Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Mobile, AL
VS
Mount Pleasant, SC
🏆 Mount Pleasant leads 15 of 23 categories
Mobile
Alabama
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$48,524
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
186,316 ✓ Larger
Mount Pleasant
South Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$115,167 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
90,945
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Mobile, AL
Pros
Homes cost $450k less ($158,400 vs $608,600)
Rent averages $916/mo less ($985 vs $1,901)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Mount Pleasant
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.4)
Cons
Median income trails Mount Pleasant by $66,643/yr
Violent crime (752.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 3.2%)
Mount Pleasant, SC
Pros
Households earn $66,643 more per year on average
83% less violent crime than Mobile
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.3 pts lower (3.2%)
More college-educated — 65.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (128.4 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $608,600
Higher rents — median is $1,901/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Mobile
Key Differences at a Glance
Mobile
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 89.4 vs 105.9 (100 = US avg)
Mobile
Median Home Value
$450k less
$158,400 vs $608,600
Mount Pleasant
Median Income
$66,643
$115,167 vs $48,524/yr
Mount Pleasant
Violent Crime
83% lower
128.4 vs 752.0 per 100k
Mount Pleasant
Unemployment
3.3 pp lower
3.2% vs 6.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Mobile, AL | Mount Pleasant, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.4 ✓ Cheaper | 105.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $158,400 ✓ Lower | $608,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $985 ✓ Lower | $1,901⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $48,524 | $115,167 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High | 3.2% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 25.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 19.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 151⚠ High | 43 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 198⚠ High | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 80 | 56 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | A (121) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.7:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 30.2% | 65.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% | 97.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mobile County | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.1°F ✓ Warmer | 59.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer | 91.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 68.5" | 54.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" ✓ Less | 0.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 186,316 ✓ Larger | 90,945 |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 42.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.6% | 72.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | 22.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.9% | 17.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Mobile's cost of living index is 89.4 vs Mount Pleasant's 105.9 (US average = 100).
Mobile is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Mount Pleasant leads 15 of 23 categories. Mobile wins 8 and Mount Pleasant 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 Mobile to Mount Pleasant or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,400 vs $608,600 median home), income ($48,524 vs $115,167), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Mobile, AL and Mount Pleasant, SC are about 506 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.