So you're thinking about transferring to Alabama, but you're not exactly sure you have actually thoroughly mulled-over all the super-important information before coming to your decision. Well, potentially southern-bound friend, you've pertained to the right place - we have actually assembled a handy, yummy guide that will outline a few of the most crucial points for someone in your position to evaluate.
We do not blame you for wanting 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 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 have to use, besides huge advances in the area program and ridiculously wise individuals? 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. Check out on to find why you may just make Alabama your next relocation.
Task Market
According to U.S. Census data, about 4.875 million individuals currently reside 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 so many 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 include pediatrician, nurse anesthetist, administrative law judge, orthodontist and dentist, specifies bizjournals.com.
The present joblessness rate is simply 3.5%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, so odds are pretty great for discovering work upon your relocation. This number has also 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 house to NASA, the U.S. Area & Rocket Center and the Marshall Area Flight Center. This could extremely 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 probability of discovering a brand-new location you'll love (and be able to afford) 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 helpful for you to discover a budget friendly location to live, but you'll also be looking at newish properties, too.
That being stated, there's not much in the way of brand-new building and construction turning 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 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 Natives
When relocating to a brand-new location, you may be curious about the individuals there. Will they become your friends, or will they be the type to make you chain your doors and stare out of a slit in your blinds in total fear?
According to residents, citizens can be a real combined bag. The consensus is that Alabamians enjoy to chatter, are passive-aggressive, and may just deceive you with their questionable insults. The expression "bless your heart" is not implied warmly, but rather sardonically - and if you hear it, chances are great that once you've left, you'll be discussed.
Don't let that dissuade you. Locals stress that the primary ambiance of their state is one of real southern hospitality - they utilize "sir" and "ma'am" out of respect, and will give you a warm welcome and lots of food. They might refer to you as a Yankee if you're from the North, however this they really do out of (mocking) 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 offer 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 people of the Cotton State love BARBEQUE - and we do mean CRAZY. They'll battle to the death (perhaps not actually) over which restaurant or regional cookout provides the very best. These are not conversations to be entered into gently. Be prepared to explain, and safeguard, 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 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 additional 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, but cool your jets for a minute. Prior to you go racing off like you're a driver at Talladega Superspeedway, check out 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 includes 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, highly expected Space Camp program including the Aviation Challenge, in which trainees go through training in flight simulators.
Vulcan statue: In Birmingham, the world's tallest cast iron statue stands an excellent 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 offer. His 100th birthday was a huge 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 cave in the world, and features 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 located 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 kinds 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 BARBEQUE 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 no trick that realty in the Cotton State is pretty cheap, and taxes are pretty low. We think that's simply among the huge reasons 55% of relocators across the country in 2017 chose this as their new home.
Nature + all four seasons: The terrain of Alabama is widely-varied, including forests, mountains and beaches. There are plenty of activities for all different breeds of outdoorsy types since of this. Locals also like to explain that they experience all 4 seasons and see weather from all over the spectrum - from snow and ice storms to hot, damp summertimes and spring torrential rainstorms.
Music: Since of its place, 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 event. Big names in all genres - ranging from jazz to rock 'n' roll to country - emerge here.
Food: As we've already mentioned, Alabamians are die-hard foodies. In fact, 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 Battle. Seriously, don't eat anything website 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 just day-trips away from the Heart of Dixie. This prime area provides itself to numerous opportunities to see all kinds of festivals, performances, museums, state parks, going shopping destinations and more. Did you truly think you 'd be bored here?
While the humidity in the summertime is unquestionably bad, it's the winter that separates die-hard Alabamians from wannabees - the additional 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 real 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 punish (no pun meant).
Serious storms: While experiencing all four seasons can be argued as a good idea, it also implies that there's opportunity for all sort 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 hurricanes. At any time of year, residents undergo durations 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."
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 in existence 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 want to keep their railways free of 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 fake moustache in church. (See? We informed you they were super-serious about their church.) Religious beliefs 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 prohibited to play dominoes on Sunday. It disturbs the day of rest.
Gotten ready 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 state and lie that we're able to offer you absolutely all the crucial details that might influence your decision (we 'd be here for days), however it's our hope that we've offered you a good introducing pad to fire up your decision rocket from.
Now it's up to you to choose (after potentially doing some additional research) if you can visualize yourself in the Yellowhammer State, amongst the not-at-all and remarkable challenging rocket scientists, the quick racecar drivers, the soul-filled foodies, and the always-hungry alligators. It's been a genuine satisfaction compiling this guide for you, and we hope you have actually had your fill of Alabama goodies.
Best of luck - and don't forget to remember "Sweet House Alabama."