So you're thinking about moving to Alabama, however you're not sure you've completely mulled-over all the super-important details prior to coming to your decision. Well, potentially southern-bound good friend, you've pertained to the ideal place - we've put together a convenient, delicious guide that will lay out some of the most crucial points for someone in your position to evaluate.
We do not blame you for desiring to move to the Heart of Dixie (as it's called) considering that the state is house to rocket scientists - Huntsville houses both the U.S. Area & Rocket Center and the Marshall Area Flight Center at the Redstone Arsenal. The U.S. Army's lead rocket engineer, Wernher von Braun, led NASA's rocketry program throughout the '60s.
What else does the Yellowhammer State need to offer, besides big advances in the area program and ridiculously wise individuals? Plenty - from beautiful landscapes that'll have you clicking your shutter so quick your electronic camera starts steaming, to tasty soul food, to seriously action-packed sporting events. Read on to discover why you might simply make Alabama your next relocation.
Job Market
According to U.S. Census data, about 4.875 million individuals presently reside in the Cotton State. Get this - 55% of the people in general in the U.S. who moved in the year 2017 moved to Alabama, according to the 2017 National Movers Research Study.
Well, for starters, the state has several fast-growing job fields, consisting of computer technology, physical therapy, nursing, occupational therapy, aircraft assembly and EMT, to call a couple of, according to zippia.com. The highest-paid careers include pediatrician, nurse anesthetist, administrative law dentist, judge and orthodontist, states bizjournals.com.
The present joblessness rate is simply 3.5%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Data, so odds are pretty good for finding work upon your move. The federal minimum wage is the exact same as the nationwide average, nevertheless, at $7.25/ hour, mentions minimum-wage.
Do not forget that Alabama is house to NASA, the U.S. Area & Rocket Center and the Marshall Space Flight. If you've got a love for all-things aeronautical, this could effectively be the new home of your dreams.
Real estate
You're most likely going to desire a location to live after you move (we're simply thinking), so what's the probability of discovering a brand-new location you'll love (and be able to manage) in the Yellowhammer State?
Well, zillow.com mentions that the mean worth of houses presently on the marketplace is $128,900, with a typical listing cost of $190,000. The mean home rent is $995/month, with one-bedroom houses averaging $824/month in Birmingham.
Homes in Alabama are mostly fairly new, too - zillow.com shows that most houses presently readily available were constructed in the years 2000-2010. Not only are odds good for you to discover a cost effective place to live, but you'll likewise be looking at newish residential or commercial properties, too.
That being said, there's not much in the method of brand-new building and construction turning up nowadays, according to zillow.com. A little is happening in central Alabama, around Birmingham; a little in the southwest corner, near Mobile; and a little bit in the northern end of the state, in and around Huntsville.
If less expensive housing, specifically around the state's hot-spots, interest you, you may just desire to set your sights on the Heart of Dixie.
Culture and Locals
When transferring to a new place, you may be curious about individuals there. Will they become your best buddies, or will they be the type to make you chain your doors and stare out of a slit in your blinds in overall fear?
According to residents, homeowners can be a real variety. The consensus is that Alabamians love to chatter, are passive-aggressive, and may just deceive you with their questionable insults. The expression "bless your heart" is not implied warmly, but rather sardonically - and if you hear it, chances are great that once you've left, you'll be spoken about.
Do not let that discourage you, though. Locals worry that the primary vibe of their state is among true southern hospitality - they use "sir" and "ma'am" out of regard, and will give you a warm welcome and great deals of food. They may refer to you as a Yankee if you're from the North, however this they actually do out of (buffooning) love.
You'll find yourself changing your vocabulary and pronunciations after a move to Alabama. Do not be the loser who sticks out like a sore thumb just due to the fact that you're partial to your consonants.
Yellowhammer State Trivia
Montgomery, Alabama was the where a well-known event happened on December 1, 1955 - the day when Rosa Parks fearlessly declined to quit her seat on the bus to a white guy. Today, to honor this local lady's act of bravery, the Rosa Parks Library and Museum stands in the town of Montgomery, attracting great deals of locals and travelers alike.
The individuals of the Cotton State are crazy about BARBEQUE - and we do mean CRAZY. They'll battle to the death (maybe not actually) over which dining establishment or local cookout serves up the finest.
Locals will CONSTANTLY rock out to "Sweet House Alabama" if it begins the radio, and they'll crank it as much as 11. When they hear that popular opening riff, even Alabamians who covertly dislike the tune will start to boogie. The tune has made such an impression on the culture that it's even printed on license plates.
Alabamians pride themselves on their abundant food and cultural pride. They have uncommon, supposedly lobster-tasting shrimp called "Royal Reds" from the Gulf of Mexico, fried green tomatoes, super-sweet tea (heavy on the sweet, light on the tea) and MoonPies - and they smother whatever in TABASCOĂ’ sauce.
It appears fitting, with a diet that abundant and heavy, that residents like to observe a slower pace of life. These self-proclaimed "salt of the earth" types will make you forget your health-enthusiast methods and have you grabbing seconds. Bring extra napkins.
Must-See Alabama Enjoyable + Activities
We understand you're already midway out the door, luggage in hand, prepared to make your move to the Heart of Dixie, however cool your jets for a moment. Before you go racing off like you're a motorist at Talladega Superspeedway, have a look at this list we have actually compiled of some of the state's piece de resistances.
Here just a few of the state's can't- miss out on sights and activities:
U.S. Area & Rocket Center: Found in Huntsville, this museum includes access to the historic Shuttle bus Park and Rocket Park and showcases special artifacts from the country's area expedition. It's considered to be the world's largest area museum, and outlines the history of the U.S. space program. It's likewise house to the yearly, highly expected Area Camp program featuring the Aviation Difficulty, in which trainees undergo training in flight simulators.
Vulcan statue: In Birmingham, the world's tallest cast iron statue stands a remarkable 56 feet high. Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and forge, represents the state's roots in the iron and steel market - and he's sort of a big deal. His 100th birthday was a substantial celebration that drew a crowd of more than 100,000 people.
Cathedral Caverns State Park: Found in Woodville, this park uses cave tours, camping areas, backpacking and hiking. It has the widest entrance of any industrial cavern in the world, and includes a sparkly Gems Mine with a gem mining experience available to all ages.
Talladega Superspeedway: AKA NASCAR's "most significant and baddest" track, it lies in Lincoln and includes a hugely expected annual NASCAR race, the Alabama 500. The race chooses 188 laps, covering simply over 500 miles. Now that's a lot of high-speed left turns.
Alligator Alley: Located in Summerdale, this overload sanctuary has a raised boardwalk including a too-close-for-comfort view of numerous alligators and various kinds of wildlife. This is the place for you if you're into staring one of mankind's most significant natural predators virtually right in the face.
Benefits and drawbacks of Residing In the Heart of Dixie
Before you perfect your BBQ dish and run to see the alligators and the world's highest Vulcan, we believed it may be worth taking into account a short-and-sweet list of a few advantages and disadvantages of relocating to Alabama.
Low expense of living: It's obvious that realty in the Cotton State is pretty cheap, and taxes are pretty low. We presume that's simply among the huge reasons that 55% of relocators nationwide in 2017 chose this as their new home.
Nature + all 4 seasons: The terrain of Alabama is widely-varied, consisting of beaches, forests and mountains. Since of this, there are lots of activities for all various types of outdoorsy types. Residents likewise like to mention that they experience all 4 seasons and see weather condition from all over the spectrum - from snow and ice storms to hot, damp summer seasons and spring torrential rainstorms.
Music: Due to the fact that of its area, the Yellowhammer State draws great deals of huge music acts each year. The Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores is the state's biggest yearly music occasion. Huge names in all categories - varying from jazz to rock 'n' roll to nation - make appearances here.
Food: As we have actually currently pointed out, Alabamians are die-hard foodies. The town of Birmingham alone has a massive 28 various food festivals every year.
Proximity to major cities: Nashville, Atlanta, New Orleans and Memphis are just day-trips far from the Heart of Dixie. This prime area provides itself to numerous opportunities to see all kinds of celebrations, shows, museums, state parks, shopping tourist attractions and more. Did you really think you 'd be bored here?
Humidity: Make that winter humidity. While the humidity in the summer is undeniably bad, it's the winter season that separates die-hard Alabamians from wannabees - the additional wetness triggers cold temperatures to feel absolutely freezing. Residents state that it's not uncommon for a 45-degree day on the thermometer to feel closer to 10 degrees. It might not be long prior to you're miserable here if you're not into feeling the extremes in every season.
Substance abuse: The more backwoods of the state have real problems with hardship, homelessness and block after block of deserted houses. With this naturally comes problematic drug usage, and in Alabama's case, methamphetamine laboratories are a real struggle to punish (no pun meant).
Serious storms: While experiencing all four seasons can be argued as an excellent thing, it also implies that there's chance for all sort of stormy weather - and this state sees a few of the most serious. For starters, it is among the most active twister states. The spring and fall seasons bring heavy thunderstorms, and mid-year brings hurricanes. At any time of year, residents undergo durations of seemingly random rainstorms, that can stop as rapidly as they start. Locals joke, "If you do not like the weather here, wait five minutes."
Unusual Laws
We 'd be doing you a significant disservice if we left without offering you a list of some of the strangest, lamest and downright dumbest laws still around in the state you're thinking about making your next homeland. We've compiled a couple of that'll have you raising an eyebrow in no time.
Here are just a couple of from onlyinyourstate.com:
Putting salt onto a railroad track is punishable by death. They wish to keep their railways without livestock, and they're actually severe about it.
It's unlawful to impersonate a priest. Genuine. Stop practicing your impression in the mirror, and put your comedic efforts towards brand-new material - you'll thank us later on.
Since it could trigger laughter, it's illegal to use a fake moustache in church. (See? We informed you they were super-serious about their church.) Religion is no laughing matter to Alabamians.
It's unlawful to use a mask in public. Guy, so what are we here expected to do on Halloween?
It's unlawful to play dominoes on Sunday. It interrupts the day of rest.
Prepared for Landing in the Heart of Dixie
Well good friends, there you have it - a carefully created guide to some of the primary consideration points for irreversible relocation. Naturally, we can't state and lie that we're able to offer you absolutely all the essential details that could affect your decision (we 'd be here for days), however it's our hope that we've provided you an excellent launching pad to fire up your choice rocket from.
Now it's up to you to choose (after possibly doing some additional research study) if you can envision yourself in the Yellowhammer State, amongst the not-at-all and excellent challenging rocket scientists, the quick racecar drivers, the soul-filled foodies, and the always-hungry alligators. It's been a genuine satisfaction compiling this guide for you, and we hope you have actually had your fill of Alabama goodies.
All the best - and don't forget to remember "Sweet Home Alabama."