Side-by-side comparison of Mobile, AL and Birmingham, AL — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Mobile has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 6.18% compared to Birmingham's 4.95%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $190,000 in Mobile vs $255,000 in Birmingham, while rents come in at $1,270/mo and $1,410/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.
Growth & appreciation: Birmingham is growing faster at 0.3% annually vs Mobile's 0.1%. Birmingham leads on home value appreciation at 2.1% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.44% in Mobile vs 0.42% in Birmingham. Vacancy rates of 7.5% and 7% are mixed — Birmingham has the tighter rental market.
Entry point: Mobile offers a lower entry at $190K vs Birmingham's $255K — a difference of $65K. With a 20% down payment, that's $38K vs $51K. Mobile combines the lower price with a higher cap rate — a compelling combination.
Bottom line: Birmingham edges out Mobile on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 4.95%, Birmingham's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Mobile or Birmingham.