Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Mobile is healthier than 53%
Mobile differs from Alabama on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Mobile. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Mobile
Mobile is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Mobile is healthier than 27%. Against the 6,975 towns with similar household incomes ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 53%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Mobile
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (25%), vs 19.2% across Alabama. Utility shut-off threats (13.1% vs 9.6%) and no reliable transportation (12.8% vs 9.8%) are higher too. 20.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Mobile looks healthier next to Alabama than next to the country
It’s healthier than 49% of the 187 Alabama towns we grade, but 27% of towns nationwide. Much of Alabama scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Health varies a lot right around Mobile
Grades next door run from Spanish Fort (A) to Prichard (D−). Mobile is a C. Around town ↓
Mobile has four hospitals within its borders
4 hospitals and 3 community health centers are inside Mobile. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Alabama figure falls outside Mobile’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Mobile’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mobile is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns, #95 of 187 in Alabama. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 56% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 6%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Mobile’s median household income is $53,558; among the 6,975 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 53%, about where its income would put it.
Few Alabama towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Mobile is healthier than 49% of graded towns, against 27% nationally.
Where Mobile compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 7.1% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 200,824 residents, Mobile is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
20.2% of Mobile adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Mobile and the towns around it
Mobile’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 9 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile | C | 40% | 17% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| Tillmans Corner | D | 39% | 16% | 18.5% | CDC place |
| Prichard | D− | 50.7% | 27.6% | 23.2% | CDC place |
| Theodore | C− | 38.6% | 15.7% | 18.4% | CDC place |
| Chickasaw | D | 42.9% | 17.9% | 20% | CDC place |
| Saraland | B− | 35.7% | 13.3% | 14.8% | CDC place |
| Semmes | C+ | 35.4% | 15.1% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| Spanish Fort | A | 32.3% | 10.1% | 10.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Mobile
4 hospitals and 3 community health centers in Mobile.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Mobile; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Out of every 100 Mobile adults…
Mobile runs below AL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alabama
Share of adults, with the Alabama figure marked.
78 miles of trails across 78 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Mobile adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
How Mobile adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Mobile runs above Alabama.
1 in 3 Mobile adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Mobile adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Mobile
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Mobile is better than Alabama on 1 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Mobile’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Mobile | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24%21.8–26.4 | 22.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.8%12.4–15.4 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15.5–19.2 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40%35.6–44.7 | 39.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17%15.2–18.8 | 14.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43.8%40.7–47.1 | 43.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.1%35.9–42.4 | 40.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.4%25.9–31 | 30.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.9–11.3 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.1%6.5–7.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.6–7.9 | 7.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.8%7–8.6 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.3–4.9 | 4.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18%15.2–21.2 | 15.4% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.9%13.2–16.8 | 15.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 31.2%27.9–34.7 | 28.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.1%11–15.4 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.2%37.9–46.8 | 39.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.2%8.9–11.7 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.5%77.6–83.2 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.7%49.3–56.3 | 56.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.4%83.6–87.1 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.5%77.3–81.6 | 78% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.4%63.4–71.4 | 67% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.7%73.2–83.8 | 77.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.2%18.6–24.2 | 23.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.5%31.6–39.5 | 35.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.6%25.4–32 | 24.8% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 25%22.6–27.5 | 19.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18%16.1–20.1 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.1%11.7–14.7 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.8%11.5–14.1 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.2%18.2–22.3 | 14% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.1%32.8–39.5 | 36.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.5%16.7–20.3 | 17.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.1%14.5–17.8 | 16.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.5–8 | 8.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 7.2%6.7–7.8 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.8%9.8–11.8 | 9.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%5.1–5.9 | 4.6% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Alabama figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Mobile
Is Mobile a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mobile is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #95 of 187 in Alabama. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Mobile?
CDC estimates 40% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.6% and 44.7%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Mobile?
Springhill Medical Center in Mobile, 2.1 miles in a straight line from Mobile’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Mobile have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.9–11.7%), against 9.9% across Alabama.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Mobile more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Mobile.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Alabama figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.