Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Mobile, AL
🏆 Mobile leads 12 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Mobile
Alabama
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$48,524
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
186,316
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $88,863 more per year on average
66% less violent crime than Mobile
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.7 pts lower (2.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 19% higher than Mobile
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Mobile, AL
Pros
Homes cost $675k less ($158,400 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1242/mo less ($985 vs $2,227)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 45°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.4)
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $88,863/yr
Violent crime (752.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$88,863
$137,387 vs $48,524/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
66% lower
254.4 vs 752.0 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
3.7 pp lower
2.8% vs 6.5% unemployment
Mobile
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 89.4 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Mobile
Median Home Value
$675k less
$158,400 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Mobile, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 89.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $158,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $985 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $48,524 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 151⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 30.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 89.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Mobile County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 62.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" ✓ Drier | 68.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 186,316 |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 50.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Mobile's 89.4 (US average = 100).
Mobile is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Mobile leads 12 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 11 and Mobile wins 12. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Mobile or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $158,400 median home), income ($137,387 vs $48,524), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Mobile, AL are about 842 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.