[neednewscenery]

Hello everyone,

I am a 30-something woman living in Michigan with a teenaged son. I am trying to relocate from Michigan to Alabama. The reason I choose AL is for the lower cost of living, slower pace, warmer weather, and lower crime than where I currently live. I have decided to take closer looks at Mobile and Huntsville to decide which area would be best for us. I'm looking to hear the pros and cons of living in either city. If you have lived or currently live in either city, please tell me what you did or didn't like about the city and what you would change about the city if you could.

Thanks

[Southlander]

You'll probably do best to first search this forum for previous comments on both cities. There have been a LOT. Many of the Huntsville comments are on the Huntsville sub-forum (see the top of the Alabama forum).

[Keeper]

What type of work will you be looking for if you move? What are you looking to spend for rent or to buy a house?
Mobile is warmer during the winter than H'ville area. Schools are hit and miss in Mobile. Many ppl chose to live in Baldwin county because of the schools and less crime. Mobile is an old city with lots of history. Mardi Gras is a big event there but not like New Orleans as there are few tourist and no public drinking. I am from Mobile originally and I love the city itself. Traffic is pretty bad in some areas as is crime.
As Southlander stated you can check the Huntsville subforum as we have had many newcomers move here recently.

[kevin_1975]

I can not answer for Huntsville, but I love and enjoy Mobile.

One thing that attracts new people is being close to the Gulf beaches.

[cpg35223]

Well, being a Birminghamster, I think you should give our city a second look. Forget the stereotypes of steel mills and race riots, for those days are long gone. Instead, you'll find a beautiful city with a booming economy (lowest unemployment in the country) and all kinds of amenities. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

That being said, both Huntsville and Mobile are great places. If I were living in Mobile, I would suggest the Eastern Shore as being more family friendly and more accepting of transplants (Old Mobile is very stratified in terms of social class). Huntsville, on the other hand has lots of transplants from all over the country, so you may find it easier to make friends quickly. Personally, I think Huntsville is a great town.

[Bravo35223]

What is your profession? This can factor into it as each of Alabama's cities has a local economy built on very very different economies.

Also, how important is public school quality to you? How much home can you afford?

[luksky]

I have lived in Mobile all of my life until moving out of state recently. I have a 6 year old daughter that I did not want to raise in Mobile. Mobile has a lot of pluses to it as far as weather, being close to the coast and history, but I don't recommend raising children there....especially not teenage boys. The public schools are no good, and there isn't many things for young people to do.

Unless you can afford to send your child to private school and live on the higher priced eastern shore Mobile is not the place.

I have never been to Huntsville so I can't give an opinion.

Hope this helps

[Privet]

I've lived in Mobile for about 20 years and if you would have asked me this question 5 years ago I would have said Huntsville is a no brainer! But Mobile is growing by leaps and bounds. We have tons of historic attractions. Mardi Gras. Various Festivals. We've gotten a lot of really good musical acts in the past few years. Downtown is booming. Mobile has an old charm about it. The weather is VERY different from Michigan. Mostly warm and humid all year around, lots of rain. We're close to the gulf beaches. You're close to the casinos in Biloxi. and about 2 1/2 hours from New Orleans. There are good schools here but you really have to look. Houses are reasonably priced.

I've never been to Huntsville but I hear its a very green city with lots of technology industries. You won't have to worry about hurricanes in Huntsville. and you would be close to Nashville, Atlanta, and Birmingham.

Even though I'm a native Mobilian, I would say coming from Michigan, that Huntsville would be a better fit overall. Just depends on what you're looking for.

[MullinsCurve]

The Huntsville area will probably suit your interests better.

If you look at Huntsville, be sure to look at Madison County first. I have many relatives and friend in Madison, it has much to offer that Huntsville proper does not.

If you a Michigander who enjoys German food, you'd better go to Huntsville. They have some good German restaurants there, courtesy of the German rocketeers brought there after the war.

[butterflyauntie]

What about Cullman? It is about 45 minutes outside of Huntsville and an hour outside of Birmingham. Beautiful area lots of land, beautiful homes.