Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Collins, CO
VS
Mobile, AL
🏆 Fort Collins leads 12 of 23 categories
Fort Collins
Colorado
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.6
Median Household Income
$78,977 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
72 ✓ Safer
Population
168,758
Mobile
Alabama
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$48,524
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
186,316 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Collins, CO
Pros
Households earn $30,453 more per year on average
64% less violent crime than Mobile
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (5.3%)
Smaller class sizes — 15.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $497,400
Higher rents — median is $1,576/mo
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Mobile
Snowy winters — about 49" of snow per year
Mobile, AL
Pros
Homes cost $339k less ($158,400 vs $497,400)
Rent averages $591/mo less ($985 vs $1,576)
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 45°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.4)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Collins
Cons
Median income trails Fort Collins by $30,453/yr
Violent crime (752.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Collins
Median Income
$30,453
$78,977 vs $48,524/yr
Fort Collins
Violent Crime
64% lower
272.7 vs 752.0 per 100k
Fort Collins
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
5.3% vs 6.5% unemployment
Mobile
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 89.4 vs 96.6 (100 = US avg)
Mobile
Median Home Value
$339k less
$158,400 vs $497,400
Mobile
Summer Heat
4.3°F warmer
July avg high 91.7°F vs 87.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Collins, CO | Mobile, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.6 | 89.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $497,400⚠ High | $158,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,576⚠ High | $985 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,977 ✓ Higher | $48,524 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.3 min ✓ Shorter | 22.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 17.7% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 84 ✓ Safer | 151⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 103⚠ High | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (113) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 30.2% |
| High School or Higher | 97.1% ✓ Higher | 89.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Poudre School District R-1 | Mobile County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 45.0°F | 62.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.4°F | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.4" ✓ Drier | 68.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.3" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 168,758 | 186,316 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.1 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% ✓ Higher | 50.6% |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.6% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Collins's cost of living index is 96.6 vs Mobile's 89.4 (US average = 100).
Mobile is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fort Collins leads 12 of 23 categories. Fort Collins wins 12 and Mobile wins 11. 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 Fort Collins to Mobile or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($497,400 vs $158,400 median home), income ($78,977 vs $48,524), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Collins, CO and Mobile, AL are about 1,169 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.