Uprootmap
Tuscaloosa vs Mobile
Tuscaloosa and Mobile
Photo: Quintin Soloviev / Wikimedia, CC BY 4.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Mobile are above the US rate in this release, 17.8 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Tuscaloosa to Mobile
In 2022-2023, 63 households filed a move from Tuscaloosa to Mobile (about 90 people, average adjusted gross income $38,873). 67 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $930 in Tuscaloosa and $984 in Mobile. Tuscaloosa has a state tax on wages. Mobile has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Mobile is 87% of the national level for the same work, against 84% in Tuscaloosa.
Mobile averages 235 sunny days, with July highs around 92°F and January nights around 44°F. Tuscaloosa is 223 sunny days, 90°F in July, 38°F in January. Commutes average 26 minutes in Mobile and 24 in Tuscaloosa.
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, 63 households moved Tuscaloosa → Mobile (about 90 people, average AGI $38,873). 67 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 Tuscaloosa and Mobile changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 202 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,750–$3,250
- Container or pod
- $1,200–$2,200
- Rent a truck
- $450–$850
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Dig into Mobile
Questions
Is Mobile cheaper than Tuscaloosa after tax and rent?
No. Mobile leaves about $51 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $930 in Tuscaloosa and $984 in Mobile.
Does Mobile have state income tax?
Mobile is in Alabama, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 1.00%.
Did people actually move from Tuscaloosa to Mobile?
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.