Mobile, AL vs Madison, 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 Mobile, AL at $2,010 per resident and in Madison, AL at $2,129.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Mobile, AL at 111% of total revenue, whereas Madison, AL relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Madison spends 39.4% 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 | $0 | $73 |
| Sales Tax | $0 | $107 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $2,566 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,338 | $8,683 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $3,300 |
| Other | $1,479 | $4,323 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $537 | $2,061 |
| Fire Protection | $2,010 | $2,129 |
| Highways & Roads | $501 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $2,357 | $5,542 |
| Parks & Recreation | $524 | $799 |
| Housing | $2,998 | $5,194 |
| Sewerage | $129 | $0 |
| Utilities | $791 | $3,593 |
| Other | $5,930 | $6,698 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.