Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Baltimore, MD
VS
Mobile, AL
🏆 Mobile leads 16 of 22 categories
Baltimore
Maryland
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$58,349 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
423⚠ High
Population
584,548 ✓ Larger
Mobile
Alabama
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$48,524
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
186,316
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Baltimore, MD
Pros
Households earn $9,825 more per year on average
More college-educated — 34.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1606.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Mobile
Property crime (4157.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Longer commutes — 30.1 min average each way
Mobile, AL
Pros
53% less violent crime than Baltimore
Homes cost $45k less ($158,400 vs $202,900)
Rent averages $250/mo less ($985 vs $1,235)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Baltimore
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 44°F
Cons
Violent crime (752.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Baltimore by $9,825/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Baltimore
Median Income
$9,825
$58,349 vs $48,524/yr
Mobile
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 89.4 vs 102.7 (100 = US avg)
Mobile
Violent Crime
53% lower
752.0 vs 1606.2 per 100k
Mobile
Median Home Value
$45k less
$158,400 vs $202,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Baltimore, MD | Mobile, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.7⚠ High | 89.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $202,900 | $158,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,235 | $985 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,349 ✓ Higher | $48,524 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9%⚠ High | 6.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.1 min⚠ High | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.4% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 333⚠ High | 151⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 423⚠ High | 198⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 198⚠ High | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.9% ✓ Higher | 30.2% |
| High School or Higher | 87.1% | 89.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Baltimore City Public Schools | Mobile County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 43.7°F | 62.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.1°F | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.7" ✓ Drier | 68.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 19.3" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 584,548 ✓ Larger | 186,316 |
| Median Age | 36.0 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.8% | 50.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.8% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Baltimore's cost of living index is 102.7 vs Mobile's 89.4 (US average = 100).
Mobile is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Mobile leads 16 of 22 categories. Baltimore wins 6 and Mobile wins 16. 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 Baltimore to Mobile or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($202,900 vs $158,400 median home), income ($58,349 vs $48,524), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Baltimore, MD and Mobile, AL are about 881 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.