Huntsville, Alabama

[GoToledo]

Hello all,

I am writing this because I have been speaking with a company located in Huntsville and I may consider relocating there. I am looking for impressions of the area. Anything from the weather to political climate to the school system.

This would be a huge change for me as I have always lived in bigger cities (much bigger than Huntsville) and in the northern US(Columbus is the farthest south I have ever lived).

Thanks in advance for any input.

[AuburnAlumni]

Re: Huntsville, Alabama

Hello all,

I am writing this because I have been speaking with a company located in Huntsville and I may consider relocating there. I am looking for impressions of the area. Anything from the weather to political climate to the school system.

This would be a huge change for me as I have always lived in bigger cities (much bigger than Huntsville) and in the northern US(Columbus is the farthest south I have ever lived).

Thanks in advance for any input.

Great city, great weather. It's an absolutely booming area of the state. About an hour from Nashville, an hour or so from Birmingham.

Lots of new construction, including a really impressive development with high end restaurants, a movie theater with beer, and high end shopping.

Coming from Ohio, I think you'll like it a lot. Typical Bama weather...10 months of warmth, 2 months of cold as in 30-50 degree weather.

One last thing...absolutely SPECTACULAR Bar-B-Q. Decatur/Huntsville has some of the best BBQ joints in the South, including Big Bob Gibson's.

[chilli311]

Re: Huntsville, Alabama

I grew up in Huntsville (14 years), and loved it as a kid. Going back there to visit family, I always have a good time.

The weather is pretty nice. Hot, humid summers, but not unbearable with cold winters, but nothing like Ohio (you'll be lucky to see one inch of snow in a year). late-summer into fall is tornado season, but it rarely hits in the city.

The schools aren't bad, depending on where you are. The Southeast is the better area of Huntsville, and the schools there are good. Some of the schools are kinda sketchy though. If you can tell me the area you are going to be working, I will try to tell you where to look for housing. The prices for housing are outstanding (compared to where I have lived since), and traffic is pretty much non-existent (compared to where I have lived since). If you want, PM me and I can answer any questions you may have. I still have my parents out there, and a lot of friends, so I go back pretty frequently.

[superjames1992]

Re: Huntsville, Alabama

It sleeted in Huntsville two days ago!

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: Huntsville, Alabama

All depends on the type of person you are. If you grew up in a major city, then you will be bored as hell in Huntsville. Also this one of the few spots in Alabama that tolerate interracial dating or interracial marriages.

Keep in mind this is the SOUTH and Alabama is country as all get out. So don't be expecting to see a lot of the stores you see in the north down there. They won't have it. And pretty much will only have one of a certain type of a store there.

Like they will have Best Buy, but then that would be the only big name electronic store there. Rent and housing period is VERY Cheap in Alabama.

Compared to where I live now, paying a tad bit over a $1,000 a month for a house. Where as down there in Alabama, their houses are $450.

[AuburnAlumni]

Re: Huntsville, Alabama

All depends on the type of person you are. If you grew up in a major city, then you will be bored as hell in Huntsville. Also this one of the few spots in Alabama that tolerate interracial dating or interracial marriages.

Keep in mind this is the SOUTH and Alabama is country as all get out. So don't be expecting to see a lot of the stores you see in the north down there. They won't have it. And pretty much will only have one of a certain type of a store there.

Like they will have Best Buy, but then that would be the only big name electronic store there. Rent and housing period is VERY Cheap in Alabama.

Compared to where I live now, paying a tad bit over a $1,000 a month for a house. Where as down there in Alabama, their houses are $450.

Yup...and we don't have paved roads.

And we only have a maximum of 3 street lights per city.

And we don't wear shoes...

Gimme a freaking break.

I've traveled the entire Eastern United States, done business in every major city from Miami, Florida, to Roanoke, VA all the way out to St. Louis, MO. There isn't much difference between most of those areas.

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: Huntsville, Alabama

Hey some of the towns in Alabama really only do have 3 streetlights. Not knocking it or anything. But to say there is no difference between Huntsville from Chicago, LA or NY would be lying.

Now if you an adult then yeah you can quickly adjust to any situation. But if you have kids and all they have known is that big city life with subway systems and mass transit that run 24/7 that go everywhere, fast food places that close at 2am and take them to Huntsville, they going to be in store for a HUGE culture shock.

[AuburnAlumni]

Re: Huntsville, Alabama

Hey some of the towns in Alabama really only do have 3 streetlights. Not knocking it or anything. But to say there is no difference between Huntsville from Chicago, LA or NY would be lying.

Now if you an adult then yeah you can quickly adjust to any situation. But if you have kids and all they have known is that big city life with subway systems and mass transit that run 24/7 that go everywhere, fast food places that close at 2am and take them to Huntsville, they going to be in store for a HUGE culture shock.

Chicago, L.A. and N.Y. are the 3 biggest cities in the entire country. Of course there isn't going to be as much to do anywhere else.

But for instance, in your state of Indiana and Southern Illinois there is N-O-T-H-I-N-G for miles and miles.

Huntsville is a medium sized city with every restaraunt, etc. you'd need.

My god, to listen to you....you'd think Huntsville looked like Mayberry from the Andy Griffith Show instead of a hub for NASA and a large sector of Government and Medical jobs.

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: Huntsville, Alabama

Very true, that is why people who live in northwest Indiana go to Chicago all the time, which is only 40 minutes away. And people who live in northeast Indiana go to Detroit which is an hour away. Unless you like casinoes, then yeah Indiana is for you because lord knows they have a lot of them in northern indiana.

But of all places in Alabama, then yeah Huntsville would be the place to live other then Bham. Since they are the most modern places there.

And oh yeah, if you are into that lifestyle, Huntsville area has a HUGE swinger lifestyle population where they throw sex parties twice a month every month.

[chilli311]

Re: Huntsville, Alabama

All depends on the type of person you are. If you grew up in a major city, then you will be bored as hell in Huntsville.

Coming from someone who has lived in Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, Honolulu, Las Vegas, AND Huntsville, I'll be the first to tell you that is completely untrue. Does it have as much as those cities? Not even close, but to say that it's boring as hell is completely absurd.

[GoToledo]

Re: Huntsville, Alabama

All depends on the type of person you are. If you grew up in a major city, then you will be bored as hell in Huntsville. Also this one of the few spots in Alabama that tolerate interracial dating or interracial marriages.

Keep in mind this is the SOUTH and Alabama is country as all get out. So don't be expecting to see a lot of the stores you see in the north down there. They won't have it. And pretty much will only have one of a certain type of a store there.

Like they will have Best Buy, but then that would be the only big name electronic store there. Rent and housing period is VERY Cheap in Alabama.

Compared to where I live now, paying a tad bit over a $1,000 a month for a house. Where as down there in Alabama, their houses are $450.

This is the southern stereotype that worries me, lol. I am married to someone of a different race, are you telling me that is honestly a problem there?? I would hope not.

[chilli311]

Re: Huntsville, Alabama

This is the southern stereotype that worries me, lol. I am married to someone of a different race, are you telling me that is honestly a problem there?? I would hope not.

No, it's not a problem. In the deep country, you might run into some pricks, but in the three cities in Alabama that I've lived in, no one cares who you are with, and two of those cities are those 3 stoplight towns that were mentioned earlier.

[RedheadKingpin]

Re: Huntsville, Alabama

When I saw that you said Huntsville,for some odd reason I thought you were gonna say that your name was Buck.

[Cyros]

Re: Huntsville, Alabama

They hold the Senior Bowl in Huntsville, right?

[DC]

Re: Huntsville, Alabama

The South just seems like a whole different world.

From the food, the dialect (especially the black people)