Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Mobile, AL
VS
Oxnard, CA
🏆 Mobile leads 13 of 23 categories
Mobile
Alabama
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$48,524
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
186,316
Oxnard
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$90,409 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
157⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
202,279 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Mobile, AL
Pros
Homes cost $429k less ($158,400 vs $587,200)
Rent averages $922/mo less ($985 vs $1,907)
24% cheaper overall cost of living than Oxnard
More college-educated — 30.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.4)
Smaller class sizes — 17.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Oxnard by $41,885/yr
Violent crime (752.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Oxnard, CA
Pros
Households earn $41,885 more per year on average
21% less violent crime than Mobile
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.9%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 92°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $587,200
Higher rents — median is $1,907/mo
Violent crime (596.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 24% higher than Mobile
Key Differences at a Glance
Mobile
Cost of Living
24% cheaper
COL index 89.4 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Mobile
Median Home Value
$429k less
$158,400 vs $587,200
Mobile
Summer Heat
18.8°F warmer
July avg high 91.7°F vs 72.9°F
Oxnard
Median Income
$41,885
$90,409 vs $48,524/yr
Oxnard
Violent Crime
21% lower
596.4 vs 752.0 per 100k
Oxnard
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.9% vs 6.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Mobile, AL | Oxnard, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.4 ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $158,400 ✓ Lower | $587,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $985 ✓ Lower | $1,907⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $48,524 | $90,409 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 25.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% ✓ Higher | 5.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 151⚠ High | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 198⚠ High | 157⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 80 ✓ Safer | 89 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | C- (68) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 30.2% ✓ Higher | 19.2% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% ✓ Higher | 69.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mobile County | Oxnard |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.1°F | 65.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer | 72.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 68.5" | 12.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 186,316 | 202,279 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.6 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.6% | 54.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | 26.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.9% ✓ More | 10.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Mobile's cost of living index is 89.4 vs Oxnard's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Mobile is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Mobile leads 13 of 23 categories. Mobile wins 13 and Oxnard wins 10. 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 Oxnard or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,400 vs $587,200 median home), income ($48,524 vs $90,409), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Mobile, AL and Oxnard, CA are about 1,823 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.