A state in the Southeastern region of the US, Alabama is bordered by Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi. Among the U.S. states, it is known as the 30th largest by area and the 24th-most populous.
If you are planning to move to Alabama, prepare yourself for breathtaking shorelines, low costs, and some of the nicest neighbors you’ll ever meet. You are going to love being a part of the genuine Alabalama experience among its deep-rooted history, incredible food, and passion for college football.
That being said, it is always a good idea to go through all details before making a definite plan. Here we have listed for you some pros and cons of living in Alabama.
List of the Pros of Living in Alabama
1. Incredible Food
Try some grits made in Alabama and find yourself in culinary heaven as the local restaurants here prepare them with butter and seafood fresh from the coast for an incomparable experience. You may add some veggies to your liking, a little bit of gravy, or take the braver side and ask for the hot sauce.
2. Access to 60 miles of beaches along the Gulf Coast.
When you begin living in Alabama, you’ll find some excellent beaches just waiting to be discovered. Each year, over 20 million visitors come to the coast since so many of them offer such amazing experiences.
Stretching from Mobile Bay to the Fort Morgan Peninsula, West Beach is definitely the best. While Orange Beach offers eight miles of white-sand goodness to explore with several facilities. There are also incredible natural landscapes to see in Dauphin Island Park.
3. College Football can be Termed a Religion Here.
The football season begins when summer turns to fall in Alabama. You might as well get out of the way if you don’t learn how to Roll Tide. It is quite an essential part of life and people will actually skip important events, like weddings, if their schedule mixes with game day. The businesses close down just so people get to watch the game. High school football also has a steady following here.
4. You can barbecue almost any food in Alabama
You will find out that barbecue from any other place in the country doesn’t make the grade when you begin living in Alabama. Any food item you may have, there is an expectation that it can be grilled. You have not actually experienced a true cheeseburger until you have the veggies and the cheese positioned directly on the grill, then smoked, and placed together with some homemade sauce.
5. There are Plenty of Fun Festivals to Enjoy in the State
Most people don’t know that Mardi Gras actually originated in Mobile, Alabama even though it is famous in New Orleans. It is among the great American experiences that you must enjoy at least once.
There are several other fun festivals all over the state that you’ll get to enjoy all year long once you begin living here. The options to consider are countless including Dothan’s Peanut Festival, the Athens Grease Festival, and the Opp Rattlesnake Rodeo.
Cons of Living in Alabama
1. Watch out for the cockroaches.
If you consider the pest infestations where you’re currently living bad, then you might have to get ready for your first encounter with cockroaches while residing in Alabama.
The ones living further north seem to be small and scurry around in the dark corners of your house. When you begin living in this state, you’ll soon discover how they can fly at your head.
2. Still Partially Closed on Sundays
Mostly the bigger cities in Alabama have abandoned the tradition of shops being closed on Sundays, but this tradition still somewhat exists.
Most stores and restaurants also close before 10 at night, which means you’ll just have to adjust your clocks according to that. Things start hopping on Friday and Saturday nights, and it is a schedule that most people eventually learn to appreciate.
3. Alabama might have beer, but it isn’t easy to get a drink sometimes.
Some counties in Alabama still have alcohol sales completely banned. You’ll also come across places where there are Sunday restrictions. Some cities have limitations on the times of day when you buy something, while others allow it only in particular settings. This might not be such a big deal if you are used to the blue laws of the north.
4. The weather can take a severe turn for the worse.
The weather in Alabama can seem finicky at certain times. You might as well even enjoy some of its unpredictability. What falls in the not-so-great categories are the tornadoes that like to blow through every time the stormy season hits.
It is no joke, having an E5 down in Alabama. Each year, complete communities are wiped off of the map due to such weather events. You’ll need to prepare an emergency plan in place, something that can get you underground or into the safest/most protected room of your home speedily.
Cost of Living
You might have made up your mind on whether to call Alabama your new home. If you plan on settling here, we have listed some basic costs of living to help you through your new journey.
1. Rent
The newer buildings and urban apartment complexes in Alabama might have higher rents, but it is still nothing compared to cities in New York or Chicago. The average renter in Alabama spends $772 monthly on housing, which is $251 less than the $1,023 national average monthly rent. For a one-bedroom rental in the state is, the monthly rent is $600, while the average rent for a unit with five bedrooms will cost you $1,130.
2. Utilities
The hot summers here will feel worth it due to the milder winters, but an apartment in Alabama isn’t complete without air conditioning, which increases the cost of living.
The typical utility bill in Alabama happens to be near $100 a month, which is on par with the national median but keeping the low cost of rent in consideration, a high electricity bill in the summer months can be much more manageable.