4 census tracts · pop 7,382 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 5.3/10
· range 4.9–5.7
Mertz is a black (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Mobile with 4 census tracts and a population of 7,382 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 5.3/10 (Moderate tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 45% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 33% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $907/month sits 15% lower than the Mobile citywide average ($1,068).
Risk score
5.3
Moderate
4 tracts · population-weighted
Mertz vs MobileHow this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average
Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+
Racial/ethnic minority95%ile
Hispanic + non-white share of population
Housing & transport53%ile
Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle
Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab
Court-record eviction history in Mertz
Aggregated across 4 validated constituent tracts. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.
Historic baseline (2000–2018)
1,638Total filings (sum)
8.10%Avg annual filing rate
30.4%Peak year (2006)
7.83%Latest filed (2016)
CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted
Eviction-adjacent indicators in Mertz
Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.
31.3%Housing insecurity
24.8%Utility shutoff threat
45.1%Food insecurity
41.9%SNAP enrollment
14.5%No health insurance
46.6%Any disability
Frequently asked
About Mertz
Q1
What is the eviction-risk score for Mertz?
Mertz scores 5.3/10 (Moderate tier) across 4 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.
Q2
How does Mertz compare to Mobile overall?
Mertz scores 2.5 points higher than Mobile overall (2.8/10). Renters spend 45% of income on rent vs 33% citywide. Average rent: $907 vs $1,068.
Q3
What is the average rent in Mertz?
Average gross rent in Mertz is $907/month (pop-weighted across 4 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 45% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Q4
What percentage of Mertz residents are renters?
61% of Mertz households are renter-occupied (vs 46% in Mobile). The neighborhood has 7,382 residents.
Q5
Is Mertz a high social-vulnerability area?
Mertz sits in the 81st percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (highly vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.
Q6
Which tracts in Mertz have the highest eviction risk?
The highest-risk constituent tract in Mertz is census tract 01097001400 (score 5.7/10). Across the 4 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 4.9 to 5.7, a spread of 0.8 points.
Q7
How safe is Mertz for landlords?
Mertz carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (5.3/10). Pop-weighted across 4 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Mobile as a whole (2.8/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.
Q8
What is the demographic breakdown of Mertz?
Mertz has 7,299 residents (Black (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: Black (non-Hispanic) (89.8%), White (non-Hispanic) (6.4%), Other / Multiracial (3.6%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.
