%
CapRateCity
Free cap rate calculators for every US market
← All comparisons

Mobile vs Montgomery for Rental Property Investing

Side-by-side comparison of Mobile, AL and Montgomery, AL — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.

Montgomery wins 7–0 across key metrics
Montgomery leads on cash flow (6.29% vs 6.18% cap rate)
Metric
Mobile, AL
Montgomery, AL
Est. Cap Rate
6.18%
6.29%
Median Home Price
$190,000
$205,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,270
$1,380
1% Rule
0.67%
0.67%
GRM
12.5x
12.4x
Price / Income
4.7x
4.6x
Property Tax Rate
0.44%
0.41%
Vacancy Rate
7.5%
7.2%
Population Growth
0.1% / yr
0.2% / yr
Annual Appreciation
1.8%
1.9%
Population
188,720
200,603
Median Income
$40,800
$44,600

Mobile vs Montgomery: Which Is Better for Investors?

Cash flow: Montgomery has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 6.29% compared to Mobile's 6.18%. 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 $205,000 in Montgomery, while rents come in at $1,270/mo and $1,380/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.

Growth & appreciation: Montgomery is growing faster at 0.2% annually vs Mobile's 0.1%. Montgomery leads on home value appreciation at 1.9% per year.

Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.44% in Mobile vs 0.41% in Montgomery. Vacancy rates of 7.5% and 7.2% are both elevated, warranting conservative cash flow projections.

Entry point: Mobile offers a lower entry at $190K vs Montgomery's $205K — a difference of $15K. With a 20% down payment, that's $38K vs $41K. Montgomery's higher price may be justified by stronger growth.

Bottom line: Montgomery edges out Mobile on most key metrics. With a 6.29% cap rate, it offers solid cash flow potential. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Mobile or Montgomery.

Sponsored · Want to analyze a specific property? DealCheck imports real listing data and runs the full analysis for you.
Try Free →
Mobile, AL
6.18% cap rate · $190,000 median · $1,270/mo
Full analysis →
Montgomery, AL
6.29% cap rate · $205,000 median · $1,380/mo
Full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mobile or Montgomery better for rental investing?
Montgomery wins 7–0 across our 7 key metrics. Montgomery's 6.29% cap rate and $205K median price give it the edge overall.
What is the cap rate difference between Mobile and Montgomery?
Mobile has a 6.18% cap rate vs Montgomery's 6.29% — a difference of 0.11 percentage points. This is a relatively small difference — other factors like growth, taxes, and local market conditions may matter more. For context, the national average is 3.81%.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Montgomery has lower property taxes at 0.41% vs 0.44%. On a $198K property, that's a difference of approximately $5/year in tax expense — money that goes directly to (or from) your cash flow.
Which city is growing faster?
Montgomery is growing at 0.2% annually vs Mobile's 0.1%. Both cities have slow growth — focus on the strongest neighborhoods. Montgomery's appreciation rate of 1.9% also leads on home value growth.

Explore More

The CapRateCity Report
Weekly market analysis: highest cap rate cities, emerging markets, and deal breakdowns. Free, no spam.