Are you making your move to Alabama, then get ready to experience low costs, breathtaking waterways, amazing shorelines, mouth-watering food, and some kindest people you would have ever met.
Right from the country’s entrenched history, love for football, or innumerable outdoor activities, you’re going to enjoy being a part of the Heart of Dixie.
And the best part is being one of the largest cities in America it was deemed as the most affordable city too.
So, before moving to Alabama, sit down once and read this relocation guide. We have put everything together for you to know about your new place which will help you feel at home.
Is Alabama a good state to move to?
Alabama, also known as the heart of Dixie, is situated in the southern part of the US. The state has some beautiful inland waterways, highly populated towns, and vast forests.
The people of Alabama are very welcoming and have closely knitted colonies or communities in urban and rural areas. Alabama enjoys hot sunny weather throughout the year.
Alabama’s economy was predominantly dependant on agriculture but now it is diversified to other sectors like aerospace, manufacturing, technology, and finance.
Students can enroll in top highly rated colleges and avail plenty of job opportunities. Therefore, Alabama is a good option to move to for any ex-pats who want to live in America.
Is it expensive to live in Alabama?
According to the information obtained from the bureau of economic analysis USA, the cost of goods and services in the state is 13.6% less than the average of the nation.
Even the state also has the lowest housing cost among all the US states. The cost of living in Alabama is less inexpensive than that of the US average. In fact, it has been ranked 12th less expensive state.
[elementor-template id=”13242″]
Move to the Albama – Best Guide
Living Cost in Alabama
The cost of living not only involves renting prices for tenants or homeowners but also includes healthcare costs, transportation costs, entertainment costs, food prices, gas prices, child care, taxes, registration fees, and utility costs.
Whatever the salary of an individual be, they have to pay and deal with all this spending every now and then.
What should I know about living in Alabama?
Before moving to Alabama, you must know that it is a great place to live in due to its lower property tax rates, lower income tax rates, low crime rates, and allows a slower pace of life than other US states which makes it a good place to live in with family.
The average cost of living in Alabama is 82.3 which is much lower than the US average of 100. A value below 100 means the cost of living in Alabama is inexpensive than the US average and vice-versa.
| Cost of living | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery | 94.4 | 100 |
| Health-care | 102.2 | 100 |
| Housing | 55.9 | 100 |
| Utilities | 101.2 | 100 |
| Transportation | 85.9 | 100 |
| Other amenities | 94.5 | 100 |
| Overall | 82.3 | 100 |
How much money do you need to live in Alabama?
As you know that Alabama is an inexpensive state so you nearly need $3,326 per month or $39,920 a year to live in Alabama.
What is the cheapest city in Alabama to live in?
The cheapest cities to live in Alabama are
- Hamilton
- Russellville
- Attalla
- Roanoke
- Valley
- Pinson
- Lincoln
- Clay
- Southside
- Daleville
Business opportunity
Alabama has always continued to be a powerhouse of business and industries that have developed to attract new business statics and keep the existing businesses flourishing.
When new professionals or entrepreneurs start their business careers, the state provides excellent backups in terms of opportunities and training.
In the 14th annual ranking report of business facilities, Alabama has been ranked with the best business environment and had stated, “Alabama knew how to play small and big games, they have always nailed the fundamentals of economic development”.
What is a good business to start in Alabama?
There are plenty of good sectors to contemplate in Alabama which include tourism, livestock, farming, electronics, banking, and construction.
Besides that, you can also start your own business as per your passions and skills. Catering, candy making, cookies making, and clearing are a few such low-cost businesses that you can start anytime from home.
How much does it cost to start a business in Alabama?
The cost of starting a small-scale company in Alabama is $208 only. This fee has to be paid online to the secretary of state, Alabama while filling the limited liability company (LLC) form.
Is Alabama a good place to start a business?
Alabama is a good place to start a business. If you want to start a business in Alabama then you are at the right place because Alabama allows showcasing your passions and skills.
The financial incentives help new business owners to take their businesses off the ground. Alabama government also helps small business owners by making an online presence full of manpower, resources, plants, and machinery.
Regardless of the type of business you want to open, Alabama provides assistance from local and state levels that might help you.
Job Market
The study finds that Alabama possesses the 11th largest labor shortage in the country where there is typically one job present for every jobless individual.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, Alabama saw a comparative rise and fall in the jobless rate, where 3.98 million people lost their jobs living in three industries out of the four with the maximum number of job openings.
What is the most common job in Alabama?
The most common jobs done by the citizens of Alabama are:
- Nurses – 57501 people
- Truck drivers or sales workers – 61018 people
- Cashiers – 61400 people
- Managers- 40236 people
- Retail sales supervisors- 45620 people
As compared to other US states, the citizens of Alabama usually work as
- Machine tool operators, tenders, and sectors;
- Woodworking machine operators, setters, and tenders
- Textile machine operator setters and tenders.
- Explosive workers and handling experts
- Tower and Crane operator
Besides most common and specialized jobs, the highest-paid professions held by the citizens of Alabama are
- Dentist – $220,431
- Surgeons – $237,725
- Physicians – $234,925
- Nurse anaesthests – $152,259
- Chemical engineers – $154,455
What jobs are in high demand in Alabama?
The career fields in Alabama, sometimes prosper, while some gets decline based on the average ranking of wages, openings, growth, and help.
The high demand jobs in Alabama according to the statistics of the Department of labor, Alabama’s labor market information section; with the U.S. Bureau of labor statistics and the projections managing partnership are as follows:
| Sl no. | Career field | Average job opportunities | Average salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Software developers | 170 | $93,782 |
| 2 | Nurses and caretakers | 1750 | $57,170 |
| 3 | Computer system analyst | 180 | $80,610 |
| 4 | Therapists | 125 | $86,538 |
| 5 | Manufacturing engineers | 200 | $86,347 |
| 6 | Mechanical engineers | 170 | $89,020 |
| 7 | Auditors and accountants | 630 | $68,760 |
| 8 | Industrial machinery mechanics | 500 | $51,055 |
| 9 | Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing | 750 | $62,800 |
| 10 | Management analyst | 175 | $94,824 |
What jobs make the most money in Alabama?
The top 10 highest paying jobs in Alabama are as follows:
| rank | Job title | Average salary range |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medical director | $112,000 |
| 2 | Chief executive or technology officer | $111,000 |
| 3 | Consultant and sales representative | $109,000 |
| 4 | Chief medical officer | $106,000 |
| 5 | Vice president and general manager | $103,000 |
| 6 | Practitioner | $98,000 |
| 7 | President and general manager | $97,000 |
| 8 | Truck driver | $95,000 |
| 9 | Associate medical director | $88,000 |
| 10 | CEO/CFO | $85,000 |
[elementor-template id=”13252″]
Tax Rates
Taxes of Alabama varies depending on the individual’s income provided in the given table.
Any salary that exceeds over $3000 for a single individual, family head, married living separately or $6000 for a family of four or more would be taxed more than 5%.
Are taxes high in Alabama?
Alabama imposes an effective property tax and low-income tax rates. Instead, the sales taxes and sin taxes are on the higher side.
Therefore, Alabama is known to be one of the highest sales tax-paying countries among the US states.
What is the sales tax in Alabama 2021?
The state’s sales tax rate and combined sales tax rates in Alabama as of January 1, 2021, are 4% and 9.22% respectively.
What is state income tax in Alabama?
Alabama’s state income tax is much alike to the federal income tax with higher rates. Alabama has three brackets with the highest rate of 5% imposed to all taxpayers with income over $3000.
| One individual taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 – $500 | 2.00% |
| $500 – $3000 | 4.00% |
| $3000+ | 5.00% |
| Family of four, living jointly | Rate |
| $0 – $1000 | 2.00% |
| $1000 – $6000 | 4.00% |
| $6000+ | 5.00% |
| Family living separately | Rate |
| $0 – $500 | 2.00% |
| $500 – $3000 | 4.00% |
| $3000+ | 5.00% |
Is Alabama a tax friendly state?
Yes, Alabama is a tax-friendly state for retirees. The social security income of retirees is not taxed but the account withdrawals are fully taxed.
The wages of the workers are taxed at normal rates. The private and public incomes of the workers are also not taxed.
The quick facts regarding taxes in the Alabama state are as follows:
- State income tax – 2% – 5%
- Local income tax – 0% – 2%
- Sales tax – 5% – 11.5%
- Property tax – 0.40% average rate
- Gas tax – 24 cents per gallon (regular gasoline) and 25 cents per gallon (diesel)
Economy in Alabama
In Alabama, certain sectors like agriculture, aerospace, healthcare, education, banking; heavy industries including mineral extraction, manufacturing, fabrication, and steel production drive more GDP and recruit more workers than others.
Over the past five years, the growth in GDP and employment expansion will provide a detailed understanding of the economic situation in the country.
What is the main industry in Alabama?
Real estate is the main industry in Alabama followed by health care services, which is the second largest industry to give total economic output.
How rich is Alabama?
Alabama stands 38th in higher per capita income i.e. $18,189 in the year 2000 among all the US states.
Its self per capita income was $26,338 in the year 2003 which was the 40th highest per capita income in the country.
Is Alabama’s economy growing?
Yes, Alabama’s economy has been grown by 4.8% in the year 2020 which was more than the national average of 4% that made Alabama rank 13th in personal income growth.
The gross state product (GSP) of Alabama had reached $202 in 2019 with a rise of 1.7 percent over the last 5 years still 2019. According to the forecast released by CBR, the quarterly economic business of Alabama are shown the state’s economic growth of 6.8 % in the first 3 months of 2021.
Educations
The higher education in Alabama includes many colleges for 2 years of study course, 14 public universities with 4 years of the study course, and 17 graduate undergraduate and private universities.
The post-secondary education system is overseen by the commission of higher education in Alabama. The colleges and universities offer study programs starting from 2 years as associate degrees to doctoral level programs which have been accredited by international and national accreditation agencies.
Does Alabama have good education?
Till now Alabama is being consistently ranked as the worst state in the case of education and has been kept in 47th in the country by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Wallethub, and Education Week.
Despite such rankings, the top-ranked schools are:
- Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School
- Mount Brook High School
- New Century Tech Demo High School
- Vestavia Hills High School
- Homework High School
Coming on to higher education in Alabama, the colleges are mostly large research universities that have many four-year degree programs which are publicly funded. If you are moving to Montgomery Alabama, you will find the top universities of Alabama.
- Auburn University
- Samford University
- University Of Alabama
- University Of Alabama, Birmingham
- University Of Alabama, Huntsville
- Birmingham Southern College
Is Alabama the least educated state?
The overall education system in Alabama has been ranked 46th in educational achievement, 43rd in achievement gaps, and 41st in educational quality making the country’s 5th least educated state.
Why is Alabama education bad?
The reason why the educational system in Alabama is worst is that:
- Fewer fundings from Alabama’s government to public schools
- Racism is suffered by Students in higher secondary education.
- Students stop studying after schoolings and don’t persue higher education due to lack of money.
- Lack of good schools
- Emphasis is given more to football rather than studies
- Lack of motivation to pursue higher education
- Alabama’s educational system doesn’t focus on improving educational facilities and format.
- Parents mostly focus on their business or work keeping their children’s education aside.
[elementor-template id=”13247″]
Health System
The health care policy consists of services given by medical professionals to treat the patients and prevent physical and mental illness.
This healthcare system in Alabama includes making and implementing rules, laws, and regulations in managing the health care system of the state.
The system also includes a wide variety of sectors such as health information technology, health insurance, and Pharmaceuticals.
What is Alabama ranked in HealthCare?
According to Wallethub’s recent study, the country has been ranked 46th for health care, which means Alabama is the 6th worst state in providing medical services, health insurance, and routine checkups.
Does Alabama have good health care?
The healthcare rankings in Alabama are based on 3 broad factors: quality of services, access to care, and overall health of the nation.
Alabama lacks all these three factors as the majority of the population doesn’t have health insurance and can’t avail of routine checkups due to high costs.
Does Alabama have affordable health care?
The monthly premium health insurance in Alabama is $8748 per year or $729 per month. Alabama’s citizens have to use a federally enabled health insurance marketplace, where they have to enroll in the financial incentives, coverage, and exchange plans at healthcare.gov to reduce copays, coinsurance, and deductibles.
Housing Prices
In the current year, the typical home value in Alabama is $178,789. The value of homes in Alabama has risen up to 14.6% over the past few years.
Is housing cheap in Alabama?
Despite a higher median family income that is 19.4 % than the median family income in Alabama, the state has an affordable market due to its low real estate price rates than the national average.
Alabama’s average median housing value is $141,300 with a per foot value of $75 that is 2nd lowest in the nation.
Weather in Alabama
The average annual temperature in Alabama is 18°C. Weather gets warmer in the southern part of the country, while northern parts tend to be modest cooler, especially the Appalachian Mountains.
The country receives 1400 mm rainfall on average, each year, and experience hell storms and thunderstorms occasionally during summer and spring which are quite destructive.
Does Alabama get cold?
Alabama gets cold only in winters which are very mild in Alabama as it is highest throughout the southwestern US states with low temperatures around 4°C in mobile, -1°C in Huntsville, 2°C in Montgomery, and 1°C in Birmingham.
What month does it snow in Alabama?
January is known to be the frozen month in Alabama. 1-15 January, 16-30 January, and 1-15 February witness much snow according to the National weather service.
Food in Alabama
Do you know what Alabama is genuinely known for its dishes, food; they are just yummy!! Fried foods, classy seafood from the gulf, dissipated desserts, and beer, this is all that Alabamians love to eat. Undoubtedly the only state in the US that offers the best foods with perfection is Alabama.
What is the best food in Alabama?
You will find many delicious cuisine options in Alabama from which it’s hard to select a favorite Alabama food. Let’s peek into the 10 most iconic food of Alabama that are loved by most Alabamians.
- Banana pudding
- barbecue
- fried green tomatoes
- fried catfish
- boiled peanuts
- pecan pie
- grits
- fried okra
- shrimp
- biscuits with chocolate gravy
- peach cobbler
Best Restaurants in Alabama
As we have already mentioned that Alabama is home to many delicious cuisines, it’s also the home to top dining destinations.
Here is a list of the top 10 restaurants situated throughout the country that will most certainly remain on your dining bucket list for the upcoming year. Let’s check them out!
- The Bright Star Restaurant, Bessemer
- Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, Decatur
- Rattlesnake Salon, Tuscumbia
- The Golf, Orange Beach
- Kowaliga Restaurant, Alexander City
- Wildflower Cafe, Mentone
- Highlands Bar And Grill, Birmingham
- Acre, Auburn
- 360 Grille, Florence
- Bullpen Steakhouse, Oakman
[elementor-template id=”13257″]
Pros & Cons
The list of pros and cons of living in Alabama are:
Pros:
- The cost of living is low as it offers the lowest property rate tax and cheaper rental facilities
- You will love the delicious dishes and beer options in Alabama
- College football is a social culture here.
- If you find the weather warm and Sunny then go to the mountains
- Alabama has a rich history and deep musical roots that is embraced by all
- It is the perfect destination for military retirees
- you can find some good manufacturing jobs in Alabama
- You can avail finest educational opportunities in Alabama
- You don’t need to face the traffic and crowds in Alabama
Cons:
- Watch out for the bugs and pests
- The weather is quite awesome sometimes summers are very hot and humid with the rise in temperature during midsummers
- The state faces many serious storms tornadoes and hurricanes
- The poverty rate is about 17% which is the highest among all the US states
- Unemployment and wages are quite low below the national standard
- The state receives the lowest scores in case of overall health care when it comes to mortality rates public health and obesity
- Most restaurants and stores remain closed on Sundays
- You might get beer easily but you cannot drink it as alcohol sales are banned in Alabama
- People mislead the kind phrases
- It has been ranked as one of the worst places to stay in the US
Move to Alabama FAQs
Why would I want to move to Alabama?
The 5 reasons why you should move to Alabama are as follows:
- Alabama is an ideal place for those who stay with their families as the people are very friendly and welcoming.
- The cost of living is less in Alabama compared to other states
- Residents of Alabama pay very low taxes which are property taxes, state income taxes, and gas taxes
- As it is situated within the bible belt, you may find religious-minded people everywhere
- Alabama is home to beautiful mountains stunning sceneries and gorgeous beaches.
What are the pros and cons of living in Alabama?
The pros and cons of living in Alabama are as follows:
| Pros: | Cons: |
| ● Low cost of living ● stunning Southern food ● Alabama’s best college football ● A lot of outdoor activities to explore ● A lot of festivals and fairs to visit ● Synchronized public transportation ● Good work and education ● Tasty food items and drinks | ● Unpredictable weather ● Some spots are closed on Sundays ● Watch out for bugs and cockroaches ● Good phrases are insults here ● Restricted alcohol laws ● Poor ranking of quality of life |
What should you know before moving to Alabama?
Things to know before moving to Alabama are as follows:
- Alabama has 5 auxiliary interstate routes and 6 interstate roads joining airports and seaways.
- Alabama has the lowest cost of living than the national average.
- College football is the famous sport of Alabamians
- Health history and health care facilities are the worst in the country
- The best time to move is when there’s less rain and a modest temperature
- Don’t relocate in March, April, May, or November as the storms get anticipated
- Keep necessary arrangements to ensure smooth move-in like enough storage spaces, toolbox, first-aid kid, etc
- The schools and education system in Alabama are ranked less than the national average so, find the best school for your children before allocation
- Alabama has amazing dining destinations with some delicious dishes and cuisines
After reaching Alabama you have to
- Apply for moving to Alabama car registration and driver’s license within 4 months of arrival.
- Register your vehicle and go for an emission test.
- Apply for a pet license if you own a pet
- Search for trash or recycling methods.
Conclusions
Are you well prepared to land in the Heart of Dixie – Trust us! This will be the best move ever as you will find endless opportunities to explore, showcase your talent, and will feel at home in no time. Stunning beaches, sunny weather, low living costs, plenty of outdoor activities, and more are the reasons for your relocations like other droves of people seeking to relocate to Alabama.
We hope that this A-Z guide will be helpful for you to explore everything that the country has to offer you.
[elementor-template id=”11713″]
