You're thinking of moving to Alabama, however you're not sure you have actually thoroughly mulled-over all the super-important information before getting here at your decision. Well, potentially southern-bound good friend, you've pertained to the right location - we've put together a handy, delicious guide that will outline some of the most crucial points for someone in your position to examine.
We don't blame you for desiring to relocate to the Heart of Dixie (as it's called) considering that the state is house to rocket researchers - Huntsville houses 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 offer, besides big advances in the area program and ridiculously clever people? Plenty - from stunning landscapes that'll have you clicking your shutter so quick your camera starts steaming, to savory soul food, to seriously action-packed sporting events. Continue reading to find why you may just make Alabama your next relocation.
Task Market
According to U.S. Census data, about 4.875 million individuals currently reside in the Cotton State. About 11,447 of those individuals moved here between 2016 and 2017. Also, get this - 55% of individuals overall in the U.S. who moved in the year 2017 transferred to Alabama, according to the 2017 National Movers Research Study. So why are a lot of people are gathering here?
Well, for beginners, the state has several fast-growing job fields, consisting of computer technology, physical therapy, nursing, occupational therapy, airplane assembly and Emergency Medical Technician, to call a couple of, according to zippia.com. The highest-paid careers include pediatrician, nurse anesthetist, administrative law dental professional, judge and orthodontist, specifies bizjournals.com.
The existing 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 considering that 2010, when it was a much-higher 11.9%. The federal base pay is the exact same as the nationwide average, nevertheless, at $7.25/ hour, mentions minimum-wage. org.
Do not forget that Alabama is house to NASA, the U.S. Area & Rocket Center and the Marshall Space Flight Center. This might very well be the new home 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 states that the median value of homes currently on the market is $128,900, with an average listing price of $190,000. The median home rent is $995/month, with one-bedroom apartments 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 decade 2000-2010. So not only are odds great for you to find an economical place to live, but you'll likewise be taking a look at newish residential or commercial properties, too.
That being said, there's not much 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 just want 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, locals can be a real variety. The consensus is that Alabamians love to chatter, are passive-aggressive, and may just fool you with their questionable insults. The expression "bless your heart" is not implied warmly, but rather sarcastically - and if you hear it, chances are great that when 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 lots of food. They may refer to you as a Yankee if you're from the North, however this they really do out of (mocking) 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 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 lots of residents and tourists 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 approximately 11. Even Alabamians who secretly hate the tune will begin to boogie when they hear that well-known opening riff. 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 currently midway out the door, luggage in hand, prepared to make your relocation 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, have a look at this list we have actually compiled of some of the state's piece de resistances.
Here simply a few of the state's can't- miss sights and activities:
U.S. Area & Rocket Center: Located in Huntsville, this museum consists of access to the historic Shuttle Park and Rocket Park and showcases distinct artifacts from the nation's area exploration. It's considered to be the world's biggest space museum, and details the history of the U.S. area program. It's also house to the yearly, highly prepared for Space Camp program featuring the Air travel Challenge, in which students go through training in flight simulators.
Vulcan statue: In Birmingham, the world's highest 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 event that drew a crowd of more than 100,000 individuals.
Cathedral Caverns State Park: Located in Woodville, this park provides cavern trips, campsites, backpacking and treking. It has the best entrance of any commercial cave in the world, and includes a sparkly Gems Mine with a gem mining experience readily available to all ages.
Talladega Superspeedway: AKA NASCAR's "most significant and baddest" track, it lies 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 a raised boardwalk including a too-close-for-comfort view of numerous alligators and various kinds of wildlife. If you're into staring one of humanity's most significant natural predators virtually right in the face, this is the location for you.
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 taking into account a short-and-sweet list of a couple of pros and cons of moving to Alabama.
Low cost of living: It's obvious that property in the Cotton State is quite low-cost, and taxes are quite low. We suspect that's just one of the big reasons that 55% of relocators across the country in 2017 picked this as their brand-new house.
Nature + all four seasons: The surface of Alabama is widely-varied, including forests, beaches and mountains. Due to the fact that of this, there are a lot of activities for all various types of outdoorsy types. 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 summertimes and springtime torrential downpours.
Music: Since of its place, the Yellowhammer State draws great deals of big music acts each year. The Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores is the state's largest annual music event. Big check here names in all genres - ranging from jazz to rock 'n' roll to country - make appearances here.
Food: As we've already mentioned, Alabamians are die-hard foodies. The town of Birmingham alone has a whopping 28 different food celebrations every year. Amongst them are the Exceptional Structure Chili Cook-Off, Taste of Homewood, BARBEQUE for Structure, Girls Inc. Cajun Cook-Off and BHamBurger Battle. Seriously, don't 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 unquestionably bad, it's the winter that separates die-hard Alabamians from wannabees - the extra 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 rural locations of the state have genuine problems with poverty, homelessness and block after block of deserted homes. With this naturally comes troublesome drug use, and in Alabama's case, methamphetamine laboratories are a genuine struggle to crack down on (no pun intended).
Severe storms: While experiencing all 4 seasons can be argued as a great thing, it also suggests that there's chance for all kinds of stormy weather condition - and this state sees some of the most serious. For starters, it's one of the most active twister states.
Odd Laws
We 'd be doing you a major injustice if we left without providing 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 assembled 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 want to keep their railways without livestock, and they're truly serious about it.
It's prohibited to impersonate a priest. For real. So stop click here practicing your impression in the mirror, and put your comedic efforts towards brand-new material - you'll thank us later on.
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. Guy, so what are we 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. Of course, we can't lie and state that we have the ability to give you definitely all the important information that could influence your choice (we 'd be here for days), but it's our hope that we have actually given you an excellent launching pad to fire up your choice rocket from.
Now it's up to you to decide (after possibly doing some further here research study) if you can envision yourself in the Yellowhammer State, amongst the impressive 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 satisfaction compiling this guide for you, and we hope you have actually had your fill of Alabama goodies.
Best of luck - and do not forget to remember "Sweet House Alabama."