So you're considering relocating to Alabama, but you're not exactly sure you've completely mulled-over all the super-important details prior to coming to your decision. Well, potentially southern-bound good friend, you've pertained to the ideal place - we've put together a handy, delicious guide that will lay out some of the most crucial points for somebody in your position to examine.
We don't blame you for wishing to transfer 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 provide, besides huge advances in the space program and extremely smart people? 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 occasions. Read on to discover why you may just make Alabama your next move.
Task 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 therapy, airplane assembly and EMT, to call a couple of, according to zippia.com. The highest-paid careers include pediatrician, nurse anesthetist, administrative law dental professional, orthodontist and judge, states bizjournals.com.
The present unemployment rate is simply 3.5%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Data, so chances are quite good for finding work upon your move. This number has likewise been on a good, consistent decrease considering that 2010, when it was a much-higher 11.9%. The federal minimum wage 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 Center. This might really well be the brand-new house of your dreams if you have actually got a love for all-things aerial.
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 discovering a brand-new location you'll love (and be able to manage) in the Yellowhammer State?
Well, zillow.com mentions that the mean worth of homes currently on the market is $128,900, with an average listing cost of $190,000. The average home rent is $995/month, with one-bedroom houses averaging $824/month in Birmingham.
Houses in Alabama are mainly 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 discover a budget friendly location to live, but you'll also be looking at newish properties, too.
That being said, there's not much in the method of brand-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 less expensive housing, especially around the state's hot-spots, interest you, you might just wish to set your sights on the Heart of Dixie.
Culture and Natives
When transferring to a new place, you may be curious about the individuals there. Will they become your 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 agreement is that Alabamians love to gossip, are passive-aggressive, and might just fool you with their underhanded insults. The phrase "bless your heart" is not indicated 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. Residents worry that the main ambiance of their state is one of true southern hospitality - they utilize "sir" and "ma'am" out of regard, 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 a sore thumb simply because you're partial to your consonants.
Yellowhammer State Trivia
Montgomery, Alabama was the where a popular occasion took place on December 1, 1955 - the day when Rosa Parks bravely refused to provide up 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 tourists and residents 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 dining establishment 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 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 abundant and heavy, that locals like to observe a slower rate of life. These self-proclaimed "salt of the earth" types will make you forget your health-enthusiast ways and have you grabbing seconds. Bring extra napkins.
Must-See Alabama Fun + Activities
We understand you're already midway out the door, travel luggage in hand, ready to make your relocate 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, check out this list we have actually compiled of a few of the state's primary attractions.
Here simply a few more info 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 distinct artifacts from the nation's area exploration. It's considered to be the world's biggest space museum, and describes the history of the U.S. area program. It's also home to the yearly, extremely anticipated 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 big event that drew a crowd of more than 100,000 people.
Cathedral Caverns State Park: Located in Woodville, this park uses cavern tours, campgrounds, treking and backpacking. It has the widest entrance of any industrial cave in 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 prepared for annual NASCAR race, the Alabama 500. The race goes for 188 laps, covering just over 500 miles. Now that's a great deal of high-speed left turns.
Alligator Street: Found in Summerdale, this swamp sanctuary has an elevated boardwalk featuring a too-close-for-comfort view of numerous alligators and various sort of wildlife. This is the location for you if you're into gazing one of humanity's most significant natural predators virtually right in the face.
Benefits and drawbacks of Living in the Heart of Dixie
Before you ideal your BBQ dish and run to see the alligators and the world's highest Vulcan, we believed it may be worth taking into consideration a short-and-sweet list of a few advantages and disadvantages of transferring to Alabama.
Low expense of living: It's obvious that property in the Cotton State is quite cheap, and taxes are pretty low. We think 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 4 seasons: The surface of Alabama is widely-varied, consisting of mountains, forests and beaches. Due to the fact that of this, there are a lot of activities for all various types of outdoorsy types. 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. 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 tremendous 28 various food celebrations every year. Amongst them are the Exceptional Structure Chili Cook-Off, Taste of Homewood, BARBEQUE for Building, Girls Inc. Cajun Cook-Off and BHamBurger Battle. Seriously, don't eat 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 far from the Heart of Dixie. This prime place lends itself to countless opportunities to see all sort of celebrations, shows, museums, state parks, going shopping destinations and more. Did you actually believe you 'd be tired 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 backwoods of the state have genuine problems with hardship, homelessness and block after block of deserted houses. With this naturally comes problematic substance abuse, and in Alabama's case, methamphetamine laboratories are a real struggle to split down on (no pun meant).
Severe storms: While experiencing all 4 seasons can be argued as an advantage, it also means that there's chance for all type of stormy weather condition - and this state sees a few of the most serious. For beginners, 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, homeowners go through periods of seemingly random rainstorms, that can stop as rapidly as 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 around 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 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 practicing your impression in the mirror, and put your comedic efforts towards brand-new material - you'll thank us later on.
Due to the fact that it could trigger laughter, it's unlawful to use a phony moustache in church. (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.
Prepared for Landing in the Heart of Dixie
Well good friends, there you have it - a carefully created guide to some of the primary contemplation points for irreversible relocation. Naturally, we can't state and lie that we're able to offer 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 provided you an excellent launching pad to fire up your choice rocket from.
Now it's up to you to choose (after possibly doing some additional 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 real 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 memorize "Sugary food House Alabama."