Gardendale/Fultondale area....please advise (Birmingham, Pinson: high school, pros and cons, place to live)

[buckmoth]

My family will be moving to the metro Birmingham area, and we're seeking opinions on the pros and cons of Gardendale as a place to live. It seems to be growing, and is fairly close to the CBD. All perspectives welcome. Thanks.

[UABstudent]

Traffic is much better coming from the north rather than the south. I would choose Gardendale schools over Fultondale anyday. I grew up in Pinson, 15 minutes from G'dale. The (gardendale) schools aren't bad at all, they just aren't in the top 10 for the area. G'dale is large enough to offer the students resources smaller schools can't. G'dale high school was just built and the facilities look amazing. The town of G'dale seems to be very close nit, but not like a super small town feel (you get that vibe once you travel north of the town). Pretty much it offers the convience of an average suburb, but it borders the woods. It is a very safe town from what I understand.

[Coyote 71]

I would choose Gardendale also, or a little further north is even better Morris or Kimberly is a great place to live.

[MinivanDriver]

Gardendale is a nice community that's an easy get to downtown. To me, the main question is that of your cultural leanings. It's awfully conservative compared to the city's southern suburbs. If you're cool with that, then great.

[BamaDave]

Fultondale actually has some nice, newer developments and is a little more diverse than Gardendale. My wife and I actually have Fultondale on our list of possible places to relocate after retirement in a few years if we decide to move because it is only minutes away from downtown, medical services, etc.