Huntsville economy: a tale of two cities? (sales, mattresses)

[cansv]

I've visited HSV about 10 times and really love the city and surrounding area. I'm considering moving there but I'm concerned about the economy. I hear how HSV is booming and it's a high-tech city, but my impression from visiting is that HSV is actually 2 cities economically. One, a high-tech engineering center with good income grafted onto a larger low-wage service industry economy, with little in-between. Is this fair/accurate?

[jewel104]

If city-data.com does not provide you with enough information. Here is a link to some Huntsville statistics. Forbes Welcome aerospace and defense are our primary industries, but I would disagree that Huntsville is a "high-tech engineering center with good income grafted onto a larger low-wage service industry..." There is a lot in between the engineering population and the service industry such as: medical professionals, entrepreneurs, teachers, farmers, lawyers, sales people, professors at our universities, young professionals, technicians, pizza deliverers, musicians, administrative assistants, artists, etc. In my humble opinion (as a local, yes I was born here), I think it is a very diverse population, professionally, but I've always heard we have the "most PhDs per capita" than anywhere else in AL. I hope this helps.

[preguntas]

Originally Posted by jewel104

If city-data.com does not provide you with enough information. Here is a link to some Huntsville statistics. Forbes Welcome aerospace and defense are our primary industries, but I would disagree that Huntsville is a "high-tech engineering center with good income grafted onto a larger low-wage service industry..." There is a lot in between the engineering population and the service industry such as: medical professionals, entrepreneurs, teachers, farmers, lawyers, sales people, professors at our universities, young professionals, technicians, pizza deliverers, musicians, administrative assistants, artists, etc. In my humble opinion (as a local, yes I was born here), I think it is a very diverse population, professionally, but I've always heard we have the "most PhDs per capita" than anywhere else in AL. I hope this helps.

All of the middle ground you listed can be found in the vast majority of cities. I believe the poster is really asking what other major business/industry lies between aerospace/defense and the service industry. The list you made is not the answer because they exist everywhere.(it is hard to have a city without any of those, but they are not another aspect of the economy unless for instance you have thousands of bankers or lawyers etc.)

[skybiz]

Originally Posted by cansv

I've visited HSV about 10 times and really love the city and surrounding area. I'm considering moving there but I'm concerned about the economy. I hear how HSV is booming and it's a high-tech city, but my impression from visiting is that HSV is actually 2 cities economically. One, a high-tech engineering center with good income grafted onto a larger low-wage service industry economy, with little in-between. Is this fair/accurate?

At first you might want to ask yourself WHAT DO YOU LIKE/DISLIKE about the area? What industry you're in and how that industry is doing here in comparison with the other areas of your interest?

I didn't understood what you was referring to by saying "little in between". There is a large high-tech community and naturally they expect to get various services available. Though I don't believe that Huntsville service providers are going to die if high-tech engineers industry will move away(VERY UNLIKELY).

Yes, Huntsville is very affordable and convenient city to live. Low wages are much higher at the end of the "road" simply because your housing is MUCH CHEEPER. Your taxes are MUCH LOWER. Driving distance to commute is LESS that in bigger cities = LESS MILAGE, LESS GAS, LESS REPAIRS...

[NoleFanHSV]

Originally Posted by cansv

I've visited HSV about 10 times and really love the city and surrounding area. I'm considering moving there but I'm concerned about the economy. I hear how HSV is booming and it's a high-tech city, but my impression from visiting is that HSV is actually 2 cities economically. One, a high-tech engineering center with good income grafted onto a larger low-wage service industry economy, with little in-between. Is this fair/accurate?

What fills the middle is customer service and the like. Verizon, BCBS, Comcast, DTV and a few others have call centers here. They pay decently but the hours can be terrible and the job un-fulfilling. There are also several plants, such as the PPG plant and Toyota Plant. Soon the Remington plant will be ramping up. Outside of that, there isn't much.

[Dick Ellington]

Originally Posted by cansv

I've visited HSV about 10 times and really love the city and surrounding area. I'm considering moving there but I'm concerned about the economy. I hear how HSV is booming and it's a high-tech city, but my impression from visiting is that HSV is actually 2 cities economically. One, a high-tech engineering center with good income grafted onto a larger low-wage service industry economy, with little in-between. Is this fair/accurate?

No this is not accurate. We have a number of thriving industries in between.

[Becky2517]

Originally Posted by Dick Ellington

No this is not accurate. We have a number of thriving industries in between.

Such as? I think it is fair to say we do have high and low with very little in-between, but, that all depends on what you see as "the middle"...what would be considered "median" here, would be low-income in other states. It is true that COL is somewhat lower here, but, it all adds up and while prices are going up, wages are not. Again, subjective to what you think in-between wages are.

[ashpelham]

Sounds like what is likely the case in many mid-size US cities. I prefer Huntsville to where I currently live, but it's still in Alabama and still too many people living on the government dole, and THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN G'MENT SERVICES. There's very little going on with respect to innovation and private-enterprise. But again, that's what 7 years of Democratic intervention will do for you.

[Tourian]

Huntsville is for sure a company town that thrives on defense/aerospace and government spending. There is no other "marquee" industry. Yeah, you've got your usual professionals - doctors, lawyers, bankers, that you'll find in any city, but that's not because of any special concentration or focus in those areas.

So I get why someone might say there's "two" cities and a great divide, but that's more of an exaggeration than a truth.

[cansv]

Thanks for all the comments so far; I have a richer perspective now, even if not everyone said the same things. On the question of Southern wages and lower cost of living, somewhere I read a convincing analysis that these aren't proportional. In other words, COL might be 85% of U.S. average, but wages are only 75% of U.S. average.

Still, I plan to move to HSV. The quality of life is so much better there. But then I'm a life-long resident of Baltimore so that might not be saying much. I have't lived in a city where trash wasn't strewed over large parts, abandoned mattresses in alleys, etc. Huntsville is like Oz by comparison, LOL