New Orleans-Metairie and Mobile receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | New Orleans-Metairie | Mobile | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 981,662 | 412,590 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,655 | $58,880 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,238 | $33,306 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 416/sq mi | 336/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $260,200 | $190,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,217 | $1,052 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.6% | 66.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.4% | 26.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.6% | 16.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,663 | 1,180 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2.1% | -15.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 48°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.9" | 67.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 27.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-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
New Orleans-Metairie
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Mobile
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
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Full profiles: New Orleans-Metairie, LA Metro Area · Mobile, AL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology