Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Long Beach, CA
VS
Mobile, AL
🏆 Mobile leads 15 of 23 categories
Long Beach
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,995 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
462,293 ✓ Larger
Mobile
Alabama
15
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.
Long Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $30,471 more per year on average
10% less violent crime than Mobile
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 92°F
More college-educated — 33.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 62°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $709,700
Higher rents — median is $1,698/mo
Cost of living runs 26% higher than Mobile
Violent crime (676.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Mobile, AL
Pros
Homes cost $551k less ($158,400 vs $709,700)
Rent averages $713/mo less ($985 vs $1,698)
26% cheaper overall cost of living than Long Beach
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.4)
Smaller class sizes — 17.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Long Beach by $30,471/yr
Violent crime (752.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Long Beach
Median Income
$30,471
$78,995 vs $48,524/yr
Long Beach
Violent Crime
10% lower
676.4 vs 752.0 per 100k
Mobile
Cost of Living
26% cheaper
COL index 89.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Mobile
Median Home Value
$551k less
$158,400 vs $709,700
Mobile
Summer Heat
10.3°F warmer
July avg high 91.7°F vs 81.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Long Beach, CA | Mobile, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 89.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $709,700⚠ High | $158,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,698⚠ High | $985 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,995 ✓ Higher | $48,524 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 6.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 173⚠ High | 151⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 166⚠ High | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B- (95) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 17.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.7% ✓ Higher | 30.2% |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% | 89.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Long Beach Unified | Mobile County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.4°F ✓ Warmer | 62.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.4°F | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.0" ✓ Drier | 68.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 462,293 ✓ Larger | 186,316 |
| Median Age | 36.1 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% | 50.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Long Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Mobile's 89.4 (US average = 100).
Mobile is 26% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Mobile leads 15 of 23 categories. Long Beach wins 8 and Mobile wins 15. 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 Long Beach to Mobile or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($709,700 vs $158,400 median home), income ($78,995 vs $48,524), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Long Beach, CA and Mobile, AL are about 1,764 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.