For Mobile, the Zillow ZHVI typical city home value is $199,105.56 and the Zillow ZORI typical observed monthly market rent is $1,311.05. Their implied gross yield is 7.9%, calculated before vacancy and every operating and financing cost. The typical value equals 3.72x ACS median household income, while annualized ZORI equals 29.4% of that income. This is an initial affordability and revenue frame, not a property return estimate.
Mobile has 98,380 housing units; the citywide vacancy rate is 14.0%, and renters occupy 46.0% of occupied units. Single-family homes are 69.1% of units, versus 8.6% in large multifamily buildings, so the stock is predominantly single-family. For surveyed occupied housing, ACS reports a $193,300 median home value and $1,068 median gross rent including selected utilities. These differ in concept and period from Zillow’s typical value and observed market rent and should not be averaged.
Among Mobile renters measured, 56.7% spend at least 30% of income on gross rent. ACS vacancy reasons include 2,061 units for rent and 464 for sale, with seasonal vacancies also recorded; these are survey context, not available investment inventory or evidence of leasing speed. Population rose 6.8% between overlapping ACS vintages, a comparison that is not annualized and may reflect boundary changes. Median household income is $53,558, while poverty is 18.4% and unemployment 5.6%; these describe demand constraints, not causes or property-level tenant profiles.
In Mobile County, Realtor context shows a median 70 days on market and price reductions on 19.0% of active listings, suggesting that transaction timing and seller concessions merit property-specific checks. In the broader Mobile metro, payroll jobs fell 1.4%, while for-sale supply stood at 3.4 months; the labor signal argues against assuming rent alone guarantees demand. For the United States nationally, the Freddie Mac 30-year mortgage rate is 6.58%, so financing terms can materially change cash flow.
Key limitation: city, county, broader-metro and national datasets use different geographies and denominators. None establishes a subject property’s condition, legal use, attainable rent, expenses or occupancy. Before underwriting, verify leases and comparable signed rents; inspect the structure, major systems and deferred maintenance; confirm utility responsibility, parcel taxes, insurance and hazard exposure; check title, zoning and permits; and obtain an address-specific financing quote. Set vacancy, repair, management, turnover and capital reserves from property evidence, not citywide shares.