Beneath the gentle Southern sun where azaleas bloom, Mobile, Alabama, presents a fascinating portrait of change and resilience, a city where a rich cultural tapestry meets a dynamic and evolving economic landscape.
Key Takeaways
- The 2020 United States Census recorded Mobile's population at 187,041 residents, reflecting a 14.5% decline from the 200,811 residents counted in the 2010 Census.
- Mobile's population density in 2020 was 726.2 people per square mile, calculated over its total land area of 257.52 square miles including water.
- As of 2020, 51.4% of Mobile's population identified as Black or African American, making it the largest racial group in the city.
- Mobile's unemployment rate averaged 4.2% in 2023.
- The Port of Mobile handled 56.7 million tons of cargo in fiscal year 2023.
- Airbus delivered over 200 aircraft components from its Mobile facility in 2023.
- Mobile's land area is 117.02 square miles with 47.50 square miles of water.
- The city of Mobile sits at an elevation of 23 feet above sea level on average.
- Mobile lies at coordinates 30°41′ N 88°06′ W in Mobile Bay.
- Mobile was founded by the French in 1702 as Fort Louis de la Mobile.
- The first Mardi Gras in the United States was celebrated in Mobile on February 3, 1703.
- Mobile served as the capital of French Louisiana from 1702 to 1763.
- The University of South Alabama has 14,000 students enrolled in 2023.
- Spring Hill College enrollment stands at 1,121 undergraduates in 2023.
- Bishop State Community College serves 2,869 students annually.
Mobile's population declined, but its diverse economy remains anchored by the port.
Demographics
- The 2020 United States Census recorded Mobile's population at 187,041 residents, reflecting a 14.5% decline from the 200,811 residents counted in the 2010 Census.
- Mobile's population density in 2020 was 726.2 people per square mile, calculated over its total land area of 257.52 square miles including water.
- As of 2020, 51.4% of Mobile's population identified as Black or African American, making it the largest racial group in the city.
- In 2020, 40.9% of Mobile residents identified as White alone, excluding those identifying as Hispanic or Latino.
- Hispanic or Latino residents comprised 2.9% of Mobile's population in the 2020 Census.
- The median age in Mobile was 35.9 years as of the 2020 Census data.
- 24.5% of Mobile's population was under 18 years old according to 2020 Census figures.
- 13.7% of residents were 65 years and over in Mobile per the 2020 Census.
- Females made up 52.6% of Mobile's population in 2020.
- The average household size in Mobile was 2.38 persons in 2020.
- 78.3% of Mobile households were owner-occupied as of recent American Community Survey data.
- The poverty rate in Mobile stood at 22.4% in 2022 estimates.
- Median household income in Mobile was $48,869 in 2022.
- 88.2% of Mobile residents were U.S. citizens at birth per 2022 ACS data.
- Foreign-born residents accounted for 4.5% of Mobile's population in 2022.
- Veterans comprised 6.8% of the civilian population aged 18 and over in Mobile.
- The percentage of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher was 27.5% for those 25 and older in 2022.
- High school graduate or higher rate was 89.4% for persons aged 25 and older in Mobile.
- Asian residents made up 2.1% of Mobile's population in 2020.
- American Indian and Alaska Native residents were 0.3% of the population per 2020 Census.
- Two or more races identified by 2.4% of residents in 2020.
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander residents were 0.1% in Mobile's 2020 Census.
- Non-Hispanic White residents were 38.5% of the population in 2020.
- The city’s population grew by 0.2% from 2021 to 2022, reaching an estimated 184,385.
- Mobile's metro area population was 428,571 in 2023 estimates.
- 15.2% of households spoke a language other than English at home in 2022.
- Disability rate among civilians 5 years and older was 13.1% in Mobile.
- Married couple families represented 42.1% of family households in 2022 ACS.
- Female householders with no spouse present were 18.4% of family households.
- Male householders with no spouse present made up 5.3% of family households in Mobile.
Demographics Interpretation
Despite a significant population decline over the past decade, Mobile remains a majority-Black, family-oriented city grappling with persistent economic challenges, as evidenced by its high poverty rate and modest median income.
Economy and Business
- Mobile's unemployment rate averaged 4.2% in 2023.
- The Port of Mobile handled 56.7 million tons of cargo in fiscal year 2023.
- Airbus delivered over 200 aircraft components from its Mobile facility in 2023.
- Median household income in the Mobile metro area was $56,414 in 2022.
- Manufacturing employment in Mobile county was 22,500 jobs in 2023.
- The healthcare and social assistance sector employed 28,900 people in Mobile MSA in 2023.
- Retail trade accounted for 15,200 jobs in the Mobile metropolitan area in 2023.
- Average annual wage in Mobile MSA was $54,320 in 2023.
- Construction employment in Mobile was 12,400 in 2023.
- Hospitality sector (accommodation and food services) had 18,500 jobs in Mobile area.
- The cost of living index in Mobile is 87.5, below the national average of 100.
- Housing median home value in Mobile was $162,200 in 2023.
- Sales tax rate in Mobile city is 10%, combining state, county, and city rates.
- GDP per capita in Mobile MSA was $62,450 in 2022.
- Wholesale trade employment was 5,800 in Mobile in 2023.
- Finance and insurance sector employed 7,200 in the area.
- Transportation and warehousing jobs totaled 11,300 in Mobile MSA 2023.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services had 8,900 employees.
- Educational services employment was 14,200 in Mobile area 2023.
- Public administration jobs numbered 10,500 in Mobile MSA.
- Other services employed 9,100 people in the region.
- Mobile's GDP grew by 2.8% in 2022 over the previous year.
- Small business ownership rate is 7.2% of adults in Mobile.
- Tourism generated $1.2 billion in visitor spending in Mobile County 2022.
- Shipbuilding at Austal USA contributed $500 million to local economy annually.
- Median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Mobile was $1,015 in 2024.
Economy and Business Interpretation
Mobile is humming along like a well-oiled machine, boasting a tight labor market, a surprisingly affordable cost of living, and a diverse economy that builds planes, ships, and everything in between, proving that Southern charm comes with a solid paycheck.
Education, Health, and Infrastructure
- The University of South Alabama has 14,000 students enrolled in 2023.
- Spring Hill College enrollment stands at 1,121 undergraduates in 2023.
- Bishop State Community College serves 2,869 students annually.
- Alabama State University at Mobile branch has 1,200 students.
- Mobile County Public Schools district enrolls 53,000 students.
- Graduation rate in Mobile County schools is 82% for class of 2023.
- Providence Hospital has 349 licensed beds in Mobile.
- USA Health system includes 1,107 beds across facilities in 2023.
- Mobile Infirmary operates 988 beds in the city.
- Springhill Memorial Hospital has 404 beds.
- Infant mortality rate in Mobile County is 8.1 per 1,000 births.
- Life expectancy in Mobile is 74.5 years, below national average.
- Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) handled 1.2 million passengers in 2023.
- I-10 through Mobile carries 120,000 vehicles daily.
- Mobile Skyland Parkway bridge spans 3.7 miles over the bay.
- Public transit via Wave Transit serves 2.5 million rides yearly.
- 85% of Mobile households have broadband internet access.
- USA Health performed 25,000 surgeries in 2023.
- Mobile Public Library system circulates 1.1 million items annually.
- High school ACT average score in Mobile County is 18.2.
- 65% of Mobile adults have some college education.
Education, Health, and Infrastructure Interpretation
Mobile is a city of significant scale, where over 70,000 students are educated across its universities and public schools, nearly 2,500 hospital beds serve its residents, and major infrastructure moves millions, yet it grapples with measurable challenges in health and education that its community is actively working to address.
Geography and Climate
- Mobile's land area is 117.02 square miles with 47.50 square miles of water.
- The city of Mobile sits at an elevation of 23 feet above sea level on average.
- Mobile lies at coordinates 30°41′ N 88°06′ W in Mobile Bay.
- The Mobile River delta covers 12,000 square miles of drainage basin.
- Average annual precipitation in Mobile is 66.3 inches.
- Mobile's average high temperature in July is 91.1°F.
- January average low temperature is 40.2°F in Mobile.
- Hurricane Camille remnants brought 22.25 inches of rain to Mobile in 1969.
- The city experiences 215.3 days with precipitation annually on average.
- Mobile's Köppen climate classification is Cfa, humid subtropical.
- Snowfall averages 0.2 inches per year in Mobile.
- Highest temperature recorded was 106°F on August 3, 2023.
- Lowest temperature was -1°F on January 21, 1985.
- Mobile Bay covers 413 square miles adjacent to the city.
- The city is bordered by the Mobile River to the north and west.
- Dauphin Island lies 40 miles south of Mobile across the bay.
- Average humidity in Mobile is 73% annually.
- Thunderstorms occur on 92 days per year on average.
- Tornado risk is moderate, with 5-10 events per decade in the area.
- Sea level rise projections indicate 1-2 feet by 2050 for Mobile Bay.
- The urban heat island effect raises temperatures 3-5°F in city center.
- Mobile's waterfront spans 42 miles along the bay and rivers.
- Fault lines like the Mobile Bay Fault pose minor seismic risk.
- Mangrove ecosystems cover 20,000 acres in Mobile Bay.
- Average wind speed is 8.1 mph year-round in Mobile.
- Hurricane Ivan made landfall nearby in 2004, causing $1.8 billion damage.
- Annual sunshine hours total 2,600 in Mobile.
Geography and Climate Interpretation
With its muggy subtropical climate, Mobile's generous 66 inches of annual rain ensures its vast delta stays lush, but it also means the city spends over 200 days a year politely reminding you to carry an umbrella while simultaneously threatening to float it away with a hurricane.
History and Culture
- Mobile was founded by the French in 1702 as Fort Louis de la Mobile.
- The first Mardi Gras in the United States was celebrated in Mobile on February 3, 1703.
- Mobile served as the capital of French Louisiana from 1702 to 1763.
- The Battle of Mobile Bay occurred on August 5, 1864, during the Civil War.
- USS Tennessee was sunk in the bay during the 1864 battle.
- Mobile was occupied by Union forces from 1865 until war's end.
- The city was a major cotton exporting port in the antebellum South.
- Carnival Mystic, oldest Mardi Gras organization, founded 1868.
- Mobile's Condé-Charlotte House dates to 1822, oldest building.
- Fort Conde replica built in 1976 represents 18th-century fort.
- The Mobile Theatre Guild founded in 1947, oldest community theater.
- Joe Cain founded modern Mardi Gras parades in 1866.
- The city hosted the America's Junior Miss pageant from 1957-2008.
- Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel opened in 1852.
- Mobile's Saenger Theatre built in 1927, restored 1997.
- The Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center opened in 1998.
- Mobile's first newspaper, Mobile Gazette, published 1813.
- The city celebrated its tricentennial in 2002 with festivals.
- Fort Blakeley site of last major Civil War battle in 1865.
- Mobile's MoonPie trademarked in 1929 by Chattanooga Bakery.
- The Mobile Masked Rex founded Mardi Gras tradition in 1871.
- USS Alabama battleship commissioned 1942, now museum.
- The Phoenix Fire Museum houses 19th-century fire equipment.
- Mobile's Jubilee phenomenon recorded since 1860s.
- The University of Mobile founded as Mobile Baptist College in 1961.
- Spring Hill College, America's oldest co-ed Catholic college, 1830.
- The University of South Alabama established in 1963.
History and Culture Interpretation
Mobile’s history is a potent cocktail of French revelry, Southern cotton wealth, naval warfare, and civic pride, shaken by conflict but always stirred back to life by its enduring pageantry.
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