Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Houston, TX
VS
Mobile, AL
🏆 Mobile leads 12 of 23 categories
Houston
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$60,440 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
302⚠ High
Population
2,296,253 ✓ Larger
Mobile
Alabama
12
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.
Houston, TX
Pros
Households earn $11,916 more per year on average
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1148.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4293.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Mobile
Mobile, AL
Pros
Homes cost $77k less ($158,400 vs $235,000)
35% less violent crime than Houston
Rent averages $250/mo less ($985 vs $1,235)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Houston
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.4)
Cons
Violent crime (752.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Houston by $11,916/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Houston
Median Income
$11,916
$60,440 vs $48,524/yr
Mobile
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 89.4 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
Mobile
Violent Crime
35% lower
752.0 vs 1148.2 per 100k
Mobile
Median Home Value
$77k less
$158,400 vs $235,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Houston, TX | Mobile, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High | 89.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $235,000 | $158,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,235 | $985 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,440 ✓ Higher | $48,524 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 6.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.4 min | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 263⚠ High | 151⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 302⚠ High | 198⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 204⚠ High | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 30.2% |
| High School or Higher | 79.6% | 89.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HOUSTON ISD | Mobile County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.8°F ✓ Warmer | 62.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.2°F ✓ Warmer | 91.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.4" ✓ Drier | 68.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 2,296,253 ✓ Larger | 186,316 |
| Median Age | 33.9 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.0% | 50.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.9% ✓ More | 21.5% |
| Over 65 | 11.6% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Houston's cost of living index is 100.2 vs Mobile's 89.4 (US average = 100).
Mobile is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Mobile leads 12 of 23 categories. Houston 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 Houston to Mobile or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($235,000 vs $158,400 median home), income ($60,440 vs $48,524), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Houston, TX and Mobile, AL are about 439 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.