Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garland, TX
VS
Mobile, AL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Garland
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,044 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
61 ✓ Safer
Population
244,026 ✓ Larger
Mobile
Alabama
11
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.
Garland, TX
Pros
69% less violent crime than Mobile
Households earn $22,520 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (232.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (5.2%)
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,421/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Mobile
Longer commutes — 29.7 min average each way
Mobile, AL
Pros
Homes cost $71k less ($158,400 vs $229,000)
Rent averages $436/mo less ($985 vs $1,421)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Garland
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 30.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.4)
Cons
Median income trails Garland by $22,520/yr
Violent crime (752.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Garland
Median Income
$22,520
$71,044 vs $48,524/yr
Garland
Violent Crime
69% lower
232.7 vs 752.0 per 100k
Garland
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
5.2% vs 6.5% unemployment
Mobile
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 89.4 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Mobile
Median Home Value
$71k less
$158,400 vs $229,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garland, TX | Mobile, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 89.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $229,000 | $158,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,421⚠ High | $985 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,044 ✓ Higher | $48,524 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.4% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 ✓ Safer | 151⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B- (95) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.1% | 30.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.6% | 89.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | GARLAND ISD | Mobile County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 62.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer | 91.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" ✓ Drier | 68.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 244,026 ✓ Larger | 186,316 |
| Median Age | 34.4 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.0% ✓ Higher | 50.6% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% ✓ More | 21.5% |
| Over 65 | 12.4% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garland'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 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Garland wins 11 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 Garland to Mobile or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($229,000 vs $158,400 median home), income ($71,044 vs $48,524), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garland, TX and Mobile, AL are about 524 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.