Like any state, there are good and bad things about Alabama.
Warm winters are counterbalanced by blistering hot summers.
There are beautiful beaches to the south and mountains to the north, but there is also a lot of poverty in the state.
There is amazing food, but also a lot of insects.
There may be some culture shock, but for most people, the positives outweigh the negatives.
Contents
- Pros of Living in Alabama
- 1. Football is king
- 2. The weather is warm most of the year
- 3. The beaches are beautiful
- 4. Southern cooking is famous, and Alabama is one of the main reasons
- 5. Southern hospitality is no joke
- 6. The cost of living is relatively low
- 7. Music
- 8. Alabama is a great state for people who love nature
- 9. Alabama has a rich and interesting history
- Cons of Living in Alabama
- 1. While the weather is a major draw for the state, it is also one of the hardest things to contend with.
- 2. Roaches and other insects are everywhere
- 3. While southern hospitality and charm are part of what makes Alabama appealing, there is also a lingo locals know that can be biting
- 4. Whether deserved or not, Alabama often ranks among the worst places to live in America
- 5. Alcohol sales can be tricky
- 6. You may find it hard to buy some things on Sunday
- 7. Public education is struggling
- 8. There is a high poverty rate and a high crime rate, and those two normally go together
- 9. Depending on your political leaning, it may or may not be a negative, but Alabama is a solidly conservative state
- Pros and Cons of Living in Alabama – Summary Table
- Alabama Safety Overview
- Frequently Asked Questions
Pros of Living in Alabama
1. Football is king
Even if you are not a sports fan, you can ride the tide every fall.
They will always be good – really good, and everyone likes a champion.
It is a great tradition, with lots of pageantry and lots of passion.
You can also enjoy long tailgate parties before and after the game.
Alabama and Auburn universities consistently have some of the best teams in the nation.
2. The weather is warm most of the year
If you hate being cold, Alabama is a good place to be.
On the gulf coast, you may never need a coat, and you can walk around barefooted most of the year.
It can get cold at times in the northern part of the state, but overall the weather is great most of the time.
Summers can be very hot, but Alabama is a great place to avoid the cold year-round.
3. The beaches are beautiful
Other places have more famous beaches, but there are 60 miles of white sand beaches along the gulf coast to explore.
Dauphin Island is a state park that has pristine beaches and wilderness.
The beaches have world-class amenities and millions flock there in summer.
One great thing about living in Alabama is you can go to the beach any time you want, and the weather will probably be good.
4. Southern cooking is famous, and Alabama is one of the main reasons
Grits and seafood are combined here in many ways and are a local favorite.
Fresh seafood from the gulf adds to the goodness.
People also take a lot of pride in their barbeque.
Every state claims to have the best, but Alabama-style barbeque is up there with the best.
There is also fried catfish and sweet tea to wash it all down.
Almost anything can be grilled or fried in Alabama, and it will taste great.
5. Southern hospitality is no joke
People will say hello to you on the street, or in the supermarket.
It is superficial perhaps, but being friendly to everyone is normal in this part of the country.
Southern states are getting more people because of the weather, and folks that already live there will welcome you to their state.
A slower pace of life lends itself to taking time to get to know people, and that is part of southern hospitality.
6. The cost of living is relatively low
One real estate website ranked Alabama as the fifth-cheapest state in the nation as far as the cost of living.
This includes all basic expenses, like food, housing, utilities, and taxes.
Alabama’s cost of living was 9.33 percent below the national average.
There were four states, No. 5 through No. 9, virtually tied for the fifth spot.
City living does cost more, but rural living is very inexpensive in Alabama.
7. Music
The Muscle Shoals area along the Tennessee River in the northern part of the state played a key role in the development of rock and roll and continues to do that today.
It was significant in the development of “southern” rock, a gritty emotional style of rock music.
There is also a lot of country music around the state.
8. Alabama is a great state for people who love nature
There are beaches in the south, and in the north there are mountains.
The Muscle Shoals area has many parks and miles of trails for hiking.
There are also kayak and canoe trails along the Tennessee River and other navigable streams in the area.
Birding trails in the northern mountains should also not be missed.
9. Alabama has a rich and interesting history
It was the heart of the confederacy and the heart of the civil rights struggle of the 1960s.
There were also Native American cultures that have a rich history too.
Cons of Living in Alabama
1. While the weather is a major draw for the state, it is also one of the hardest things to contend with.
Winters are extremely mild but summers can be brutally hot.
Humidity makes the heat worse in summer, and without air conditioning, it is barely tolerable.
In the fall there can be hurricanes along the southern coast.
They do not happen often but can be very destructive.
While winters are not that bad, there can be ice storms in the north-central area that make travel treacherous.
2. Roaches and other insects are everywhere
You will probably have roaches in your house at some point, no matter how clean it is.
They can fly and can live for months on a single crumb of bread.
It is a battle that can be won, but you will have to deal with roaches here.
Mosquitos are also a big problem in some areas.
Insects love warm weather.
There are some varieties of roaches that are quite large.
3. While southern hospitality and charm are part of what makes Alabama appealing, there is also a lingo locals know that can be biting
Things are understated, and there are subtle ways of flinging insults.
The phrase “bless your heart” means you did something very stupid and are getting no sympathy.
While folks may not get in your face, there are ways to say things that are intended to put outsiders in their place.
4. Whether deserved or not, Alabama often ranks among the worst places to live in America
Many people are obese, and eating delicious fatty foods does not help.
There is a fair amount of poverty, and it is hard to break that cycle.
Even though it has two outstanding universities, the state ranks low in education for the levels below college.
It does have low property taxes but has high sales taxes to make up for that.
Low wages are also common in the state.
5. Alcohol sales can be tricky
Some counties are “dry” meaning you cannot legally buy alcohol at all.
Other areas do not allow Sunday sales of alcohol, and there are other restrictions as well.
There may be limits on the time of day, and where alcohol can be consumed.
6. You may find it hard to buy some things on Sunday
Alabama is a conservative state, and some traditions are hanging on.
There are blue laws that limit what can be sold on Sunday.
It is less so in the larger cities, but in some areas, very few things are open on Sunday.
Stores often close during the week earlier than you might be used to as well.
7. Public education is struggling
While the two major universities rank high nationally, K-12 education is underfunded.
The state’s K-12 education has been criticized for its low outcomes for students.
US News ranked Alabama’s public education 47th out of the 50 states, and it is often ranked in the bottom five.
8. There is a high poverty rate and a high crime rate, and those two normally go together
The property crime rate in Alabama is 21.4 per 1,000 people and the national average is 19.
Violent crime in Alabama is at 4.5 per 1,000 and the national average is 4.0.
In Alabama, 16 percent of the population is below the poverty line, with the national average at 11.
9. Depending on your political leaning, it may or may not be a negative, but Alabama is a solidly conservative state
Most people are Republicans and are conservative socially as well as politically.
If you are moving to Alabama, be aware this is not likely to change, so you will have to adjust in some way.
Pros and Cons of Living in Alabama – Summary Table
| Pros of Living in Alabama | Cons of Living in Alabama |
|---|---|
| 1. Football is king | 1. While the weather is a major draw for the state, it is also one of the hardest things to contend with. |
| 2. The weather is warm most of the year | 2. Roaches and other insects are everywhere |
| 3. The beaches are beautiful | 3. While southern hospitality and charm are part of what makes Alabama appealing, there is also a lingo locals know that can be biting |
| 4. Southern cooking is famous, and Alabama is one of the main reasons | 4. Whether deserved or not, Alabama often ranks among the worst places to live in America |
| 5. Southern hospitality is no joke | 5. Alcohol sales can be tricky |
| 6. The cost of living is relatively low | 6. You may find it hard to buy some things on Sunday |
| 7. Music | 7. Public education is struggling |
| 8. Alabama is a great state for people who love nature | 8. There is a high poverty rate and a high crime rate, and those two normally go together |
| 9. Alabama has a rich and interesting history | 9. Depending on your political leaning, it may or may not be a negative, but Alabama is a solidly conservative state |
Alabama Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Alabama Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: LOW
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
- MUGGING RISK: LOW
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: LOW
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alabama a racist state?
The South has a reputation for being racist and Alabama is the heart of the South.
Even so, Alabama is probably no more racist than any other state in the country.
Still, it does have a reputation for being a racist state, especially in rural areas.
People who live there might tell a different story.
Did the Confederacy start in Alabama?
Yes, Montgomery was the first capital of the Confederacy, and it was moved to Virginia after a short time.
The state is rich in Civil War history and it is a complicated history.
Only seven major battles of the Civil War were fought in Alabama.
The articles of secession and organization of the government were started in Montgomery.
Alabama was the fourth state to declare secession on Jan. 11, 1861.
What else is Montgomery known for?
Montgomery was also the place where the civil rights movement of the 1960s started.
Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and many others started in this city.
History is complicated.
It is not a contradiction for Alabama to claim to be the foundation of the Confederacy and the Civil Rights movement.
The civil rights movement started with a bus boycott in Montgomery for most of 1956.
It was the first of many large-scale demonstrations against segregation in the United States.
What is the significance of Muscle Shoals?
In the 1960s and early 70s, Muscle Shoals became home to several record labels and launched the careers of several musicians.
It helped develop what is called Southern Rock, which is a niche within the rock and roll music scene.
Today, it remains a vibrant musical community.
What is Alabama's claim to Mardi Gras?
Alabama loves its parties and celebrations just like nearby Louisiana does.
The Mardi Gras in New Orleans gets most of the attention, but the very first Mardi Gras was held in 1703 in what is now Mobile.
The first Mardi Gras in New Orleans was in 1856.
Mobile still has its Mardi Gras each year with more than 40 parades.
Why is Alabama football so famous?
It has a tradition of winning.
The University of Alabama had its first football team in 1892.
It has won 33 conference titles, including 29 in the SEC.
It has 35 seasons with more than 10 wins, and 45 bowl victories, both of which are records.
It also has 15 national championships.
The cost of living is relatively low, but there are also high poverty and crime rates. It ultimately depends on what you prioritize and what you can handle, but for most people, the positives outweigh the negatives in Alabama.
Alabama has its pros and cons, like any other state.
Despite the blistering summers and occasional insect battles, Alabama’s warm hospitality, delicious southern cooking, affordable living costs and beautiful natural landscapes make it a charming place to call home.
I am confused by your comment about AL being conservative, “If you are moving to Alabama, be aware this is not likely to change, so you will have to adjust in some way.”
Why would one have to adjust?