[KMK]

Actually this area is not moving up as one suspected. The economy is flat and has been for some time. The railcar plant is going to add little improvement in my opinion. I admit it is easy to entertain younger children. Aside from church most activity will more then likely be at the ballfield. Youth sports are very competitive, sometimes not always to a healthy degree. There are a lot of very competitive dads out there. Entertainment for early teens and teens is zero. We do have the river but you will find that assess unless you have a home on the lake can be challenging. I guess Wheeler is a good alternative. Unfortunately there are no organized activities utilizing the water for entertainment. A crew team, sailing club, etc. would be great but nothing is available. It seems that Huntsville has more resources in that respect. Schools are adequate at best. Muscles Shoals boasts a good program but also appear to have had some significant middle class drug problems. Seems alot of kids my sons age ended up in drug rehab centers. The Florence public schools have some significant issues. Most teachers have placed their own children in various private schools. Ms has one pretty good private school and Florence has a few. They seem to provide a safer environment but academics is adequate not particularly strong across the board. Ms has several nice neighborhoods but it appears they do not or did not have zoning laws, thus you will find a nice neighborhood bordered by less then desirable area. Also be careful, when it rains alot of that area is under water. Florence does have several nice neighborhoods and even a few fairly nice in your price range. But our reasonable prices are quickly rising. You will probably still find more house for your money. The crime rate has escalated recently. Most appear to be involved with theft of property. You definately cannot put nice furniture on your porches anymore. I too love the outdoors but we definately lack safe areas to utilize. Florence has a nice park with walking trails but I would definately recommend you walk or utilize playground equipment with a group. If you like to hike there are great areas in Bear Creek or off the Trace, but again a male companion or groups are a better choice. Serious shopping requires a 2-3 hour drive to a surrounding larger city(Memphis, Birmingham or Nashville) Huntsville is a little better then Florence but may as well make the trip to Birmingham. I just noticed today Birmingham is listed as the 6th or 5th unsafest city in the US. I have 3 teens and one straggler at home. My older 3 are off at colleges and although enjoy a short trip home definately hope to land a job in a more progressive area with options for forms of entertainment. There really is nothing for them to do here, nor any jobs to keep our youth in the area. Newcomers are not readily accepted. You will find folks for the most part friendly in daily interactions but close friendships will be a challenge. This area has a large family network(lots of extended families) Most have little need, time, nor want to work on friendships outside their family ties. You might find that a tad easier in the MS area but don`t count on it. I have had 2 friends move from that area specifically because they have had problems finding close friendships. My preachers wife was even commenting how challenging close friendships have been for their family. North Alabama U does have a teaching curriculum. As far as offering any quality activites intergrating the community would be a stretch. It does have a football team but most focus on BAMA or AUBURN football. Every now and then they have a visiting play or musical program worth attending. The school for the most part is a commuter school with a large growing Asian population. This area might be an improvement from your current situation but I would consider other options. It is ok at best.

[niki28]

My family and I moved to this area two years ago, by choice...and I ABSOLUTELY ADORE Muscle Shoals. I have small children in the public school here, they are striving and so are we. The area is small, and I can see how I would probably want to move if I lived here all my life. Everyone knowing what you did in high school could be a problem for some. However if you like small town living, and don't mind standing in Wal-Mart for an extra 45 minutes because you saw four other moms you know...then you will love it here. It is a very loving town as well. People are friendly and warm without being pushy or invasive. Now about driving to shop....45 minutes to Hunstville is not bad at all, we go about twice a month, I am 10 minutes from Florence (which is where the nearest mall is), and then there is Decatur which is somewhere in between here and Huntsville. I never "have" to go to Birm. or Mem. unless I just really want too. I cannot think of a main shopping place that is not in Huntsville...google shopping in Hunstville. We are also about 6 hours from the beach in Alabama and 6.5 from Florida beach. *which everyone here DOES every summer. Crime here is almost non existant and if a restaurant is dirty they put them on the news. SO I love my Muscle Shoals....it is my HOME!

[Michelle4AMH]

I briefly lived in the area around 6-7 yrs ago. My oldest child attended Howell Graves preschool(kindergarten)..and it was a WONDERFUL school. I probably didn't know what to compare it to at that time but since my others have been in kindergarten I know the difference. I was a young stay at home mom with little ones at that time so outside of day to day things, the lack of "things to do" was a non-issue for me. Florence has much more than a typical city of that population...likely because it is isolated and the biggest city in the Shoals area. Actually, I drove to Huntsville to shop more when I lived there than I shop now that I live here close by. I would say that many people would agree it is a NICE place to live and raise kids. I preferred to move closer to a bigger area, but some people prefer not to. I don't think I could move back just because I have become spoiled by being closer to "more". I do know the overall school system does consistently have the best test scores in the shoals area.

[federal up]

I would suggest looking into the Florence side of the water. Muscle Shoals has good schools, however; the mayor and city council does not have a plan for the cities growth. Wise alloy's is another story, financially not stable and certain contract companies have already abandoned the site.

[milledj]

Another option may be to locate in Athens. There is Athens State University there, which has a great College of Education. And you can live on the river and commute to many places. Athens City Schools, I hear, are good, but the county schools are a bit weak. All of this is hearsay, I don't have children. I get the info on the schools from my husband, who has lived in the area all his life.