Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Alabama

You think about moving to Alabama but are still not entirely sure whether this would be the right decision for you or not?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you the pros and cons of living in Alabama in the following chapters.

Not only will you learn a lot about the state in general, but we will also talk about various factors that will greatly affect your overall quality of life in Alabama in the long run.

After reading this article, you will be much better able to decide whether you still want to move to Alabama or if you rather want to live in a different region taking into account your personal preferences and circumstances.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

Living in Alabama – Overview

Advantages of Living in Alabama

1. Hot summers are attractive to many people in Alabama
2. Many hours of sun in Alabama
3. Mild winters in Alabama are great if you don’t like cool weather
4. Nice landscape in Alabama
5. Many national parks and nature reserves in Alabama
6. You can spend lots of time outdoors
7. You can spend your leisure on nature activities
8. People in Alabama can get lots of fresh air
9. Living in Alabama can be great for your family life
10. Alabama is not the most hectic state
11. People in Alabama are usually friendly
12. Alabama is a rather tolerant state
13. Easy to socialize in Alabama
14. Solid bars and clubs in the big cities of Alabama
15. Decent medical infrastructure in the big cities of Alabama
16. Relatively low unemployment rate in Alabama
17. Living costs in Alabama are rather low
18. The average person can still afford to buy a decent home
19. Rents in Alabama are pretty low compared to the rest of the US
20. Housing shortage is not a big problem in Alabama
21. You will have many housing options in Alabama
22. You don’t have to spend a high fraction of your income on housing in Alabama
23. Alabama is not the most crowded state
24. Relatively easy to get around by car in Alabama
25. Easy to find a parking lot in Alabama
26. Alabama is a pretty small state
27. Many recreational spaces in Alabama
28. You can spend time at the beach in Alabama
29. Financial pressure of living in Alabama is rather low
30. Alabama may still be underrated
31. Many decent restaurants in Alabama
32. Living in Alabama can be great for landlords
33. Many cities in Alabama have decent air quality
34. Alabama may be an interesting place to retire
35. Alabama is a rather pet-friendly state
36. Homelessness in Alabama is not as severe as in many other states
37. Social inequality is not as bad as in many other regions

Hot summers are attractive to many people in Alabama

One advantage of moving to Alabama is that you will be able to enjoy really nice and hot summers and if you love the heat, you may be far better off living in Alabama compared to moving to Detroit or other cooler regions.

Many hours of sun in Alabama

Not only will summers be pretty hot, but you can also get many hours of sun in Alabama and can get tanned while people in rainier regions will often envy you in this regard.

Mild winters in Alabama are great if you don’t like cool weather

Not only summers in Alabama are great, but also winters are pretty warm and you rarely have to deal with snow.

In turn, you can hang out outdoors during winter with just a shirt on many occasions while people in colder regions often have to wear heavy jackets.

Nice landscape in Alabama

You should also know that Alabama has many mountains, lakes, creeks and so on and you can therefore enjoy really nice views and can get back to the roots with your Alabama lifestyle.

Many national parks and nature reserves in Alabama

You will also find many nature reserves and national parks in this region and can make many nice day trips with your loved ones in Alabama so you will be able to teach your kids quite a lot about nature and why it is important to protect our beautiful planet as best as possible.

You can spend lots of time outdoors

Since there are many national parks and nature reserves and weather is great for most of the year, this also gives you the incentive of spending lots of time outdoors so you can get enough exercise and may be able to stay fit while people living in regions with less exciting nature may not go outdoors as often and may get lazy in the long run.

You can spend your leisure on nature activities

Another upside to moving to Alabama is that you can not only spend lots of time outdoors but you can also go fishing, hunting, swimming, hiking and do many other things in nature and this can keep you balanced and you will have more than enough opportunities to relax from your stressful life.

People in Alabama can get lots of fresh air

While people in many other states often don’t get outdoors as often, people in Alabama can spend lots of time in nature and can therefore also get lots of fresh air which may help them stay fit and vital in the long run.

Living in Alabama can be great for your family life

Since there are so many things to do in nature, there are also many things to explore with your kids.

In fact, Alabama can be a great place for your kids to grow up since you can show them many nice locations and can also show them how to respect nature so they can turn into responsible grownups in the long run.

Alabama is not the most hectic state

You should also know that Alabama is not a really hectic state. In fact, there are just not many big cities and people are usually less career-focused compared to people living in Los Angeles or other states and you may therefore have an easier time finding people who take the time to help you out in Alabama and other less busy states.

People in Alabama are usually friendly

Another benefit of moving to Alabama is that people are often pretty friendly and outgoing and you will therefore have a rather easy time making new friends quickly once you move to this region and some of those people may even become friends for a lifetime.

Alabama is a rather tolerant state

You should also know that while some people in Alabama are pretty conservative, Alabama is still a rather tolerant state and you will be welcome no matter where you come from as long as you respect local customs and traditions and also be a helpful person.

Easy to socialize in Alabama

Since you can meet many new people on a daily basis, you will also have an easy time socializing in Alabama and can make many new social connections in a playful manner so you will always have people to hang out with and can just have a great time, at least in the big cities where there are many places where you can hang out with other like-minded people on a regular basis.

Solid bars and clubs in the big cities of Alabama

While you should not expect the same great nightlife in Alabama as people living in New York City or other more vibrant regions, you will still find some solid clubs and bars in the big cities of Alabama and may be able to party until the early morning.

Decent medical infrastructure in the big cities of Alabama

Another advantage of living in Alabama is that you will also find solid medical infrastructure in many big cities and in case you get sick, you can just get proper medical support and good medical treatment so you will be able to recover from your health condition in the most efficient manner.

Relatively low unemployment rate in Alabama

You should also know that unemployment rate in Alabama is pretty low compared to the rest of the US and this means that you will likely find a decent job rather quickly and even in case you lose your job, chances are you will find a new one pretty soon.

Living costs in Alabama are rather low

Alabama is also one of those states where living costs are really low and this can be great since you don’t have to spend as much money on drinks and various other things of daily life as people living in San José or other much more expensive regions and will be able to afford much more for the same budget.

The average person can still afford to buy a decent home

Not only living costs are pretty low, but also property prices in Alabama are really low and the average person can therefore still afford to buy a home in this region without having to financially overextend himself or herself and can still live the American dream.

Rents in Alabama are pretty low compared to the rest of the US

You should also know that rents are pretty low in the Alabama region and this can be great for people who just don’t make really good money from their jobs but still want to afford a decent apartment or even a house.

Housing shortage is not a big problem in Alabama

Another upside to living in Alabama is that housing shortage is not a big deal in most cities yet and you will therefore find a decent place to rent rather quickly while people living in Seattle and other more popular regions often have to search for many months to find a decent and affordable place to stay.

You will have many housing options in Alabama

In general, since housing shortage is not a big problem in Alabama, you will find more than enough housing options in the Alabama region and can just settle down where you like it most.

You don’t have to spend a high fraction of your income on housing in Alabama

While many people in more popular regions with higher rents and property prices often have to spend a significant fraction of their income on housing, people in Alabama will just have much more money left to spend on other nicer things.

Alabama is not the most crowded state

You should also know that Alabama is not the most crowded state and this means that you will have more than enough space for yourself in public and can also relax outdoors quite a lot without running into people on a regular basis.

Relatively easy to get around by car in Alabama

Since Alabama is not a crowded state, traffic is not a big problem even in the biggest cities of Alabama and you can therefore get around by car in a solid manner without losing lots of time in traffic jams.

Easy to find a parking lot in Alabama

Since traffic is not a big problem in Alabama, you will also have a rather easy time finding a parking lot while people in more crowded regions often really struggle in this regard.

Alabama is a pretty small state

Compared to other states in the US, Alabama is also really small and this can be great for you since you will have an easier time exploring the state and you can become a real insider in the Alabama community and can find many secret spots where you can hang out and not many other people know about.

Many recreational spaces in Alabama

Another benefit of living in Alabama is that you will also find many recreational spaces where you can hang out and relax outdoors.

Not only will you have many nature reserves relatively close to your home, but you will also find many parks and other green spaces in the big cities where you can just unplug from your stressful life for a while.

You can spend time at the beach in Alabama

Since Alabama is a pretty small state and is located at the coast, many people in Alabama can make nice short trips to the beach and can go surfing and do other water sports while many other people who don’t live close to the coast will just not have this luxury.

Financial pressure of living in Alabama is rather low

Since living and housing costs are pretty low in the Alabama region, also overall financial pressure may be pretty low and while many other people have to worry about their finances and may no longer be able to sleep well at night, many people in Alabama have a rather relaxed time in this regard.

Alabama may still be underrated

Since living and housing costs are pretty low and overall financial pressure is pretty limited while you can still enjoy beautiful landscape and the coast is not far away, Alabama may still be considered an underrated state which may gain lots of popularity in the future.

Many decent restaurants in Alabama

You will also find many decent restaurants, at least in the big cities of Alabama where you can try many foods from different parts of the world and can really expand your culinary knowledge while having a great time with your friends.

Living in Alabama can be great for landlords

Since Alabama is a pretty landlord-friendly place and there is no strict rent control, moving to Alabama may also make sense in case you want to build a portfolio of rental homes since you might be in a pretty good position as a landlord from a legal point of view.

Many cities in Alabama have decent air quality

You should also keep in mind that many big cities in Alabama also have pretty decent air quality and this can be great since it gives you the incentive of spending lots of time outdoors and air quality even gets better once you leave the cities and spend your time in nature reserves.

Alabama may be an interesting place to retire

Since Alabama offers beautiful landscape while living and housing costs are still affordable, it can also be a great place to retire since pensioners find most things they like in this region without having to worry about financial problems as much as in many other more expensive regions.

Alabama is a rather pet-friendly state

You should also know that Alabama is a pet-friendly state.

In fact, when you would walk your dog, you will often get into conversations with other dog owners and will have a pretty easy time finding many like-minded people so you can have a great time in the Alabama region in the long run.

Homelessness in Alabama is not as severe as in many other states

Since rents are still pretty low in Alabama, many people are still able to afford decent homes and homelessness is not a big deal yet compared to many other more expensive states where many people are no longer able to afford a decent place to live.

Social inequality is not as bad as in many other regions

Also overall social inequality in Alabama is not as bad as in many other parts of the US and this may foster social cohesion and people may be more likely to help each other out in the long run.

As you can see, there are many reasons for moving to Alabama.

Yet, there are also some drawbacks of living in Alabama that I want to address in the following so you will be better able to decide whether you still want to move to Alabama or rather want to live in a different region instead.

Disadvantages of Living in Alabama

1. Alabama is not the most exciting state
2. Not many great bars and clubs outside the few big cities
3. Not much entertainment in most parts of Alabama
4. You may get bored in Alabama sooner or later
5. Alabama may not be the greatest state to live for young people
6. Quality of education in Alabama is not great
7. Alabama may not have many great student towns
8. Limited number of good libraries in Alabama
9. Lack of rent control and landlord-friendly laws are annoying for tenants in Alabama
10. You may get fed up with the warm weather in Alabama
11. Public transport is often pretty poor in Alabama
12. You often need a car to get around in a proper manner
13. Medical infrastructure in Alabama is not great outside the cities
14. Not many great sports teams in Alabama
15. Alabama may get hit by serious natural disasters
16. Overall income level in Alabama is pretty low
17. Unemployment rate is high among low-qualified people
18. Not many big corporations to work for in most parts of Alabama
19. Alabama often doesn’t attract really ambitious people
20. Alabama doesn’t have many really big cities
21. Village life is pretty common in most parts of Alabama
22. Some people in Alabama are pretty conservative
23. Alabama is not the coolest state
24. Many of your friends may not understand your decision of moving to Alabama
25. Crime rate in Alabama is above national average
26. You will not meet many tourists in Alabama
27. Alabama doesn’t have as many cultural influences as many other states
28. Rather questionable future outlook for Alabama
29. Many people in Alabama live a rather unhealthy lifestyle
30. Alabama is not the most bicycle-friendly state
31. Alabama is not the most popular place on a global scale
32. Hard to meet many celebrities in Alabama
33. Hard to build a strong business network in Alabama
34. Not many international airports in Alabama

Alabama is not the most exciting state

One downside to living in Alabama is that it is just not the most exciting state.

While you will have lots of beautiful nature, there are still not many other things to do, especially outside the cities where people barely have exciting stuff or activities to choose from.

Not many great bars and clubs outside the few big cities

While you will have some decent bars and clubs in the big cities of Alabama, you will not find them in smaller towns and may therefore get really frustrated with nightlife in Alabama in the long run.

Not much entertainment in most parts of Alabama

In general, there is just not much entertainment outside the biggest cities of Alabama and you may not get happy with living in this region if you are the kind of person who needs action 24/7.

You may get bored in Alabama sooner or later

If you are a person who loves to do stuff and wants to have many entertainment options, you may also be far better off moving to Austin or other regions where there are much more options in this regard since you might just get bored with your life in Alabama in the long run.

Alabama may not be the greatest state to live for young people

Since there are not as many exciting things to do in Alabama as in many other states, you may also not get happy with your life in Alabama, especially if you are a young person who wants to try stuff and doesn’t want to live like a retiree for your entire life.

Quality of education in Alabama is not great

While you may be able to find solid schools and colleges in the biggest cities of Alabama, overall quality of education is rather poor in the rural areas and if you want to have the best education possible for you and your kids, you may be better off moving to San Francisco or other big cities where there is more focus on education in general.

Alabama may not have many great student towns

Another disadvantage of living in Alabama is that it is also not a great student town due to rather low quality of education and since you will just not meet many international students in this region and may therefore be better off studying in Los Angeles or other more interesting places.

Limited number of good libraries in Alabama

You will also not find as many great libraries in Alabama as you may be used to from other regions and this may prevent you from studying and preparing for your exams in the best possible manner.

Lack of rent control and landlord-friendly laws are annoying for tenants in Alabama

You should also know that you may have a rather hard time as a tenant in Alabama since it is a pretty landlord-friendly state and due to the lack of rent control, you may be confronted with huge rent hikes sooner or later.

You may get fed up with the warm weather in Alabama

Another problem with living in Alabama is that it is a pretty hot place and while some people love the heat, others just can’t stand it at all and if you belong to the second group of people, chances are you will be better off moving to Chicago or other cooler places instead.

Public transport is often pretty poor in Alabama

You should also be aware of the fact that public transport is pretty poor in Alabama and you may therefore have a hard time getting around, especially if you don’t have a driver’s license or just can’t drive due to various possible reasons.

You often need a car to get around in a proper manner

Due to poor public transport, you would just be lost without owning a car and this may be problematic for retirees and other people who are no longer able to drive a car in a safe manner and may get stuck quite often.

Medical infrastructure in Alabama is not great outside the cities

While medical treatment is decent in the big cities of Alabama, medical infrastructure gets significantly worse in the rural areas and it may take you quite a long time to find a real expert in those regions in case you need medical treatment as quickly as possible.

Not many great sports teams in Alabama

Another downside to moving to Alabama is that there are also not many great sports teams in this region and if you are a sports fan who wants to watch games of your favorite team on a regular basis, you may be better off moving to Philadelphia or other places where many different sports are played at the highest level.

Alabama may get hit by serious natural disasters

You should also be aware that Alabama may be at serious risk of getting hit by earthquakes, tornadoes or other natural disasters and if you are unlucky, you may not even lose your home but even your life due to those tragic events.

Overall income level in Alabama is pretty low

Another problem with moving to Alabama is that overall income level is pretty low and if your plan is to get wealthy or even rich as quickly as possible, you may be better off working in a region where wages are much higher.

Unemployment rate is high among low-qualified people

While unemployment rate in Alabama is pretty low, it is still relatively high among unskilled workers and if you don’t have solid education, you may just not be able to provide enough value to the labor market and may have to deal with getting laid off quite often.

Not many big corporations to work for in most parts of Alabama

You should also know that there are not many big corporations in the Alabama region compared to many other states and while people living in Oakland can work for many big tech companies, you may have a harder time doing so in Alabama.

Alabama often doesn’t attract really ambitious people

Since there are not as many great companies to work for as in many other regions in the US, Alabama usually also doesn’t attract as many really good and ambitious people and if you want to meet the best of the best, you may be better off moving to more popular regions in the US.

Alabama doesn’t have many really big cities

You should also know that compared to other states, Alabama also doesn’t have really big cities and if you love big city life, you may be far better off moving to Denver or other much bigger regions.

Village life is pretty common in most parts of Alabama

Since there are not many big cities in Alabama, you may also have to deal with village life quite often and while many people like this lifestyle, others can’t stand it and you should therefore take a look in the mirror and ask yourself whether you might get happy with village life for an extended period of time.

Some people in Alabama are pretty conservative

While many people in Alabama are friendly and open to new things, some of them are also pretty conservative and you may hear some snarky comments about your appearance in case you just don’t fit the social norms.

Alabama is not the coolest state

While living in Alabama has many advantages, you should also know that it is just not the coolest state and if you want to be at the heart of the universe and also fashion and trends are really important to you, you may be better off in more urban regions.

Many of your friends may not understand your decision of moving to Alabama

Since Alabama is not the most popular state, many of your friends may also not understand your decision of moving to this region and some of them may even make fun of you.

Crime rate in Alabama is above national average

While Alabama is not a really unsafe place, crime rates in Alabama are still above national average and if you are a careful person, you may get happier and feel more secure moving to Virginia Beach or other safer places.

You will not meet many tourists in Alabama

Since Alabama is not the most popular state, it is also less popular for tourists and in case you want to talk to people from all over the world on a regular basis, you may be better off moving to cities that are well-known at a global scale.

Alabama doesn’t have as many cultural influences as many other states

Since many places in Alabama are still pretty traditional, you may also not be able to explore as many different cultures as in many other regions in the US and this may make your life less interesting in the long run.

Rather questionable future outlook for Alabama

Another downside to moving to Alabama is that the state may not have the best future outlook since there are not many big and attractive metropolitan regions and natural disasters and climate change may also become a problem sooner or later.

Many people in Alabama live a rather unhealthy lifestyle

You should also know that many people in Alabama live a pretty unhealthy lifestyle and since you will most likely adapt to local customs and traditions, chances are you will live the same lifestyle and may not stay fit and vital in this region in the long run.

Alabama is not the most bicycle-friendly state

You should also know that overall bicycling infrastructure in Alabama is pretty poor and if you love biking, you may be better off moving to other places where bicycling places a much more important role.

Alabama is not the most popular place on a global scale

You should also keep in mind that Alabama is not well-known on a global scale and barely anyone outside the US will know where you live when you tell them the name of your home town and this may become really annoying and frustrating in the long run.

Hard to meet many celebrities in Alabama

Another disadvantage of moving to Alabama is that you will also have a pretty hard time meeting celebrities and other influential people in this region since they usually live in bigger and more vibrant cities.

Hard to build a strong business network in Alabama

Since overall education levels in Alabama may not be as great as in many other states and it also doesn’t attract as many talented people, you may also have a hard time building a strong business ladder and may have a harder time climbing the corporate ladder in general.

Not many international airports in Alabama

You should also keep in mind that Alabama doesn’t have many international airports and in case you love to travel the world, you may get really frustrated due to that in the long run since you may have to deal with many layovers.

Top 10 Moving To Alabama Pros & Cons – Summary List

Should You Move To Alabama?

While moving to Alabama can make a lot of sense if you love nature and don’t want to spend lots of money on housing, you should still know that public infrastructure in Alabama is not great, Alabama is not the most exciting state and you may just get bored with living in Alabama in the long run.

Hence, in the end, you should evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of moving to Alabama carefully to make the best possible decision in this regard and to become happy in the long run.

Most Popular Cities To Live In Alabama – Comparison

Alternative States To Live

If you no longer want to move to Alabama, you may also want to have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of living in California.

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/AL

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.