Cost of Living in Mobile County, Alabama
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.
How Mobile County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Mobile County ranks #2,264 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 28%)
Sourced county brief
Mobile County Median Gross Rent Reaches $1,052 Monthly
Median gross rent in Mobile County was estimated at $1,052 per month, which is $232 above the Alabama unweighted county mean of $820. The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) was 32.5%. This canonical rent-to-income percentage is 3.9 percentage points higher than the state’s unweighted county mean official GRAPI of 28.6%. For homeowners, the median home value was $190,700, and median selected monthly owner costs for all owner-occupied units were $1,003. These values compare to state unweighted county means of $159,660 for home value and $706 for monthly owner costs. Renter-household median income was $36,158, while the median income for all households was $58,880. These figures are based on the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Mobile County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 32.5% of renter household income in Mobile County, which is between the 30% and 50% rent-burden benchmarks. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $1,052 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,003. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $42,080 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.
Regional Context
The Alabama unweighted mean of county median rents is $820 per month. Mobile County's $1,052 median is 28.3% above that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Mobile County
Rent Burden
21.4%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,374
per month
Owner Cost Burden
20.4%
of gross income
The median home in Mobile County may be a stretch
Median home value is $190,700. Estimated monthly cost: $1,522 vs. your max of $1,374.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See Today's RatesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.
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