Moving to Huntsville AL in 2023? Complete Moving Guide

This is a complete guide for Moving to Huntsville, AL.
Get all the information you need to know about moving to Huntsville, AL.

What makes Huntsville a special moving destination?

Situated in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, the city has become one of the most populous cities in recent years. The perfect combination of affordable living, quality of life, education, entertainment, and community is the reason behind this. It’s not just a stereotypical American city but has its own valid points.

Instead of just giving an outer picture, we thought you would love to know the city in and out. Maybe you are serious about packing the bags to Huntsville, the most populous Alabama city, and are in search of a perfect place to know everything.

Here is a list of questions that people frequently ask while they consider moving to Huntsville, AL.

facts of Huntsville

Quick facts to know before you move to Huntsville, AL

  • The first settlers of the area were Muscogee-speaking people.
  • Huntsville was founded within the Mississippi Territory in 1805 and became an incorporated town in 1811.
  • The city was the first capital of Alabama when it was admitted as a state in 1819.
  • The city has a highly diverse economy.
  • The Memphis and Charleston Railroad constructed through Huntsville in 1855 was the first railway to link the Atlantic seacoast with the lower Mississippi River.
  • The city is nicknamed ‘The Rocket City’ for its close association with U.S. space missions.
  • Craft beer is a serious business here.
  • There is a haunted playground in the Maple Hill Cemetery.
  • It is a shopping, dining, and entertainment destination.
  • Huntsville has the most engineers per capita in the United States.

Top 10 things to know before moving to Huntsville, AL

  • The city is highly affordable.
  • The housing market is competitive in Huntsville.
  • Huntsville has humid, sticky, hot summers and very mild winters.
  • The schooling system is robust here
  • The typical commute time in Huntsville is getting longer each year.
  • Aerospace and defense are among the most significant job sectors in Huntsville.
  • Tree pollen allergens are widespread and can cause irritation.
  • Plenty of outdoor spaces are there.
  • The food scene is amazing here.
  • Plenty of nightlife opportunities are available.

What's the population of Huntsville, Alabama?

Considering the booming economy, people from across the country relocate to Huntsville, showing a growth in the city population. About 210,081 people reside in Huntsville, which means 947 people per square mile. The average household size is 2.3 and the average family size is 2.6.

To know the population of Huntsville better, here are a few stats.

  • Huntsville’s total population is 210,081.
  • The population is made up of 48.3% males and 51,7% females.
  • The median age in Huntsville is 36.9.
  • The city population is made up of 58.5% White, 30.6% Black or African American, 2.6% Asian, and 2.2% from two or more races.
  • About 5.5% of the population is of Hispanic ethnicity.
  • The median household size in Huntsville is 2.6 persons.
  • About 45,5% of the residents are married couples living together.
  • On average, 19.8% of the residents are single and have children.

How fast can you commute to Huntsville, AL?

A big positive point about Huntsville is the traffic. As the city roads are less crowded, it is easier to reach the office and back home here than in most neighboring cities. The average one-way commute time is 19.0 minutes, which is much shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.

Here are the latest stats about how people in Huntsville commute to the office regularly.

  • About 86.7% drive their car alone
  • About 6.8% carpool with others
  • About 3.1% work from home
  • Approximately 0.3% take mass transit

Tip: While moving the home, safety of your belongings is the priority and you need a trustworthy mover at your side. Know the top-rated moving companies in Huntsville, AL.

What is the weather like in Huntsville, AL?

Huntsville has a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. Huntsville is near the center of a large area of the U.S. mid-South that has maximum precipitation in the winter and spring, not summer. December is the wettest month in Huntsville. The city is also more prone to thunderstorms and violent long-track tornadoes than most parts of the US. July is the hottest month here while January is the coldest.

We’ve got a few additional facts about the Huntsville climate.

  • The city receives about 55 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.
  • Huntsville averages 2 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.
  • On average, the city gets about 199 sunny days per year against the US average of 205 sunny days.
  • The city receives some kind of precipitation, on average, 120 days per year in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
moving to Huntsville

Top reasons to move to Huntsville, AL

Have you noticed a sudden inflow of people to Huntsville? You also would have been surprised about the reasons. Here they are.

Since you’re considering moving to Huntsville AL, the following are the key reasons people are moving to the city:

  • Low living cost
  • Affordable housing
  • Plenty of jobs
  • Cleaner area
  • Quiet neighborhoods
  • Friendly people
Huntsville pros and cons

Pros & Cons of Moving to Huntsville, AL

It is true that Huntsville has got a dozen reasons to call your new home. However, it is also true that the city has got its own share of negatives.

You need to know both the pros and cons of moving to Huntsville to analyze both and determine whether it is worth calling your new place.

Pros of living in Huntsville, AL Cons of living in Huntsville, AL
Low property taxHigh sales tax
Good foodLow house ownership rate
Low trafficHigh tornado risk
Racial diversityThe high number of windy days
More jobs
Diverse population
Low volcanic risk
Low earthquake risk
Low wildfire risk
Political view diversity
place to live Huntsville

Best neighborhoods in Huntsville, Alabama

We know you are curious to know the best places to live in Huntsville as you may be moving in with the family.

And having the list of best neighborhoods will help you while searching for a home. We’ve researched and prepared a list of the best neighborhoods in Huntsville.

Here are the 10 best neighborhoods in Huntsville.

Rank Neighborhood Population Home Value
1.Madison55,551$358,044
2.Harvest6,655$339,000
3.Meridianville8,344$350,300
4.Triana2,784$307,010
5.Hartselle15,308$279,900
6.Moores Mill5,659$306,850
7.New Market1,006$366,138
8.Trinity2,498$174,600
9.Priceville3,479$299,900
10.Falkville1,347$199,900

Tip:When you’ve got a home to move in Huntsville, AL, getting the best moving quote will be your goal. Request moving company quotes to save on moving cost.

cost of living in Huntsville

Cost of living in Huntsville, AL

Whenever you consider moving to a new place, the expense will be the major point of thinking. And the same applies to Huntsville.

Fortunately, the city is too cheap in accommodation, groceries, and utilities and this means you can comfortably live without robbing a bank. The cost of living in Huntsville is 90.7

Take a look at the table below to get a better picture of living costs in Huntsville.

Living Expense Huntsville Alabama National Average
Overall90.784.1100
Grocery9694.4100
Health123.8118.9100
Housing76.656.6100
Median Home Cost$259,100$214,000$338,100
Utilities96.2101.2100
Transportation80.685.9100
Miscellaneous85.671100

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How is the housing market in Huntsville, AL?

Fortunately, it is easier to own a home in Huntsville than most Alabama cities. The cost is a major factor. The median home value in Huntsville is $259,100, much lower than the national average. Interestingly, 35.6% of the residents stay in rented homes and only 2.5% of homes in the city are available for rent.

We’ve got a few housing facts that will help you.

  • Huntsville’s median home cost is $259,100.
  • The median age of Huntsville real estate is 39 years old.
  • The city’s home appreciation in the last 10 years has been 87.3%.
  • Renters make up 35.6% of the Huntsville population.
  • About 2.5% of houses and apartments in Huntsville are available to rent.

Average rental prices in Huntsville, AL

Though home rentals have gone up in recent years, it is still possible to rent one without burning the pocket. And to help you know more about it, we’ve collated the rent details here.

  • Huntsville’s average rent for a studio apartment is $790
  • Huntsville’s average rent for a 1-bedroom home or apartment is $940
  • Huntsville’s average rent for a 2-bedroom home or apartment is $1,110
  • Huntsville’s average rent for a 3-bedroom home or apartment is $1,430
  • Huntsville’s average rent for a 4-bedroom home or apartment is $1,730
jobs in Huntsville

How is the job market in Huntsville, AL?

Huntsville is a growing city and this paves the way for more job opportunities. The city has seen a steep rise in jobs in recent years and if your reason to move here is a job, you are at the right place.

While defense, aerospace, information technology, bioscience, and manufacturing are the most prominent sectors here, jobs are not limited to these but many other sectors too are growing.

We thought that having a few job-related facts in Huntsville will benefit you and here are some.

  • The job growth in Huntsville has been positive.
  • The future job growth over the next ten years is predicted to be 28.66%.
  • The unemployment rate here is 3.1%.
  • Jobs have increased by 3.6% over the past year.
  • The average salary in Huntsville is $51,000.
  • The median home cost in Huntsville is $259,100.

Here is a breakdown table to better understand the Huntsville job market.

Employment Information Huntsville, Alabama United States
The income per Cap$33,070$31,177
Household Income$51,926$57,652
Unemployment Rate3.16.0%
Recent Job Growth-0.86%-6.18%
Future Job Growth40.91%33.51%

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Fastest growing jobs in Huntsville, Alabama

When you know that Huntsville is one of the best cities to find a job as its job market is continuously growing, you may also be curious to know the fast-growing jobs here. This will help you analyze whether jobs of your choice are available in plenty. To help you, we’ve collated a list of fast-growing jobs in Huntsville.

Here are the top ten fastest-growing jobs in the city.

Rank Job Title Growth Average salary Openings in 2024
1Occupational therapist147.4%$89,640503
2Emergency medical technician146.9%$73,410470
3Nurse practitioner138.2%$94,167391
4Web developer133.1%$71,130343
5Diagnostic medical sonographer123.1%$59,280287
6Cardiovascular technician121.6%$57,180223
7Aircraft mechanic117.3%$94,620181
8Business analyst113.8%$91,020161
9Industrial mechanic112.5%$54,360137
10Assembler111.3%$38,740126

Top career options in Huntsville, Alabama?

We know that you prefer to pick a job that offers a decent package in Huntsville. Though the city has many job options with handsome perks, it would be tough for a newcomer to know them all. To make things easier, we’ve filtered down the highest-paying jobs in Huntsville.

Rank Job Title Average salary Entry level salary
1Physicians & surgeons, all other$244,580$156,350
2Chief executives$216,290$111,420
3Dentists, general$182,010$37,280
4Nurse, anesthetists$160,370$128,130
5Architectural and engineering managers$145,340$97,370
6Lawyers$137,400$63,440
7Marketing managers$135,190$67,720
8General & operational managers$134,560$62,440
9Financial managers$131,910$67,780
10Optometrists$127,780$62,970

What's the average salary & income in Huntsville, AL?

How much will you earn in Huntsville? And is that enough to live decently? So what is a decent salary in Huntsville? As per the recent stats, any amount above $51,000 is a good salary here. And when you receive this in your salary account, you’ll be earning more than what half of the population earns here. A good hourly wage in Huntsville is $24.52 per hour.

Here are a few informative points related to the average salary and income in Huntsville.

  • Huntsville’s average annual pay for average jobs is $51,000 a year
  • Huntsville’s average hourly pay for average jobs is $24.52 an hour
  • Huntsville’s average weekly pay for average jobs is $980 per week
  • Huntsville’s average monthly pay for average jobs is $4,250 per month
  • Huntsville’s top earners (90th percentile) make $108,000 annually

Major industries in Huntsville, AL

Huntsville is a major industrial city that is still booming. And for those who are keen to know the major industrial sectors in Huntsville, we got a list.

Here is a list of major industries in Huntsville, AL

  • Aerospace
  • Defense
  • Information Technology
  • Bioscience
  • Advanced manufacturing

Best companies to work for if you’re moving to Huntsville, AL

While searching for a job, we prefer to filter down the best companies in terms of employee friendliness, and knowing your mind, we’ve researched to list out 10 firms in Huntsville that rank high in employee satisfaction.

Here’s the list.

  • Yulista Holding LLC.
  • Huntsville Hospital
  • Colsa
  • Heart Center
  • Torch Technologies
  • Radiance Technologies
  • Aviagen
  • Dynetics
  • Missile Defense Agency
  • Yorktown Systems Group
taxes in Huntsville

What are taxes like in Huntsville, AL?

Now that you are on the last leg of relocating to Huntsville, you would be curious to know the amount that authorities would cut as tax.

This is crucial as wealth is salary minus taxes. And this makes knowing the tax in Huntsville crucial.

Here are a few tax-related facts existing in Huntsville, AL.

  • The Sales Tax Rate for Huntsville is 8.3%. The US average is 7.3%.
  • The Alabama State levies a 5.0% tax on income while the US average is 4.6%.
  • The average property tax rate in Huntsville is 0.41%
Huntsville to do

What are the best things to do in Huntsville, AL?

After your relocation to Huntsville, the weekends and vacations would be mostly packed with fun and entertainment as the city has tons of activities to engage in.

And for those who are clueless about the unlimited options to explore in Huntsville, we’ve got a list of 10.

  • Visit the U.S. Space and Rocket Center
  • Explore Alabama Constitution Hall Park
  • Go hiking in Monte Sano State Park
  • Pay your respects at the U.S. Veterans Memorial
  • Feed the animals at Harmony Park Safari
  • Eat and shop at Bridge Street Town Center
  • Visit the Butterfly House at the Botanical Garden
  • Enjoy the tranquility of Big Spring Park
  • Admire works at Huntsville Museum of Art
  • Step back in history at Weeden House

How safe is Huntsville, Alabama?

If safety is a major reason for moving to Huntsville, you need to rethink as safety can be a major concern here. As per the latest crime record, Huntsville fares poor in safety. The city's property crime rate is also much higher than the US average of 35.4, 66.9 in Huntsville, AL instead.

To help you know the crime stats in Huntsville, we’ve got a few facts.

  • Huntsville's violent crime is 43.2 while the US average is 22.7.
  • Huntsville’s property crime is 66.9 while the US average is 35.4.
  • Your chance of being a violent crime victim is 1 in 103 in Huntsville.
  • Your chance of being a property crime victim is 1 in 25 in Huntsville.
  • About 62% of the population feels safe in Huntsville.

Tip:Often, you feel like calculating the moving cost before you connect with a moving company. To help you, we've got a free moving cost calculator.

schools in Huntsville

What are the top schools in Huntsville, Alabama?

When you have a family, the education of your children would be a concern while moving to Huntsville.

Fortunately, Huntsville is an education hub with many schools and colleges within its area. And interestingly, the stunt population is also diverse here. We’ve researched to prepare a list of the best educational institutions in the city, which may help you once you are here.

Top 5 Public Elementary Schools in Huntsville, AL

  • Mt. Carmel Elementary School
    Public, K-5 | 548 students | Ratings: 9/10

  • Riverton Elementary School
    Public, K-5 | 466 students | Ratings: 9/10

  • Monrovia Elementary School
    Public, K-5 | 488 students | Ratings: 8/10

  • Central School
    Public, K-8 | 764 students | Ratings: 7/10

  • Sonnie Hereford Elementary School
    Public, K-5 | 616 students | Ratings: 5/10

Top 5 Public Middle Schools in Huntsville, AL

  • Monrovia Middle School
    Public, 6-8 | 991 students | Ratings: 7/10

  • Holy Family Parochial School
    Public, K-8 | 244 students | Ratings: 7/10

  • Williams Middle School
    Public, 6-8 | 585 students | Ratings: 5/10

  • Holy Spirit School
    Public, 6-8 | 379 students | Ratings: 5/10

  • Academy for Science & Foreign Language
    Public, PK-8 | 556 students | Ratings: 5/10

Top 4 Public High Schools in Huntsville, AL

  • Jemison High School
    Public, 9-12 | 782 students | Ratings: 8/10

  • Vigil Grissom High School
    Public, 9-12 | 1.803 students | Ratings: 7/10

  • Huntsville High School
    Public, 9-12 | 1,788 students | Ratings: 7/10

  • Randolph School
    Public, K-12 | 908 students | Ratings: 6/10

  • Columbia High School
    Public, 9-12 | 850 students | Ratings: 3/10

Top colleges and universities in Huntsville, AL

  • University of Alabama at Huntsville

  • Alabama & AM University

  • Oakwood Universit

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is it worth moving to Huntsville?

The most populous city in Alabama, Huntsville takes pride in its scenic settings, plenty of open outdoor spaces, unlimited jobs, and low cost of living. When your goal for moving is a good life, there is no place better than Huntsville.

Is Huntsville a walkable city?

Yes, Huntsville has a walking score of 76 in 100 and this ensures you can comfortably walk through the city, spending more time among green lush sidewalks than in motor vehicles.

What is special about Huntsville?

Huntsville is one of the growing cities in the country with a strong base in science and technology. The city is a center of aerospace, military, and aviation. In addition, it also boasts high-quality dining and entertainment options.

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