2019 Moving to Alabama Relocation Guide
Welcome to 2019 Ultimate Moving to Alabama Relocation Guide! Before this big step, find out all important information about Alabama.
Take a look at the list of housing, transportation and childcare costs, and learn about the living cost index in Alabama.
All information regarding costs and pricing is compared with average US pricing.
For moving tips in general check out our Moving Checklist and Paperwork page.
Welcome to the state of summer, welcome to the state of tasty food, barbecue, and tea, welcome to the state of diverse landscapes and beautiful cities. Welcome to the state of great education and polite folks, welcome to the Yellowhammer State, the Cotton State, the Lizard State, welcome to the Heart of Dixie, welcome to Alabama.
Alabama is a stet of amazing food and great music. It is one of those states where you will not have to deal with big crowds, expensive houses of high living costs. Alabama will provide you with a great education and job opportunities. You will be able to enjoy the most diverse natural landscapes and explore the wildlife. You will become a fan of football, and you will be able to experience the true Mardi Gras.
Alabama is one of the fastest-growing states in the USA. The state was in economic stagnation for a while but it is currently booming. You will be moving to the states that combine low living and housing costs with great job opportunities, breathtaking landscapes and beautiful cities. The state itself will offer you numerous different lifestyle opportunities, but you need to be prepared and get to know the biggest cons of moving to Alabama. Go ahead and read all about the pros and cons of moving to Alabama, get prepared for this step, the perks of living in Alabama are endless:
Housing costs re really low throughout the whole state, even in the big cities you can find really cheap rents and home prices. Living costs are reasonable too and in some places, they are even lower than national averages. Housing costs are currently rising but they are still very cheap when compared to most of the other US states.
You will hove to deal with bad traffic during the college football season or during the Mardi Gras, but for most parts of the year, traffic is great in Alabama. There are no crowds and traffic jams, and commute time is low even during the rush hours. Getting around the state is pretty easy too, you will need to have your own vehicle but public transport is a good option too.
Alabama is home to some of the best programs for science, business, and engineering, there are also great medical programs here. You will find the excellent graduate and doctoral programs in the state and there are a lot of amazing schools throughout the whole state. The public school system could use some work.
Mobile, Alabama, is the birthplace of Mardi Gras. This carnival is one of the most popular American festivals, and you should experience it in Alabama. There are plenty of other festivals and fairs here too. Some of the most popular unique festivals are Dothan’s Peanut Festival, the Athens Grease Festival, and the Opp Rattlesnake Rodeo but you will have plenty of other options to explore.
Nature in Alabama is breathtaking, the weather is warm for the most part of the year and you will have the chance to enjoy the perfect outdoor very often. Alabama will provide you with 8 miles of perfect beach landscapes, and you need to visit the Dauphin Island Park. Apart from the beaches, you will be able to enjoy diverse landscapes, including hills, mountains, caves, and waterfalls.
Alabama may be the state without a professional major-league team, but they are really proud and in love with their own football season. College football is the big deal in Alabama and even some businesses will close during fall so everyone can watch the games of football. High school football is also very popular.
Alabama is popular for country roots and songs like “Sweet Home Alabama”, but there is much more to the state's music scene then country music. You will be able to enjoy EDM, Jazz, rock and metal music all over the state. The live music scene is amazing, and you can discover great new bands and genres here.
Alabama is the state with a rich history, and you will have a lot of historic places, monuments, and museums to explore. They are proud of their history, and you will have a lot of history-related conversations. You should explore historic places and learn about the state you are going to call your home.
Weather is great in Alabama. The average yearly temperature is 18 °C, summer can get a little bit too hot but winters are mostly mild and you will be able to enjoy the perfect outdoors throughout the whole year.
Alabama is famous for its amazing food. The barbecue is around every corner and fired food is the best. People from Alabama will find a way to get anything on the grill and you will enjoy the taste. Alabama is filled with local restaurants. You need to explore those and discover the culinary heaven. Alabama is the perfect state for those who like to enjoy delicious food.
The crime index is higher in Alabama. They have a big problem with corruption. Another big problem in the state is the level of homelessness and drug use. Methamphetamine labs are a real struggle here too.
Alabama is one of the most active tornado states, the spring and fall season will bring thunderstorms and you will also have to deal with hurricanes. On the bright side, the weather is unpredictable and there is a local joke saying: “If you don't like the weather here, wait five minutes.”
Some of the neighborhoods in Alabama have a really big problem with pest infestations. There is a lot of cockroaches throughout the whole state and you will need to prepare yourself for that, they are big, ugly and they can fly.
Alabama will provide you with a great craft beer scene, but there are still some counties in Alabama where alcohol sales are banned entirely.
Weather is great for the most part of the year, but the problem is that it can change quickly, it is extremely unpredictable. If it is a sunny day, you should bring an umbrella and if it is cold outside you should wear layers because it can get warm in an hour.
Moving to Alabama is a big, challenging step and the state offers so many different opportunities. Whether you are moving for work or for pleasure you will find our tips useful. Here are 10 TIPS about moving to Alabama, 10 facts that will help you prepare for this step.
This ultimate moving checklist will help you complete your moving without stress.
You know you want to live in The Heart of Dixie but you don't know which city to choose? Take a look at the list of top 6 best places to live in Alabama according to livability. Every city in Alabama has its pros and cons and you should choose wisely, there are a lot of factors that you should consider.
Huntsville
Tuscaloosa
Birmingham
Montgomery
Florence
Jasper
There are certain costs associated with moving that most people tend to neglect. Even if you have opted for a self-moving job that does not involve hiring a professional moving company, you will have to pay extra for certain things. Here is a list of moving and packing costs you may have forgotten.
If you plan to move on a budget and want to fo the packing yourself, you must know that you will need to invest in packing supplies like boxes, tape or bubble wrap.
During the move something almost always brake. Getting moving insurance is always recommended. Most of the moving companies offer insurance and you can decide how much to get, considering how valuable your things are.
For renting new space start-up costs include things like your first and last month’s rent, a security deposit, a pet deposit or an application fee.
If you are buying start-up costs are much bigger. They include closing costs for your new mortgage which is often measured in thousands of dollars. Average closing costs typically range from 2% to 5% of the cost of your home. These costs include things like a fee for running your credit report, a loan origination fee, attorney’s fees, the cost of a home inspection, a title search, an appraisal fee, and a survey fee, etc.
You can expect extra costs for boarding your pets. Often enough, people tend to move their pets overnight, that way pets are not exposed to the stress.
Some of the moving companies will ask you to pay a stair fee.
It is always best to check with moving companies about extra fees and inform them about your large items, like piano or pool table, in advance. That way you will avoid surprises on a moving day.
There are professionals who are trained to handle valuable items. Packing and moving valuable items is more complex than regular moving. So you can expect to pay extra on moving those kinds of pieces.
Sometimes, you don't want to bring all of your things to your new home, but you don't want to throw them either. If you find yourself in this situation you will have to find storage space for those things. Having to store items could mean an additional monthly expense.
While you shouldn't get rid of everything before a move, there are going to be some items that you're not going to want to bring to your new space.
Your movers are doing a lot of hard work and heavy lifting, and they deserve to be compensated. Just note, that tips are always expected by your movers.
Here you can find a list of shipping costs. Please note that the cost of international shipping (calculated with reallymoving) is solely the cost of shipping itself. Costs are calculated for moving entire two bedroom home, in the next three monts.
| Moving From | Cost |
|---|---|
| Vancouver (Canada) | $4,600 - $6,300 |
| Sydney (Australia) | $5,400 - $7,300 |
| Auckland (New Zealand) | $5,400 - $7,300 |
| Beijing (China) | $5,500 - $7,500 |
| Tokyo (Japan) | $5,400 - $7,300 |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | $4,200 - $7,000 |
| Mexico City (Mexico) | $3,800 - $6,300 |
| London (United Kingdom) | $4,300 - $5,900 |
| Dublin (Ireland) | $4,300 - $5,900 |
| Singapore | $5,400 - $7,300 |
Alabama is filled with numerous art and culture venues, music and art festivals and it attracts art lovers from all around the world. Whether you are a fan of visual arts, performance, music or dance you will enjoy living in Alabama. There are a lot of important historical spots around the state that you should visit. Take a look at our list of top 6 cultural venues in Alabama.
Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts
Museum of Fine Arts
Art Museum
Mueum of History of Slavery
Military History Park
Berman Museum of World History
World History Museum
According to a CNBC Study (2018), Alabama is the 8th cheapest state to live in the United States, and according to the World Population Review study from 2020 Alama is the 11th state with the lowest living cost. Housing cost index is much lower hen the national average, only health and utilities are slightly more expensive. Moving to a new state is always challenging and you need to learn all about the costs. For more information about living costs visit numbeo or BestPlaces.
$181.33
$0.09
$58.33
4.52
| Cost of Living | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 55.9 | 100 |
| Transportation | 85.9 | 100 |
| Utilities | 101.2 | 100 |
| Grocery | 94.4 | 100 |
| Health | 102.2 | 100 |
| Other | 94.5 | 100 |
| Housing | Buy per Sq Ft | Monthly Rent |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $178.90 | $1,001.92 |
| Montgomery | $759.99 | $952.50 |
| Mobile | $99.11 | $878.57 |
| Huntsville | $115.00 | $896.90 |
| Tuscaloosa | $154.92 | $1,107.40 |
| Hoover | $154.92 | $1,107.40 |
| US Average | $242.48 | $1,294.88 |
| Transportation | One Way Ticket | Monthly Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $2.00 | $75.00 |
| Montgomery | $2.00 | $36.00 |
| Mobile | $1.62 | $20.00 |
| Huntsville | $1.00 | $20.00 |
| Tuscaloosa | $1.00 | $45.00 |
| Hoover | $1.00 | $45.00 |
| US Average | $2.25 | $70.00 |
| Child Care | Preschool | Primary School |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $780.00 | $12,166.67 |
| Montgomery | $616.67 | $17,000.00 |
| Mobile | $294.44 | $11,333.33 |
| Huntsville | $670.00 | $12,400.00 |
| Tuscaloosa | $616.67 | $17,000.00 |
| Hoover | $616.67 | $17,000.00 |
| US Average | $896.05 | $16,125.51 |
Average Yearly Salary in Alabama is $57,000
Currently, most popular and best-paid jobs in Alabama are:
All the information is provided by Glassdoor and Payscale where you can get more detailed information about the job of interest. If you don't have a specific job in mind, you can also check this list of 10 common jobs and professions in the United States with an average salary for each of them.
| Job | Alabama | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Cashier | $8.69 | $10.57/h |
| Receptionist | $11.34/h | $13.34/h |
| Repair Technician | $18.87/h | $16.24/h |
| Actor | $10.00/h | $11.06/h |
| Registered Nurse | $27.70/h | $33.87/h |
| Secretary | $11.21/h | $13.96/h |
| Preschool Teacher | $9.78/h | $12.52/h |
| High School Teacher | $18.66/h | $19.20/h |
| Lawyer | $72.58/h | $65.62/h |
Alabama's programs of higher education include 14 four-year public universities, two-year community colleges, and 17 private, undergraduate and graduate universities. Colleges and universities in Alabama offer degree programs from two-year associate degrees to a multitude of doctoral-level programs. The largest single campus is the University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa. Take a look at the list of top 6 universities in Alabama, according to UniRank.
Acronuym: UA
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Acronuym: UAB
The University of Alabama in Huntsville
Acronuym: UAH
Acronuym: USA
Acronuym: SU
State of Alabama
Alabama is the 30th largest by area and the 24th-most populous of the U.S. states and the thirtieth-largest state by area with 52,419 square miles. The state is home to the second-largest inland waterway system in the United States. The largest city by population is Birmingham. The largest city by land area is Huntsville, while Montgomery is the capital. The economy in Alabama today is mostly based on finance, manufacturing, aerospace, management, healthcare, education and technology.
Montgomery
Birmingham
alabama.gov
English
Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Haitian, French, Vietnamese, Russian and other.
Length - 330 mi (531 km)
Width - 190 mi (305 km)
| Alabama Demographics by Race | ||
|---|---|---|
| White | 3,317,453 | 68.19% |
| Asian | 64,609 | 1.33% |
| Other Race | 70,055 | 1.44% |
| Black or African American | 1,293,186 | 26.58% |
| Two or More Races | 91,619 | 1.88% |
| Native American | 25,576 | 0.53% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 2,182 | 0.04% |
| Temperature | Annual High | Annual Low | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 23.2°C | 11.5°C | 17.35°C |
| Montgomery | 24.7°C | 12°C | 18.35°C |
| Mobile | 25.2°C | 13.9°C | 19.55°C |
| Huntsville | 22.7°C | 10.7°C | 16.7°C |
| Tuscaloosa | 24.6°C | 12°C | 18.3°C |
| Hoover | 23.2°C | 11.5°C | 17.35°C |
Very low: 0 - 20, Low: 20 - 40, Moderate: 40 - 60, High: 60 - 80, Very high: 80 - 100. By numbeo.
| City | Crime Index | Safety Index | Level of crime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 60.25 | 39.75 | 70.81 |
| Montgomery | 61.93 | 38.07 | 72.22 |
| Mobile | 64.98 | 35.02 | 72.59 |
| Huntsville | 37.92 | 62.08 | 47.32 |
| Tuscaloosa | 59.31 | 40.69 | 75.00 |
| Hoover | 60.25 | 39.75 | 70.81 |
Nature is one of Alabama's most admirable features. The diversity of landscapes will provide you with endless recreational and sightseeing opportunities. From mountains, planes, beaches, and lakes to the protected areas of wildlife. Alabama has numerous national parks, and the state is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna because of the variety of diverse habitats. Apart from amazing views, nature in Alabama will provide you with numerous outdoor activity options. Alabama is also ranked among the top in the nation for its range of overall biodiversity.
Little River Canyon National Preserve
This National Preserve is home to the longest mountain top in the USA, the Little River. Little River Falls is located at the beginning of the Little River Canyon and it is the most popular feature of the preserve, this preserve features 2 more major waterfalls.
Cathedral Caverns State Park is a publicly owned recreation area and natural history preserve. The most important feature of the park is Cathedral Caverns, a karst cave with 3 acres of stalagmite forest, the Cathedral Caverns cave was first known as Bats Cave.
Rickwood Caverns State Park is a publicly owned recreation area and it is home to 260 million years old illuminated limestone formations. The park surrounding the caverns features 380 acres of wilderness, picnic areas, hiking trails, and a swimming pool.
Noccalula Falls Park is a 250-acre public park. The main feature of the park is a 90-foot waterfall and a nine-foot-tall bronze statue of a young Cherokee woman, Noccalula. The park also features The Noccalula Falls Botanical Gardens with 25.000 azaleas.
Cheaha State Park is home to the Cheaha Mountain, the highest point in the state. The park also features Talladega National Forest, numerous campsites, and hiking trails. Cheaha Mountain is topped with Bunker Tower, a stone building with an observation deck.
Moundville Archaeological Park
Moundville Park is a Mississippian culture site and it was the political and ceremonial center of a regionally organized Mississippian culture chiefdom polity between the 11th and 16th centuries. The site is the second-largest Mississippian era site in the USA.
