So you're thinking about transferring to Alabama, however you're uncertain you've completely mulled-over all the super-important details prior to coming to your decision. Well, potentially southern-bound friend, you've pertained to the right place - we have actually assembled a handy, delicious guide that will outline a few of the most crucial points for someone in your position to evaluate.
We do not blame you for wishing to move 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 big advances in the space program and ridiculously clever people? Plenty - from gorgeous 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 might simply make Alabama your next move.
Task Market
According to U.S. Census data, about 4.875 million people presently live in the Cotton State. 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.
Well, for beginners, the state has several fast-growing job fields, consisting of computer technology, physical therapy, nursing, occupational therapy, airplane assembly and EMT, to name a couple of, according to zippia.com. The highest-paid professions consist of pediatrician, nurse anesthetist, administrative law dental practitioner, judge and orthodontist, specifies bizjournals.com.
The existing joblessness 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. 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 house to NASA, the U.S. Area & Rocket Center and the Marshall Area Flight Center. If you've 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 probability of discovering a brand-new place you'll enjoy (and have the ability 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 cost of $190,000. The mean 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 a lot of houses currently offered were built in the decade 2000-2010. Not only are odds excellent for you to discover a budget-friendly location to live, however you'll likewise be looking at newish residential or commercial properties, too.
That being said, there's not much in the method of brand-new building and construction appearing these days, 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 small 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 wish to set your sights on the Heart of Dixie.
Culture and Locals
When transferring 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 look out of a slit in your blinds in overall paranoia?
According to residents, homeowners can be a genuine variety. The agreement is that Alabamians enjoy to chatter, are passive-aggressive, and may simply trick you with their deceptive insults. The phrase "bless your heart" is not meant warmly, however rather sardonically - and if you hear it, odds are excellent that as soon as you have actually left, you'll be discussed.
Don't let that deter you, however. 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 might describe you as a Yankee if you're from the North, but this they in fact do out of (buffooning) 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 occurred on December 1, 1955 - the day when Rosa Parks fearlessly 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 great deals of tourists and residents alike.
The people of the Cotton 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 finest.
Residents will ALWAYS rock out to "Sugary Food Home Alabama" if it begins the radio, and they'll crank it up to 11. Even Alabamians who covertly dislike the tune will start to boogie when they hear that popular opening riff. 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 seems fitting, with a diet plan that heavy and rich, 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. Before 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 activities and sights:
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 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 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 people.
Cathedral Caverns State Park: Located in Woodville, this park provides cavern trips, campgrounds, treking and backpacking. It has the best entrance of any commercial collapse the world, and includes a sparkly Gems Mine with a gem mining experience readily available to all ages.
Talladega Superspeedway: AKA NASCAR's "biggest and baddest" track, it's situated in Lincoln and includes an extremely prepared for annual NASCAR race, the Alabama 500. The race opts for 188 laps, covering just 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 featuring 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.
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 highest Vulcan, we believed it may be worth thinking about a short-and-sweet list of a few advantages and disadvantages of transferring to Alabama.
Low expense of living: It's no trick that genuine estate in the Cotton State is pretty cheap, and taxes are pretty low. We think that's simply one of the big reasons why 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. 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. Huge names in all categories - varying from jazz to rock 'n' roll to country - emerge here.
Food: As we've already discussed, Alabamians are die-hard foodies. In truth, the town of Birmingham alone has a massive 28 different food festivals every year. Amongst them are the Exceptional Structure Chili Cook-Off, Taste of Homewood, BARBEQUE for Structure, Girls Inc. Cajun Cook-Off and BHamBurger Fight. Seriously, do not eat anything for a while before you arrive here - you'll be stuffing your face in no time.
Proximity to significant cities: Nashville, Atlanta, New Orleans and Memphis are simply day-trips far from the Heart of Dixie. This prime place provides itself to countless opportunities to see all kinds of celebrations, shows, museums, state parks, shopping tourist attractions and more. Did you really think you 'd be tired 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. Residents state that it's not unusual for a 45-degree day on the thermometer to feel closer to 10 degrees.
Drug use: The more rural areas of the state have genuine issues with poverty, homelessness and block after block of more info abandoned homes. With this naturally comes bothersome drug usage, and in Alabama's case, methamphetamine labs are a real battle to split down on (no pun meant).
Serious storms: While experiencing all four seasons can be argued as an excellent thing, it likewise implies that there's chance 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.
Unusual Laws
We 'd be doing you a significant 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 railroad track is punishable by death. They wish to keep their railways devoid of livestock, and they're truly serious about it.
It's prohibited to impersonate a priest. Genuine. 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 wear a phony moustache in church. (See? We told you they were super-serious about their church.) Faith 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 pals, 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 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, 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 real satisfaction assembling 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."