Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
Mobile, AL
🏆 Mobile leads 16 of 23 categories
Cleveland
Ohio
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$37,271
Violent Crime Index
411⚠ High
Population
370,365 ✓ Larger
Mobile
Alabama
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.4
Median Household Income
$48,524 ✓ Higher
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.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $71k less ($87,400 vs $158,400)
Rent averages $134/mo less ($851 vs $985)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 92°F
Cons
Violent crime (1561.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Mobile by $11,253/yr
Property crime (4426.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (11.9% vs 6.5%)
Mobile, AL
Pros
52% less violent crime than Cleveland
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.4 pts lower (6.5%)
Households earn $11,253 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 35°F
More college-educated — 30.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.4)
Cons
Violent crime (752.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 89.4 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$71k less
$87,400 vs $158,400
Mobile
Median Income
$11,253
$48,524 vs $37,271/yr
Mobile
Violent Crime
52% lower
752.0 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Mobile
Unemployment
5.4 pp lower
6.5% vs 11.9% unemployment
Mobile
Summer Heat
11.0°F warmer
July avg high 91.7°F vs 80.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | Mobile, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 89.4 |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $158,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $985 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $48,524 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 6.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 151⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 198⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | B- (95) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 30.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% | 89.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | Mobile County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F | 62.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" ✓ Drier | 68.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 ✓ Larger | 186,316 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% | 50.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs Mobile's 89.4 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Mobile leads 16 of 23 categories. Cleveland wins 7 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 Cleveland to Mobile or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $158,400 median home), income ($37,271 vs $48,524), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and Mobile, AL are about 828 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.