So you're thinking of moving to Alabama, however you're unsure you've completely mulled-over all the super-important details prior to reaching your decision. Well, potentially southern-bound good friend, you've 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 examine.
We don't blame you for desiring to transfer 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 gorgeous landscapes that'll have you clicking your shutter so quick your electronic camera starts steaming, to savory soul food, to seriously action-packed sporting events. Continue reading to find why you might just make Alabama your next relocation.
Job Market
According to U.S. Census data, about 4.875 million individuals currently live in the Cotton State. About 11,447 of those individuals moved here 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 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 few, according to zippia.com. The highest-paid careers consist of pediatrician, nurse anesthetist, administrative law dental expert, judge and orthodontist, mentions bizjournals.com.
The current unemployment rate is just 3.5%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Stats, so chances are quite excellent for discovering work upon your relocation. The federal minimum wage is the very same as the national average, however, at $7.25/ hour, states minimum-wage.
Don't forget that Alabama is home to NASA, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and the Marshall Space Flight Center. If you have actually got a love for all-things aeronautical, this could effectively be the new house 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 possibility 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 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 brand-new, too - zillow.com reveals that the majority of homes presently readily available were integrated in the years 2000-2010. Not only are odds excellent for you to discover an economical place to live, however you'll likewise be looking at newish homes, too.
That being stated, there's very little in the way of new construction popping 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 little bit in the northern end of the state, 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 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, locals can be a real combined bag. The consensus is that Alabamians enjoy to chatter, are passive-aggressive, and may just deceive you with their deceptive insults. The expression "bless your heart" is not implied warmly, but rather sardonically - and if you hear it, chances are great that once you have actually left, you'll be spoken about.
Don't let that deter 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 in fact do out of (buffooning) love.
You'll find yourself changing your vocabulary and pronunciations after a transfer to Alabama. The town of Burmingham, to Alabamians, has a silent 'g', and is noticable "Burmin'- ham". Due to the fact that you're partial to your consonants, do not be the loser who sticks out like a sore thumb simply. 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 popular event took place on December 1, 1955 - the day when Rosa Parks fearlessly 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, drawing in great deals of locals and travelers alike.
Individuals of the Cotton State adore BBQ - and we do mean CRAZY. They'll combat to the death (maybe not actually) over which dining establishment or local cookout provides the best. These are not conversations to be entered into gently. Be prepared to explain, and protect, 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 secretly dislike the tune will start to boogie. The song has actually made such an impression on the culture that it's even printed on license plates.
Alabamians pride themselves on their rich 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 locals like to observe a slower speed of life. These self-proclaimed "salt of the earth" types will make you forget your health-enthusiast methods 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 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 assembled of some of the state's piece de resistances.
Here simply a few of the state's can't- miss out on sights and activities:
U.S. Area & Rocket Center: Located 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 thought about 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 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 offers cave trips, camping sites, backpacking and hiking. It has the largest entryway of any business cavern in the world, and features a sparkly Gemstone 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 Street: Located in Summerdale, this swamp sanctuary has an elevated boardwalk including a too-close-for-comfort view of numerous alligators and various sort of wildlife. If you're into staring one of mankind's most significant natural predators almost right in the face, this is the location for you.
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 taking into account a short-and-sweet list of a few pros and cons of transferring to Alabama.
Low expense of living: It's clear 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 selected this as their brand-new house.
Nature + all 4 seasons: The surface of Alabama is widely-varied, consisting of beaches, forests and mountains. Since of this, there are lots of activities for all different types of outdoorsy types. Residents likewise like to explain that they experience all 4 seasons and see weather from all over the spectrum - from snow and ice storms to hot, humid summertimes and spring torrential rainstorms.
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 yearly music occasion. 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. Amongst them are the Exceptional Structure Chili Cook-Off, Taste of Homewood, BBQ for Building, Girls Inc. Cajun Cook-Off and BHamBurger Battle. Seriously, don't consume anything for a while prior to you show up here - you'll be packing your face in no time.
Distance to significant cities: Nashville, Atlanta, New Orleans and Memphis are simply day-trips away from the Heart of Dixie. This prime place lends itself to countless chances to see all sort of celebrations, shows, museums, state parks, shopping attractions and more. Did you really believe you 'd be tired here?
Humidity: Make that winter season humidity. While the humidity in the summer season is unquestionably bad, it's the winter 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. It may not be long prior to you're unpleasant here if you're not into feeling the extremes in every season.
Substance abuse: The more rural locations of the state have real problems 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 real struggle to split down on (no pun meant).
Severe read more storms: While experiencing all 4 seasons can be argued as a great thing, it also suggests that there's opportunity 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.
Strange Laws
We 'd be doing you a significant injustice if we left without giving you a list of a few of the strangest, lamest and downright dumbest laws still around in the state you're considering 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 few from onlyinyourstate.com:
Putting salt onto a railway track is punishable by death. They want to keep their railways without cattle, and they're truly serious about it.
It's prohibited to impersonate a priest. For real. 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 might cause laughter. Faith is no laughing matter to Alabamians.
It's unlawful to use a mask in public. Guy, so what are we supposed 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 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 provide you absolutely all the essential 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 decide (after possibly doing some further research study) if you can envision yourself in the Yellowhammer State, amongst the impressive and not-at-all intimidating rocket scientists, the rapid racecar drivers, the soul-filled foodies, and the always-hungry alligators. It's been a genuine pleasure assembling this guide for you, and we hope you have actually had your fill of Alabama goodies.
Best of luck - and do not forget to memorize "Sweet House Alabama."