 204,689 following an annexation in 2023, making it the second-most populous city in Alabama. The Mobile metropolitan area, with an estimated 412,000 people, is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the state.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorSpiro Cheriogotis unit_pref = Imperial
Area180.07 sq mi
Elevation33 ft
Incorporated (City)1702
Density1314/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Mobile County right now.

NWS active alerts (AL)Alabama Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Mobile County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Mobile

100 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Country Club$686,385+7.4%
2Llanfair$413,605+0.8%
3College Park$398,604+0.4%
4Di Grado$395,655+0.5%
5Riviere Du Chien$386,847+1.0%
6Spring Valley$374,960-2.2%
7Overton$362,437+1.5%
8Goldmine$340,420-2.4%
9Millers Creek$315,800+0.9%
10Alderbrook$312,620+2.3%
11Central Business District$312,085-4.5%
12Second Creek$311,835+3.2%
13Dawes$309,985+1.6%
14Thornhill$306,150+1.6%
15Pierce Creek$305,053-0.6%
16Westlake$303,945+0.3%
17Parkhill$303,744+2.6%
18Warwick$290,216-0.5%
19Travis$282,250-0.4%
20Cottage Park$276,667+1.5%
21D'Iberville$273,698-1.6%
22Cypress Shores$263,734-0.8%
23Hannon Park$262,281-3.8%
24Garland$255,434+2.8%

See the full neighborhood ranking →

Cities like Mobile

Huntsville, AL65 · RisingDecatur, AL62 · RisingDaphne, AL69 · RisingGulf Shores, AL63 · Rising

Run the numbers for Mobile

ToolCan I afford Mobile?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Mobile rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Mobile to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolMobile cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
56° / 36°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
91° / 71°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
215
~59% of year
Annual precip
58″ rain
1″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Moderate
Tornado
Very high
Wildfire
Low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Mobile listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Mobile area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
73%
Humid climate
Median household income
$56,900
Alabama state median
Top industries (state-level)
ManufacturingHealthcareRetail

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Cities similar to Mobile

Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.

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