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 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 wishing to relocate to the Heart of Dixie (as it's called) considering that the state is house to rocket scientists - Huntsville houses both the U.S. Area & Rocket Center and the Marshall Space 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 substantial advances in the space program and extremely smart individuals? Plenty - from lovely 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. Read on to discover why you may simply make Alabama your next move.
Task Market
According to U.S. Census information, about 4.875 million people currently live in the Cotton State. Get this - 55% of the individuals overall in the U.S. who moved in the year 2017 moved to Alabama, according to the 2017 National Movers Research Study.
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 judge, dentist and orthodontist, mentions bizjournals.com.
The present joblessness rate is simply 3.5%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Data, so odds are pretty 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.
Don't forget that Alabama is home to NASA, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and the Marshall Area Flight. If you have actually got a love for all-things aerial, this might extremely well be the brand-new home of your dreams.
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 typical 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.
Homes in Alabama are mostly fairly new, too - zillow.com shows that most houses currently available were integrated in the years 2000-2010. Not only are chances excellent for you to discover a budget-friendly place to live, but you'll also be looking at newish homes, too.
That being stated, there's very little in the method of new building 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 more affordable housing, especially around the state's hot-spots, appeals to you, you might simply desire to set your sights on the Heart of Dixie.
Culture and Natives
When moving to a brand-new location, you might be curious about 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 paranoia?
According to residents, locals can be a real variety. The agreement is that Alabamians like to gossip, are passive-aggressive, and might simply trick you with their underhanded insults. The expression "bless your heart" is not suggested warmly, however rather sarcastically - and if you hear it, chances are excellent that as soon as you have actually left, you'll be talked about.
Don't let that deter you, however. Residents stress that the main ambiance of their state is one of true 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 adjusting your vocabulary and pronunciations after a relocation to Alabama. Don't be the loser who sticks out like an aching thumb simply because you're partial to your consonants.
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 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 lots of travelers and locals 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 rare, allegedly 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 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 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 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, take a look at this list we have actually compiled of some of the state's primary attractions.
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 consists of access to the historical Shuttle Park and Rocket Park and showcases special artifacts from the country's space expedition. It's thought about to be click here the world's largest area museum, and lays out the history of the U.S. space program. It's also house to the annual, highly prepared for Space Camp program featuring the Air travel 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 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, treking and backpacking. It has the best entrance of any commercial more info 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's situated 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 moving to Alabama.
Low cost of living: It's no secret that genuine estate in the Cotton State is quite low-cost, and taxes are quite low. We believe that's just one of the big reasons 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 mountains, beaches and forests. There are plenty of activities for all various types of outdoorsy types due to the fact that 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 big music acts each year. The Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores is the state's largest annual music event. Big names in all genres - varying from jazz to rock 'n' roll to country - emerge here.
Food: As we have actually currently pointed out, Alabamians are die-hard foodies. The town of Birmingham alone has a tremendous 28 various food celebrations every year.
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 believe you 'd be bored here?
Humidity: Make that winter humidity. While the humidity in the summer is undeniably bad, it's the winter that separates die-hard Alabamians from wannabees - the additional wetness triggers cold temperatures 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. If you're not into feeling the extremes in every season, it might not be long prior to you're miserable here.
Substance abuse: The more backwoods of the state have genuine issues with poverty, homelessness and block after block of abandoned homes. With this naturally comes bothersome 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 twister states. The spring and fall seasons bring heavy thunderstorms, and mid-year brings typhoons. At any time of year, residents undergo durations of seemingly random downpours, that can stop as rapidly as they start. Locals joke, "If you do not like the weather condition here, wait five minutes."
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 in presence in the state you're considering making your next homeland. We have actually put together a few that'll have you raising an eyebrow in no time.
Here are simply a few from onlyinyourstate.com:
Putting salt onto a railway track is punishable by death. They desire to keep their railroads complimentary of livestock, and they're really severe about it.
It's unlawful to impersonate a priest. For real. So stop practicing your impression in the mirror, and put your comical efforts towards new material - you'll thank us later on.
It's illegal to use a fake moustache in church due to the fact that it might cause laughter. (See? We told 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 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 thoroughly designed guide to a few 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 choice (we 'd be here for days), but get more info it's our hope that we have actually given you a great introducing pad to fire up your decision rocket from.
Now it depends on you to decide (after possibly doing some further research) if you can picture yourself in the Yellowhammer State, among the remarkable and not-at-all challenging rocket scientists, the fast racecar motorists, the soul-filled foodies, and the always-hungry alligators. It's been a real satisfaction compiling this guide for you, and we hope you have actually had your fill of Alabama goodies.
Excellent luck - and don't forget to remember "Sugary food Home Alabama."