Alabama

Mobile

414,809
2020 population
1820
first census record
21
census records

About Mobile

Mobile, Alabama, first appears in the United States federal census in 1820, when it recorded a population of 2,672. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 414,809.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 16 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them De Soto – Battle near Mobile Bay 1540, Battle of Mobile (Spanish 1780), Capture of Fort Charlotte (Mobile), and 148 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020414,809
2010412,992
2000399,843
1990378,643
1980364,980
1970317,308
1960314,301
1950231,105
1940141,974
1930118,363
1920100,117
191080,854
190062,740
189051,971
188048,653
187049,311
186041,131
185027,600
184018,741
18306,267
18202,672
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Mobile

Military engagements that took place in Mobile, Alabama.

De Soto – Battle near Mobile Bay 1540
1540
Battle of Mobile (Spanish 1780)
1780
Capture of Fort Charlotte (Mobile)
1813
Battle of Mobile Bay — British Naval Probe (Sep 1814)
1814
Battle of New Orleans — British Withdrawal and Subsequent Operations
1815
CSS Hunley — Early Trials and Sinkings
1863
CSS Huntsville and CSS Tuscaloosa — Mobile Bay Defenses
1864
Battle of Mobile Bay – Fort Gaines
1864
Capture of Fort Gaines
1864
Capture of Fort Powell
1864
Fort Gaines Surrenders (Mobile Bay)
1864
Capture of Mobile
1865
Confederate Surrender — Taylor in Alabama
1865
Action at Mobile Bay (Fort Huger / Battery Tracy)
1865
Action at Whistler (Mobile suburb skirmish 1865)
1865
Siege and Fall of Mobile
1865

Historic places in Mobile

National Register of Historic Places listings in Mobile, Alabama.

Murphy High School
Mobile
Clark, Willis G., House
Citronelle
Battle House Royale
Mobile
Mobile City Hospital
Mobile
Ellicott Stone
Bucks
De Tonti Square Historic District
Mobile
Pincus Building
Mobile
Stone Street Baptist Church
Mobile
Oakleigh
Mobile
Leatherbury, George, House
Coden
Oakleigh Garden Historic District
Mobile
Spring Hill College Quadrangle
Mobile
Bragg-Mitchell House
Mobile
Barton Academy
Mobile
Church Street East Historic District
Mobile
Maysville Historic District
Mobile
Mount Vernon Arsenal-Searcy Hospital Complex
Mt. Vernon
Trinity Episcopal Church
Mobile
USS DRUM (submarine)
Mobile
U.S. Marine Hospital
Mobile
Magee, Jacob, House
Kushla
Davis Avenue Recreation Center
Mobile
Mobile City Hall
Mobile
Nanna Hubba Bluff
Stockton
Browse all Alabamahistoric sites ›

Other counties in Alabama

Explore census history and historic records for more Alabama counties.

CrenshawCullmanDaleDallasDeKalbElmoreEscambiaEtowahFayetteFranklinGenevaGreeneHaleHenryHoustonJacksonJeffersonLamarLauderdaleLawrence
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Everything a full report reveals about Mobile County, Alabama

This page charts the census history of Mobile County, Alabama. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Alabamahistory ›NRHP historic sites ›Military engagements ›Notable people from Alabama›

Frequently asked about Mobile

When does Mobile first appear in the US census?
Mobile, Alabama first appears in the federal census in 1820, with a recorded population of 2,672.
What is the population of Mobile?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Mobile had a recorded population of 414,809.
Were any battles fought in Mobile?
16 documented military engagements took place in Mobile, including De Soto – Battle near Mobile Bay 1540, Battle of Mobile (Spanish 1780), Capture of Fort Charlotte (Mobile).
How many historic places are in Mobile?
148 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Mobile, Alabama.
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