The median home price in Mobile is $195,000, with a local 30-year mortgage rate of 6.95%. A buyer putting 20% down carries a loan of $156,000, generating a monthly P&I payment of $1,033. Adding property taxes ($73/mo) and homeowners insurance ($81/mo) brings total monthly PITI to $1,187.
Mobile's property tax rate of 0.45% is among the lower rates in the country, which improves overall affordability by keeping total PITI closer to the principal and interest payment alone. On the Mobile median home, that is $73/month, or $878 per year.
Alabama levies a state income tax, which affects take-home pay and effective buying power. High-income earners in Mobile should factor state tax liability into their overall housing budget — mortgage interest may be deductible on both federal and state returns.