Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Dallas, TX
VS
Mobile, AL
🏆 Mobile leads 12 of 23 categories
Dallas
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$63,985 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
173⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
1,300,642 ✓ 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.
Dallas, TX
Pros
Households earn $15,461 more per year on average
12% less violent crime than Mobile
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 36.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (658.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Mobile
Property crime (3351.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Mobile, AL
Pros
Homes cost $112k less ($158,400 vs $270,700)
Rent averages $320/mo less ($985 vs $1,305)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Dallas
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.4)
Cooler summers — July highs near 92°F vs 97°F
Cons
Violent crime (752.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Dallas by $15,461/yr
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Dallas
Median Income
$15,461
$63,985 vs $48,524/yr
Dallas
Violent Crime
12% lower
658.2 vs 752.0 per 100k
Dallas
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
5.0% vs 6.5% unemployment
Dallas
Summer Heat
5.2°F warmer
July avg high 96.9°F vs 91.7°F
Mobile
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 89.4 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Mobile
Median Home Value
$112k less
$158,400 vs $270,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Mobile, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 89.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $270,700 | $158,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,305 | $985 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,985 ✓ Higher | $48,524 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.4 min | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.9% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | 151⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 173⚠ High ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 160⚠ High | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.5% ✓ Higher | 30.2% |
| High School or Higher | 80.2% | 89.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DALLAS ISD | Mobile County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.7°F | 62.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 96.9°F ✓ Warmer | 91.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.4" ✓ Drier | 68.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.7" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 1,300,642 ✓ Larger | 186,316 |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.9% | 50.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.4% ✓ More | 21.5% |
| Over 65 | 11.0% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Dallas's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Mobile's 89.4 (US average = 100).
Mobile is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Mobile leads 12 of 23 categories. Dallas 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 Dallas to Mobile or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($270,700 vs $158,400 median home), income ($63,985 vs $48,524), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Dallas, TX and Mobile, AL are about 530 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.