You're thinking of moving to Alabama, but you're not sure you have actually thoroughly mulled-over all the super-important information before showing up at your choice. Well, potentially southern-bound good friend, you've pertained to the ideal place - we've put together a convenient, tasty guide that will lay out some of the most important 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) considering that the state is home to rocket researchers - Huntsville homes both the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and the Marshall Area 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 substantial advances in the space program and extremely smart people? Plenty - from lovely landscapes that'll have you clicking your shutter so fast your camera begins steaming, to savory soul food, to seriously action-packed sporting events. Check out on to find why you may just make Alabama your next move.
Task Market
According to U.S. Census information, about 4.875 million people currently reside in the Cotton State. Get this - 55% of the individuals in general in the U.S. who moved in the year 2017 moved to Alabama, according to the 2017 National Movers Study.
Well, for starters, the state has several fast-growing job fields, consisting of computer technology, physical treatment, nursing, occupational treatment, aircraft assembly and EMT, to name a couple of, according to zippia.com. The highest-paid professions consist of pediatrician, nurse anesthetist, administrative law judge, orthodontist and dental expert, mentions bizjournals.com.
The present joblessness rate is simply 3.5%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, so odds are pretty 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. This might extremely well be the brand-new house of your dreams if you've got a love for all-things aeronautical.
Housing
You're probably going to want a place to live after you move (we're just guessing), so what's the probability of discovering a brand-new location you'll love (and be able to manage) in the Yellowhammer State?
Well, zillow.com states that the median value of homes currently on the market is $128,900, with an average listing price 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 many houses currently available were integrated in the decade 2000-2010. So not only are odds excellent for you to discover a budget friendly location to live, but you'll also 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, in and around Huntsville.
If cheaper real estate, particularly around the state's hot-spots, attract you, you may just desire 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 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 mixed bag. The agreement is that Alabamians like to gossip, are passive-aggressive, and might simply trick you with their underhanded insults. The phrase "bless your heart" is not suggested warmly, however rather sarcastically - and if you hear it, odds are excellent that when you've left, you'll be spoken about.
Do not let that discourage you. Locals worry that the main vibe of their state is among true southern hospitality - they utilize "sir" and "ma'am" out of regard, and will give 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 transfer to Alabama. The town of Burmingham, to Alabamians, has a quiet 'g', and is noticable "Burmin'- ham". Don't lose who stands out like a sore thumb even if you're partial to your consonants. 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 happened on December 1, 1955 - the day when Rosa Parks bravely declined to give 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 travelers and locals alike.
The individuals of the Cotton State are crazy about BARBEQUE - and we do mean CRAZY. They'll combat to the death (maybe not literally) over which dining establishment or local 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 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 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 ways and have you reaching for seconds. Bring additional napkins.
Must-See Alabama Fun + Activities
We understand you're already halfway out the door, travel luggage in hand, all set to make your transfer to the Heart of Dixie, however cool your jets for a minute. Before you go racing off like you're a chauffeur at Talladega Superspeedway, take a look at this list we've assembled of some of the state's main destinations.
Here just a few of the state's can't- miss out on sights and activities:
U.S. Space & Rocket Center: Found in Huntsville, this museum includes access to the historic Shuttle Park and Rocket Park and showcases special artifacts from the country's space expedition. It's thought about to be the world's largest space museum, and details the history of the U.S. space program. It's also house to the yearly, highly expected Area Camp program including the Aviation Difficulty, 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 kind of a big offer. His 100th birthday was a huge celebration that drew a crowd of more than 100,000 individuals.
Cathedral Caverns State Park: Found in Woodville, this park offers cave trips, camping sites, hiking and backpacking. It has the widest entryway of any industrial collapse the world, and includes 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 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: 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. If you enjoy staring one of mankind's most significant natural predators virtually right in the face, this is the location for you.
Benefits and drawbacks of Residing In the Heart of Dixie
Before you perfect your BBQ recipe and run off to see the alligators and the world's highest Vulcan, we believed it may be worth considering a short-and-sweet list of a couple of pros and cons of moving to Alabama.
Low cost of living: It's clear that property in the Cotton State is quite low-cost, and taxes are quite low. We believe that's simply among the huge reasons why 55% of relocators nationwide in 2017 chose this as their new home.
Nature + all four seasons: The terrain of Alabama is widely-varied, including forests, mountains and beaches. Due to the fact that of this, there are plenty of activities for all different breeds of outdoorsy types. Locals likewise like to explain that they experience all four seasons and see weather from all over the spectrum - from snow and ice storms to hot, humid summertimes and springtime torrential downpours.
Music: Since 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. Huge names in all categories - varying from jazz to rock 'n' roll to nation - make looks here.
Food: As we have actually currently discussed, Alabamians are die-hard foodies. The town of Birmingham alone has a whopping 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, don't eat anything for a while before you arrive here - you'll be stuffing your face in no time.
Proximity to major 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 kinds of celebrations, shows, museums, state parks, shopping attractions and more. Did you really believe you 'd be tired here?
While the humidity in the summer is undeniably bad, it's the winter season that separates die-hard Alabamians from wannabees - the additional moisture causes cold temperature levels to feel definitely frigid. Locals 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 real issues with hardship, homelessness and block after block of abandoned homes. With this naturally comes bothersome drug usage, and in Alabama's case, methamphetamine labs are a real battle to break down on (no pun intended).
Serious storms: While experiencing all four seasons can be argued as an excellent thing, it also means that there's chance for all kinds of stormy weather - and this state sees some of the most extreme. For starters, it's one of the most active twister states.
Odd Laws
We 'd be doing you a major injustice if we left without providing you a list of some of the strangest, lamest and downright dumbest laws still around 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 without cattle, and they're really major about it.
It's illegal to impersonate a priest. For genuine. 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 illegal to use a fake moustache in church since it could trigger laughter. Religion is no laughing matter to Alabamians.
It's unlawful to wear 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.
Gotten ready 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 lie and say that we're website able to provide you definitely all the essential information that could affect your decision (we 'd be here for days), but it's our hope that we have actually given you an excellent launching pad to fire up your choice 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 excellent and not-at-all challenging rocket researchers, the fast racecar motorists, the soul-filled foodies, and the always-hungry alligators. It's been a real enjoyment assembling this guide for you, and we hope you've had your fill of Alabama goodies.
Great luck - and do not forget to memorize "Sugary food House Alabama."