Montgomery, AL vs Mobile, AL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Mobile, AL outspends Montgomery, AL by a wide margin per resident — $15,777 versus $4,738, a 233% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Montgomery, AL holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 64/100 (grade C) against 55/100 (grade C) for Mobile, AL — a 9-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 Montgomery, AL at $555 per resident and in Mobile, AL at $2,010.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Montgomery, AL at 100% of total revenue, whereas Mobile, AL relies most on other revenue at 111%.
Summary
Mobile spends 70.0% more per capita than Montgomery ($11,040/person difference). Montgomery, AL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 64/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $3 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $0 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $2,517 | $1,338 |
| Other | $442 | $1,479 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $458 | $537 |
| Fire Protection | $555 | $2,010 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $501 |
| Public Welfare | $615 | $2,357 |
| Parks & Recreation | $127 | $524 |
| Housing | $1,155 | $2,998 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $129 |
| Utilities | $28 | $791 |
| Other | $1,799 | $5,930 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.