Madison, AL vs Mobile, AL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Madison, AL outspends Mobile, AL by a wide margin per resident — $26,015 versus $15,777, a 65% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Mobile, AL holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 55/100 (grade C) against 44/100 (grade D) for Madison, AL — a 11-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: fire protection leads in Madison, AL at $2,129 per resident and in Mobile, AL at $2,010.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Madison, AL at 100% of total revenue, whereas Mobile, AL relies most on other revenue at 111%.
Summary
Madison spends 64.9% more per capita than Mobile ($10,238/person difference). Mobile, AL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 55/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $73 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $107 | $0 |
| Income Tax | $2,566 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $8,683 | $1,338 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,300 | $0 |
| Other | $4,323 | $1,479 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,061 | $537 |
| Fire Protection | $2,129 | $2,010 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $501 |
| Public Welfare | $5,542 | $2,357 |
| Parks & Recreation | $799 | $524 |
| Housing | $5,194 | $2,998 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $129 |
| Utilities | $3,593 | $791 |
| Other | $6,698 | $5,930 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.