Mobile receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Mobile
Tucson
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 11%
vs22 · Bottom 2%
Growth
35 · Bottom 24%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
26 · Bottom 21%
vs19 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 48%
vs67 · Bottom 30%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 13%
vs44 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Mobile | Tucson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 203,416 | 547,073 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,558 | $57,073 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,935 | $32,537 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,349/sq mi | 2,259/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $193,300 | $266,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,068 | $1,145 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.0% | 51.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -4.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.0% | 31.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.4% | 18.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 295 | 1,431 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -45.9% | -2.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 100°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 60.5" | 10.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 23.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 34.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 60 | 202 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.79 | 15.63 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Mobile
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Tucson
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Mobile, AL · Tucson, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology