Saraland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Saraland
Mobile
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 16%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
53 · Top 44%
vs35 · Bottom 24%
Climate
78 · Top 21%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
26 · Bottom 21%
vs26 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs80 · Bottom 48%
Access
94 · Top 40%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 31%
vs36 · Bottom 13%
Measured values
| Metric | Saraland | Mobile | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,404 | 203,416 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,509 | $53,558 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,516 | $33,935 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 480/sq mi | 1,349/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $217,600 | $193,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,060 | $1,068 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.6% | 54.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.0% | 32.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 83 | 295 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.1 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.2% | -45.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 67.1" | 60.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.7 | 37.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 60 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.75 | 17.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 46.2% | 69.6% | 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
Saraland
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Mobile
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Saraland, AL · Mobile, AL · How this is calculated: methodology