So you're considering relocating to Alabama, but you're not exactly sure you've completely mulled-over all the super-important details prior to reaching your decision. Well, potentially southern-bound friend, you have actually pertained to the right location - 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 wishing to transfer to the Heart of Dixie (as it's called) thinking about that the state is home to rocket researchers - Huntsville homes both the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and the Marshall Area Flight Center at the Redstone Toolbox. 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 have to use, besides huge advances in the area program and extremely 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. Keep reading to discover why you might simply make Alabama your next move.
Job Market
According to U.S. Census data, about 4.875 million individuals presently reside in the Cotton State. Get this - 55% of the individuals in general in the U.S. who moved in the year 2017 moved to Alabama, according to the 2017 National Movers Study.
Well, for starters, the state has several fast-growing task fields, consisting of computer science, physical treatment, nursing, occupational therapy, aircraft assembly and EMT, among others, according to zippia.com. The highest-paid careers include pediatrician, nurse anesthetist, administrative law orthodontist, dentist and judge, states bizjournals.com.
The existing joblessness rate is simply 3.5%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Data, so chances are quite 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 extremely well 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 just guessing), so what's the probability of discovering a brand-new location you'll like (and be able to afford) in the Yellowhammer State?
Well, zillow.com states that the average value of homes currently on the market is $128,900, with an average listing price of $190,000. The average 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 currently available were built 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 way of brand-new building and construction appearing nowadays, according to zillow.com. A little is happening in main Alabama, around Birmingham; a little in the southwest corner, near Mobile; and a small bit in the northern end of the state, in and around Huntsville.
If cheaper real estate, particularly around the state's hot-spots, attract you, you may simply wish to set your sights on the Heart of Dixie.
Culture and Locals
When moving to a brand-new location, you might be curious about the individuals there. Will they become your buddies, or will they be the type to make you chain your doors and gaze out of a slit in your blinds in total fear?
According to residents, locals can be a real mixed bag. The agreement is that Alabamians like to gossip, are passive-aggressive, and might just fool you with their questionable insults. The expression "bless your heart" is not indicated warmly, but rather sarcastically - and if you hear it, chances are great that once you have actually left, you'll be spoken about.
Don't let that discourage you. Residents stress that the main ambiance of their state is one of real southern hospitality - they utilize "sir" and "ma'am" out of respect, and will offer you a warm welcome and great deals of food. They may describe you as a Yankee if you're from the North, but this they actually do out of (buffooning) love.
You'll discover yourself adjusting your vocabulary and pronunciations after a move to Alabama. Do not be the loser who sticks out like a sore thumb simply since you're partial to your consonants.
Yellowhammer State Trivia
Montgomery, Alabama was the where a famous occasion took place on December 1, 1955 - the day when Rosa Parks fearlessly refused to offer up 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 tourists and locals alike.
The people of the Cotton State love BBQ - and we do suggest CRAZY. They'll combat to the death (maybe not literally) over which dining establishment or regional cookout provides the very best. These are not conversations to be entered into gently. Be prepared to explain, and safeguard, your stance.
Locals will CONSTANTLY rock out to "Sweet House Alabama" if it comes on 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 heavy and rich, 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 ways and have you grabbing seconds. Bring extra napkins.
Must-See Alabama Enjoyable + Activities
We know check here you're already midway out the door, luggage in hand, ready to make your transfer to the Heart of Dixie, however cool your jets for a moment. Prior to you go racing off like you're a motorist at Talladega Superspeedway, check out this list we have actually compiled of some of the state's primary attractions.
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 historical Shuttle bus Park and Rocket Park and showcases unique artifacts from the nation's area exploration. It's considered to be the world's biggest area museum, and describes the history of the U.S. area program. It's likewise home to the annual, extremely anticipated Space Camp program including the Aviation Challenge, in which trainees go through training in flight simulators.
Vulcan statue: In Birmingham, the world's tallest cast iron statue stands an excellent 56 feet high. Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and create, represents the state's roots in the iron and steel industry - and he's type of a huge offer. His 100th birthday was a huge event that drew a crowd of more than 100,000 individuals.
Cathedral Caverns State Park: Located in Woodville, this park provides cave trips, campsites, hiking and backpacking. It has the largest entryway of any business collapse the world, and features a sparkly Gemstone Mine with a gem mining experience offered to any ages.
Talladega Superspeedway: AKA NASCAR's "greatest and baddest" track, it's situated in Lincoln and includes an extremely anticipated 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 an elevated boardwalk including a too-close-for-comfort view of numerous alligators and various kinds of wildlife. This is the location for you if you're into gazing one of humanity's most significant natural predators almost right in the face.
Benefits and drawbacks of Living in the Heart of Dixie
Before you ideal your BARBEQUE dish and run to see the alligators and the world's highest Vulcan, we believed it may be worth thinking about a short-and-sweet list of a more info few advantages and disadvantages of transferring to Alabama.
Low expense of living: It's no trick that genuine estate in the Cotton State is pretty cheap, and taxes are pretty low. We think that's simply among the huge factors why 55% of relocators across the country in 2017 picked this as their new home.
Nature + all four seasons: The terrain of Alabama is widely-varied, including forests, beaches and mountains. There are plenty of activities for all various breeds of outdoorsy types because of this. Locals also like to point out that they experience all four seasons and see weather from all over the spectrum - from snow and ice storms to hot, humid summers and springtime torrential downpours.
Music: Because of its location, the Yellowhammer State draws lots of huge music acts each year. The Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores is the state's largest yearly music occasion. Huge names in all categories - varying from jazz to rock 'n' roll to nation - emerge here.
Food: As we have actually currently discussed, Alabamians are die-hard foodies. In truth, the town of Birmingham alone has a massive 28 various food celebrations every year. Among them are the Exceptional Foundation Chili Cook-Off, Taste of Homewood, BBQ for Structure, Girls Inc. Cajun Cook-Off and BHamBurger Fight. Seriously, do not consume anything for a while prior to you arrive here - you'll be stuffing your face in no time.
Distance to major cities: Nashville, Atlanta, New Orleans and Memphis are just day-trips away from the Heart of Dixie. This prime location provides itself to numerous opportunities to see all kinds of celebrations, performances, museums, state parks, going shopping tourist attractions and more. Did you truly think you 'd be bored here?
Humidity: Make that winter humidity. While the humidity in the summer is undoubtedly bad, it's the winter season that separates die-hard Alabamians from wannabees - the additional wetness causes cold temperatures to feel absolutely freezing. Residents say that it's not uncommon for a 45-degree day on the thermometer to feel closer to 10 degrees. If you're not into feeling the extremes in every season, it may not be long prior to you're unpleasant here.
Substance abuse: The more backwoods of the state have real issues with hardship, homelessness and block after block of abandoned houses. With this naturally comes bothersome substance abuse, and in Alabama's case, methamphetamine laboratories are a real struggle to punish (no pun meant).
Extreme storms: While experiencing all four seasons can be argued as an excellent thing, it likewise implies that there's chance for all kinds of rainy weather - and this state sees some of the most extreme. For beginners, it's one of the most active tornado states.
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 out there 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 railway track is punishable by death. They wish to keep their railways devoid of cattle, and they're truly serious about it.
It's prohibited to impersonate a priest. Genuine. Stop practicing your impression in the mirror, and put your comedic efforts towards new product - you'll thank us later.
It's unlawful to wear a phony moustache in church because it might cause laughter. Faith is no laughing matter to Alabamians.
It's illegal to use a mask in public. Man, so what are we expected to do on Halloween?
It's unlawful to play dominoes on Sunday. It interrupts the day of rest. Duh. You understand how heated those dominoes matches can get!
Prepared for Landing in the Heart of Dixie
Well good friends, there you have it - a carefully created guide to a few of the main reflection points for long-term moving. Obviously, we can't lie and state that we have the ability to provide you definitely all the important information 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 visualize yourself in the Yellowhammer State, amongst the outstanding and not-at-all intimidating rocket researchers, the speedy racecar chauffeurs, the soul-filled foodies, and the always-hungry alligators. It's been a genuine pleasure assembling this guide for you, and we hope you've had your fill of Alabama goodies.
Great luck - and do not forget to memorize "Sugary food House Alabama."