Population 232,283 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Mobile
Household size in Mobile
| Period | Mobile | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.58 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.55 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.47 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.47 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Mobile run small, averaging 2.47 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has dropped from 2.58 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Mobile
| Period | Mobile | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.1 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.6 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.1 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Mobile is 38.1 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 36.8 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the east.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Mobile
| Period | Mobile | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.0% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.2% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Mobile: 15.2% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Mobile has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Alabama cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Mobile
Renters in Mobile
| Period | Mobile | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.1% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.9% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.7% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 42.3% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over four in ten households in Mobile rent their homes (42.3%), above the national share of 34.8%. Among owners, 42.9% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 5.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 14 of the 186 Alabama cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Mobile
| Period | Mobile | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.7% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.0% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.6% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Mobile: 12.6% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Alabama as a whole looks much the same.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Mobile
| Period | Mobile | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Mobile are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1979, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in Alabama overall, where the median home dates to 1986. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the east.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Mobile
| Period | Mobile | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $766 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $849 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $944 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,127 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$361 | +$375 | +$606 |
The median renter in Mobile pays $1,127 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $361 a month from 2006–10, a 47% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 33.6% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Mobile
Bachelor's degrees in Mobile
| Period | Mobile | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.9% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.0% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.7% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 32.1% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly a third of adults 25 and older in Mobile (32.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. Still, the share is higher than in Alabama as a whole (29.0%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 5.2 points, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Mobile
| Period | Mobile | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.6% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.6% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.9% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.3% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Mobile have finished high school (91.3%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Mobile
| Period | Mobile | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Mobile is close to the national rate: 5.6% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 4.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Mobile compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile | 2.47 | 38.1 | 15.2% | 42.3% | 12.6% | 1979 | $1,127 | 32.1% | 91.3% | 5.6% |
| Prichard | 2.67 | 38.9 | 24.1% | 50.7% | 24.1% | 1963 | $820 | 9.8% | 82.5% | 14.7% |
| Tillmans Corner | 2.68 | 36.5 | 13.8% | 33.9% | 7.8% | 1988 | $927 | 15.3% | 87.6% | 8.4% |
| Chickasaw | 2.74 | 31.8 | 18.3% | 47.3% | 11.5% | 1965 | $840 | 14.2% | 87.5% | 4.1% |
| Semmes | 2.91 | 37.2 | 13.4% | 16.8% | 7.8% | 1996 | $1,063 | 20.9% | 91.2% | 3.4% |
| Eight Mile | 2.90 | 38.9 | 12.0% | 24.5% | 13.4% | 1985 | $1,181 | 19.2% | 82.9% | 3.8% |
| Theodore | 2.44 | 43.8 | 14.2% | 12.0% | 9.7% | 1989 | $1,240 | 22.9% | 89.9% | 3.9% |
| Seven Hills | 3.48 | 33.7 | 3.7% | 5.3% | 4.8% | 2006 | $1,059 | 31.7% | 89.2% | 2.7% |
| St. Elmo | 2.68 | 37.6 | 18.1% | 15.5% | 13.4% | 1994 | $924 | 10.9% | 80.0% | 4.0% |
| Tanner Williams | 2.62 | 50.0 | 4.9% | 2.9% | 10.1% | 1997 | $857 | 23.5% | 84.0% | 0.3% |
| Grand Bay | 2.85 | 39.3 | 12.2% | 14.2% | 9.4% | 1992 | $977 | 15.2% | 88.9% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Covington, GA · Cicero, IL · Chapel Hill, NC · Clinton Township, MI · Clarksville, TN · Champaign, IL · Carolina, PR · Clifton, NJ · Charleston, WV · Charleston, SC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Mobile. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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