Huntsville Becomes National Hot-Spot for Residential and Commercial Moves
Huntsville continues to rack up accolades.
Huntsville is one of the top five cities to which people are relocating, according to United Van Lines. Additionally, the area recently made the top three on the U.S. News & World Report’s list of best places to live in the U.S.
Every year, more families race to the area to experience its convenient location, low cost of living, excellent education and booming job market. In 2021, Huntsville surpassed Birmingham to become Alabama’s largest city after experiencing a migration boom during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you’re considering a relocation to Huntsville, here are a few of their top-selling factors:
Location
Conveniently positioned in northern Alabama, Huntsville provides easy access to some of the most popular vacation destinations. Looking for a beach getaway? A six-hour drive can get you to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in Alabama, or Destin and Panama City Beach in Florida. If you’re more interested in a city vacation, Huntsville is only a short drive away from Nashville, Atlanta and New Orleans. Frequent travelers will also love the Huntsville International Airport, which is only 10 miles from downtown and serves more than one million passengers every year.
Huntsville maintains a comfortably warm climate for most of the year, making it an ideal spot for outdoor activities. Monte Sano State Park provides Huntsville residents with 2,140 acres to hike, bike and camp in their own backyard. Ditto Landing is an entry point into the Tennessee River for locals interested in boating, water skiing, fishing and swimming. If kayaking and paddleboarding are more your speed, Huntsville has more than 60 miles of rivers for you to float.
Affordability
Huntsville has a low cost of living for a high quality of life. The U.S. News & World Report named Huntsville the No. 1 most affordable place to live in the country for its low housing costs and median gross rent. The median home price in Huntsville is $120,000 less than the national average, and the local monthly rent rate is nearly $300 cheaper than the national average.
With bike-friendly streets and high walkability, commuting in Huntsville is also accessible. Drivers will find it easy to get around, experiencing a shorter commute than other cities of Huntsville’s size. Huntsville rounds out its public transportation options with a Greyhound bus terminal and a 10-route local bus system.
Education
If education is a priority, Huntsville offers competitive public schools, private schools and higher-education options that rival anywhere in the state. The metro area attracts a large number of families from in and out of state for that reason.
Huntsville is known for its education system, consistently receiving recognition for its high-achieving schools and educated population. Huntsville has some of the best-performing high schools in the state, and it is also home to two distinguished universities: Alabama A&M University and the University of Alabama-Huntsville.
Meanwhile, Huntsville places in the top 24 on the Wallet Hub list of the most educated cities in the U.S. In Madison County, more than half of the residents have at least a four-year degree, and around 20,000 residents have engineering degrees.
Job Market
While the national unemployment rate is more than five percent, Huntsville’s rate sits at 2.5 percent. During the 2020 pandemic, the local job market still added more than 800 jobs, according to the Huntsville Business Journal.
Huntsville gets the nickname “Rocket City” because of the NASA hub and U.S. Space & Rocket Center located within city limits. As a result, the local science, engineering and technology industries are booming. Major employers such as Facebook and defense contractors KBR and Torch Technologies have also begun significantly expanding operations in Huntsville, creating hundreds more local jobs in the process.
On average, employed residents experience the flexibility of remote-work options and receive higher annual salaries than elsewhere in the state. With its robust job market and high quality of life, Huntsville has strengthened its reputation as one of the country’s best places to live, work and retire.
If your family or company is preparing to move to Huntsville, you need a relocation partner you can trust to handle your transition seamlessly. Armstrong – Huntsville’s award-winning team will get you started off on the right foot. Call our experts today at 256.772.6664 or request a free quote online.
