So you're thinking of moving to Alabama, however you're not sure you've completely mulled-over all the super-important details prior to reaching your decision. Well, potentially southern-bound friend, you have actually come to the right location - we have actually assembled a handy, yummy guide that will outline a few 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) considering 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 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 use, besides big advances in the area program and ridiculously wise individuals? Plenty - from gorgeous 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. Continue reading 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 treatment, airplane assembly and Emergency Medical Technician, to name a few, according to zippia.com. The highest-paid professions consist of pediatrician, nurse anesthetist, administrative law dental practitioner, judge and orthodontist, states bizjournals.com.
The present joblessness rate is simply 3.5%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, so odds are pretty great for discovering work upon your relocation. This number has also been on a good, consistent decrease given that 2010, when it was a much-higher 11.9%. The federal base pay is the very same as the national average, nevertheless, at $7.25/ hour, states minimum-wage. org.
Do not forget that Alabama is house to NASA, the U.S. Area & Rocket Center and the Marshall Area Flight Center. This might really well be the brand-new house of your dreams if you've got a love for all-things aeronautical.
Housing
You're probably going to want a place to live after you move (we're just guessing), so what's the likelihood of finding a new place 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 house lease is $995/month, with one-bedroom apartment or condos balancing $824/month in Birmingham.
Residences in Alabama are primarily relatively brand-new, too - zillow.com reveals that the majority of homes presently readily available were constructed in the years 2000-2010. Not only are odds good for you to find an affordable place to live, however you'll likewise be looking at newish properties, too.
That being said, there's very little in the method of brand-new building popping up these days, according to zillow.com. A little is taking place in main 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 cheaper real estate, particularly around the state's hot-spots, attract you, you may simply desire to set your sights on the Heart of Dixie.
Culture and Locals
When moving to a new location, you might be curious about individuals there. Will they become your friends, or will they be the type to make you chain your doors and gaze out of a slit in your blinds in total paranoia?
According to residents, citizens can be a real combined bag. The consensus is that Alabamians enjoy to chatter, are passive-aggressive, and may just deceive you with their questionable insults. The phrase "bless your heart" is not meant warmly, however rather sardonically - and if you hear it, odds are good that once you have actually left, you'll be discussed.
Don't let that deter you. Locals stress that the primary 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 lots of food. They might describe you as a Yankee if you're from the North, but this they in fact do out of (mocking) love.
You'll find yourself changing your vocabulary and pronunciations after a relocate to Alabama. The town of Burmingham, to Alabamians, has a silent 'g', and is noticable "Burmin'- ham". Don't lose who stands out like a sore thumb simply since you're partial to your consonants. In addition, Alabamians have their own catch-phrase when they're prepared to do something about it: "Fixin' to."
Yellowhammer State Trivia
Montgomery, Alabama was the where a famous event took place on December 1, 1955 - the day when Rosa Parks bravely refused to quit her seat on the bus to a white man. Today, to honor this regional woman's act of bravery, the Rosa Parks Library and Museum stands in the town of Montgomery, bring in great deals of locals and travelers alike.
The individuals of the Cotton State are crazy about BARBEQUE - and we do imply CRAZY. They'll battle to the death (perhaps not actually) over which restaurant or regional cookout serves up the finest.
Locals will CONSTANTLY rock out to "Sweet House Alabama" if it comes on the radio, and they'll crank it as website 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 abundant, that locals like to observe a slower speed of life. These self-proclaimed "salt of the earth" types will make you forget your health-enthusiast ways and have you reaching for seconds. Bring additional napkins.
Must-See Alabama Fun + Activities
We understand you're already midway out the door, travel luggage in hand, ready to make your transfer 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, 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 historic Shuttle bus Park and Rocket Park and showcases unique artifacts from the country's area expedition. It's considered to be the world's largest 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 outstanding 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 kind of a huge offer. His 100th birthday was a huge celebration that drew a crowd of more than 100,000 individuals.
Cathedral Caverns State Park: Located in Woodville, this park offers cavern trips, campsites, treking and backpacking. It has the best entryway of any commercial collapse the world, and features a sparkly Gems Mine with a gem mining experience readily available to all ages.
Talladega Superspeedway: AKA NASCAR's "biggest and baddest" track, it's located in Lincoln and includes an extremely anticipated annual NASCAR race, the Alabama 500. The race opts for 188 laps, covering simply over 500 miles. Now that's a great deal 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 looking one of humanity's greatest natural predators almost right in the face.
Pros and Cons of Living in the Heart of Dixie
Before you ideal your BARBEQUE dish and run to see the alligators and the world's tallest Vulcan, we thought it might be worth thinking about a short-and-sweet list of a couple of benefits and drawbacks of relocating to Alabama.
Low cost of living: It's no secret that real estate in the Cotton State is pretty inexpensive, and taxes are quite low. We believe that's just one of the big reasons 55% of relocators nationwide in 2017 selected this as their brand-new house.
Nature + all 4 seasons: The surface of Alabama is widely-varied, consisting of beaches, forests and mountains. There are plenty of activities for all various types of outdoorsy types due to the fact that of this. 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've already discussed, Alabamians are die-hard foodies. In truth, the town of Birmingham alone has a massive 28 different food festivals every year. Among them are the Exceptional Foundation Chili Cook-Off, Taste of Homewood, BARBEQUE for Structure, Girls Inc. Cajun Cook-Off and BHamBurger Fight. Seriously, do not eat anything for a while before you arrive here - you'll be stuffing your face in no time.
Proximity 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 festivals, performances, museums, state parks, going shopping destinations and more. Did you truly think you 'd be bored here?
While the humidity in the summertime is undeniably bad, it's the winter that separates die-hard Alabamians from wannabees - the additional wetness triggers 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.
Substance abuse: The more backwoods of the state have real problems with hardship, homelessness and block after block of deserted homes. With this naturally comes troublesome substance abuse, and in Alabama's case, methamphetamine labs are a real battle to punish (no pun meant).
Severe storms: While experiencing all 4 seasons can be argued as a good idea, it also means that there's chance for all type of stormy weather - and this state sees a few of the most serious. For starters, it is among the most active tornado states. The spring and fall seasons bring heavy thunderstorms, and mid-year brings hurricanes. At any time of year, residents undergo periods of seemingly random rainstorms, that can stop as rapidly as here they start. Locals joke, "If you do not like the weather here, wait five minutes."
Weird Laws
We 'd be doing you a significant disservice if we left without giving you a list of a few of the strangest, lamest and downright dumbest laws still out there in the state you're thinking about making your next homeland. We have actually 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. So stop practicing your impression in the mirror, and put your comedic efforts towards brand-new material - you'll thank us later on.
It's prohibited to wear a phony moustache in church since it could trigger laughter. (See? We told you they were super-serious about their church.) 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 illegal 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 friends, there you have it - a carefully created guide to some of the primary consideration points for irreversible relocation. Naturally, we can't lie and say that we're able to offer you absolutely all the crucial details that might influence your decision (we 'd be here for days), however it's our hope that we've offered you a good introducing pad to fire up your decision rocket from.
Now it's up to you to choose (after potentially doing some additional research) if you can visualize yourself in the Yellowhammer State, amongst the outstanding and not-at-all challenging rocket scientists, the quick racecar drivers, the soul-filled foodies, and the always-hungry alligators. It's been a genuine pleasure compiling this guide for you, and we hope you have actually had your fill of Alabama goodies.
Good luck - and do not forget to remember "Sweet House Alabama."