Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Mobile, AL
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 Palm Bay 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
Palm Bay
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$62,538 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
121,513
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Mobile, AL
Pros
Homes cost $68k less ($158,400 vs $226,200)
Rent averages $360/mo less ($985 vs $1,345)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Palm Bay
Commutes run 4 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
Violent crime (752.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Palm Bay by $14,014/yr
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.7%)
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
54% less violent crime than Mobile
Households earn $14,014 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 62°F
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,345/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Mobile
Key Differences at a Glance
Mobile
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 89.4 vs 100.8 (100 = US avg)
Mobile
Median Home Value
$68k less
$158,400 vs $226,200
Palm Bay
Median Income
$14,014
$62,538 vs $48,524/yr
Palm Bay
Violent Crime
54% lower
347.2 vs 752.0 per 100k
Palm Bay
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.7% vs 6.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Mobile, AL | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.4 ✓ Cheaper | 100.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $158,400 ✓ Lower | $226,200 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $985 ✓ Lower | $1,345⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $48,524 | $62,538 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 7.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 151⚠ High | 74 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 198⚠ High | 91 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 80 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.7:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 30.2% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mobile County | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.1°F | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer | 91.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 68.5" | 60.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 186,316 ✓ Larger | 121,513 |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.6% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | 21.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.9% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Mobile's cost of living index is 89.4 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Mobile is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Palm Bay leads 15 of 23 categories. Mobile wins 8 and Palm Bay 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 Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,400 vs $226,200 median home), income ($48,524 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Mobile, AL and Palm Bay, FL are about 486 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.