Uprootmap
Mobile vs New Orleans
Mobile and New Orleans
Photo: thepipe26 / Wikimedia, CC BY 2.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in New Orleans are above the US rate in this release, 24.7 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Mobile to New Orleans
In 2022-2023, 66 households filed a move from Mobile to New Orleans (about 90 people, average adjusted gross income $44,515). 68 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $984 in Mobile and $1,223 in New Orleans. Mobile has a state tax on wages. New Orleans has a state tax on wages. Local pay in New Orleans is 90% of the national level for the same work, against 87% in Mobile.
New Orleans averages 240 sunny days, with July highs around 86°F and January nights around 53°F. Mobile is 235 sunny days, 92°F in July, 44°F in January. Commutes average 25 minutes in New Orleans and 26 in Mobile.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 66 households moved Mobile → New Orleans (about 90 people, average AGI $44,515). 68 households went the other way.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Mobile and New Orleans changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 153 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,700–$3,150
- Container or pod
- $1,150–$2,150
- Rent a truck
- $450–$800
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Dig into New Orleans
Questions
Is New Orleans cheaper than Mobile after tax and rent?
Yes. New Orleans leaves about $133 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $984 in Mobile and $1,223 in New Orleans.
Does New Orleans have state income tax?
New Orleans is in Louisiana, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Mobile to New Orleans?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.