You're thinking of moving to Alabama, but 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 friend, you have actually come to the right location - we have actually assembled a handy, yummy guide that will outline some of the most crucial points for someone in your position to examine.
We do not blame you for wishing to move 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 Space 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 clever people? Plenty - from lovely landscapes that'll have you clicking your shutter so fast your cam starts steaming, to tasty soul food, to seriously action-packed sporting occasions. Continue reading to discover why you might simply make Alabama your next move.
Task Market
According to U.S. Census data, about 4.875 million people presently reside in the Cotton State. About 11,447 of those individuals moved here in between 2016 and 2017. Get this - 55% of the people overall in the U.S. who moved in the year 2017 moved to Alabama, according to the 2017 National Movers Research Study. So why are many people are gathering here?
Well, for starters, the state has several fast-growing job fields, consisting of computer system science, physical therapy, nursing, occupational therapy, airplane assembly and Emergency Medical Technician, among others, according to zippia.com. The highest-paid careers consist of pediatrician, nurse anesthetist, administrative law orthodontist, judge and dental professional, mentions bizjournals.com.
The existing joblessness rate is simply 3.5%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, so odds are respectable 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.
Don't forget that Alabama is home to NASA, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and the Marshall Space Flight. This might really well be the brand-new house of your dreams if you have actually got a love for all-things aeronautical.
Housing
You're probably going to desire a place to live after you move (we're just guessing), so what's the probability of discovering a brand-new location you'll like (and have the ability to afford) in the Yellowhammer State?
Well, zillow.com specifies that the average worth of houses presently on the marketplace is $128,900, with a typical listing rate of $190,000. The typical house lease is $995/month, with one-bedroom homes balancing $824/month in Birmingham.
Residences in Alabama are primarily relatively brand-new, too - zillow.com reveals that the majority of homes presently offered were integrated in the years 2000-2010. So not just are chances great for you to discover a budget friendly location to live, but you'll also be looking at newish properties, too.
That being stated, there's not much in the way of brand-new building and construction turning up nowadays, according to zillow.com. A little is occurring in central Alabama, in and around Birmingham; a little in the southwest corner, near Mobile; and a tiny bit in the northern end of the state, around Huntsville.
If more affordable housing, especially around the state's hot-spots, appeals to you, you might simply wish to set your sights on the Heart of Dixie.
Culture and Locals
When moving to a new location, you might be curious about the people 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 overall paranoia?
According to residents, homeowners can be a genuine blended bag. The consensus is that Alabamians enjoy 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. Locals 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 find yourself changing your vocabulary and pronunciations after a move to Alabama. The town of Burmingham, to Alabamians, has a silent 'g', and is noticable "Burmin'- ham". Don't be the loser who protrudes like a sore thumb even if you like your consonants. In addition, Alabamians have their own catch-phrase when they're ready to act: "Fixin' to."
Yellowhammer State Trivia
Montgomery, Alabama was the where a well-known event happened on December 1, 1955 - the day when Rosa Parks bravely declined to give up her seat on the bus to a white male. Today, to honor this local female's act of bravery, the Rosa Parks Library and Museum stands in the town of Montgomery, drawing in great deals of tourists and residents alike.
The people of the Cotton click here State are insane about BBQ - and we do indicate CRAZY. They'll fight to the death (perhaps not actually) over which restaurant or regional cookout serves up the best.
Residents will ALWAYS rock out to "Sugary Food Home Alabama" if it begins the radio, and they'll crank it up to 11. When they hear that well-known opening riff, even Alabamians who secretly hate the tune will begin to boogie. The song 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 rare, apparently 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 everything in TABASCOĂ’ sauce.
It appears fitting, with a diet that abundant and heavy, 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 here ways and have you grabbing seconds. Bring additional napkins.
Must-See Alabama Fun + Activities
We understand you're already midway out the door, luggage in hand, ready to make your relocation to the Heart of Dixie, but cool your jets for a moment. Prior to you go racing off like you're a driver 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 activities and sights:
U.S. Space & Rocket Center: Found in Huntsville, this museum consists of access to the historic Shuttle bus Park and Rocket Park and showcases special artifacts from the country's space 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 annual, extremely prepared for 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 deal. His 100th birthday was a big event that drew a crowd of more than 100,000 individuals.
Cathedral Caverns State Park: Located in Woodville, this park provides cavern trips, campgrounds, backpacking and treking. It has the best entrance of any commercial collapse 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 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 swamp 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 almost right in the face, this is the location for you.
Pros and Cons of Living in the Heart of Dixie
Prior to 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 benefits and drawbacks 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 believe that's just one of the big reasons that 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 mountains, beaches and forests. Since of this, there are a lot of activities for all various types of outdoorsy types. Residents 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 place, the Yellowhammer State draws lots of big music acts each year. The Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores is the state's largest annual music event. Big 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 various food celebrations every year.
Distance to significant cities: Nashville, Atlanta, New Orleans and Memphis are just day-trips away from the Heart of Dixie. This prime place lends itself to countless opportunities to see all sort of celebrations, performances, museums, state parks, going shopping tourist attractions and more. Did you truly think you 'd be bored here?
While the humidity in the summer season is undoubtedly bad, it's the winter season that separates die-hard Alabamians from wannabees - the extra moisture triggers cold temperature levels to feel absolutely frigid. Locals state that it's not unusual for a 45-degree day on the thermometer to feel closer to 10 degrees.
Drug usage: The more rural areas of the state have real issues with hardship, homelessness and block after block of abandoned houses. With this naturally comes problematic drug usage, and in Alabama's case, methamphetamine laboratories are a genuine struggle to crack down on (no pun planned).
Serious storms: While experiencing all four seasons can be argued as an advantage, it likewise check here implies that there's opportunity 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. The spring and fall seasons bring heavy thunderstorms, and mid-year brings cyclones. At any time of year, citizens are subject to durations of apparently random downpours, that can stop as quickly as they begin. Residents joke, "If you don't like the weather here, wait 5 minutes."
Unusual Laws
We 'd be doing you a major 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 without cattle, and they're actually major about it.
It's illegal to impersonate a priest. Genuine. Stop practicing your impression in the mirror, and put your comical efforts towards new material - you'll thank us later on.
Since it might trigger laughter, it's illegal to use a fake moustache in church. (See? We informed you they were super-serious about their church.) Religious beliefs 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 prohibited to play dominoes on Sunday. It disrupts the day of rest.
Gotten ready for Landing in the Heart of Dixie
Well good friends, there you have it - a carefully developed guide to a few of the main contemplation points for long-term relocation. Obviously, we can't state and lie that we're able to provide you absolutely all the essential details that might affect 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 depends on you to decide (after potentially doing some more research) if you can picture yourself in the Yellowhammer State, among the not-at-all and outstanding 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 do not forget to remember "Sweet House Alabama."