Moving to Mobile / need suggestions (Birmingham, Daphne: apartment complexes, crime rate, house)

[hoosier2112]

My family and I will be moving to Mobile this summer from the Midwest (new job). I was wondering if anyone could offer suggestions and descriptions of:
1) the better locations to seek single-family housing;
2) cultural and educational opportunities (my wife and I both have graduate degrees). Are there good private schools (2 children)?;
3) how will a white, liberal atheist married to an olive-skinned Hispanic woman be received in Mobile and/or Alabama? We speak both English and Spanish at home and outside the home.

[jetsjoe]

I can help you with #2.

There are several good priavte schools. I personally recommend St. Dominiques. It is a Catholic school. I highly recommend it if that is what your looking for. Some consider St.Paul's the best, but I believe St. Dominiques is great. Your children would get a good education as well as good morals. It is not a real strict enviroment, which I think is a plus. I enjoyed my few years there and it had my ahead academically.

[Bbluefish]

Hi there!

As far as schools go, the 2 best schools hands down are both college prepatory private schools. They are:
1. St. Paul's Episcopal College Prepatory School
2. Wright /UMS Prep.

UMS used to boast being the only remaining all boys private school in the state until recent years when it merged with it's "sister school", Wright.
If I had a boy, I would consider Wright/UMS, but I think for girls the school, at least in the olden days of 1993 when I graduated, creates or contributes in some cases to a very snobby environment. A large percentage of the mother's who send their daughter's to Wright believe in only furthering their education with an all-girls ivy league school, so you get a little flavor of the mentality :-)

I'll admit my being partial to St. Paul's....it's an amazing education with the most talented faculty around. I think what stands out is not just the talent & accolades of their faculty, but their true desire to reach & inspire each student in a way they learn best!! Can you tell where I graduated from?

As far as being an atheist, I don't think that should be an issue of concern for you in Mobile. By the way, St. Paul's is accepting of all religious backgrounds....the majority of students are not episcopal.

Mobile is a true southern city where families have lived for generations, and is not quite as metropolitan as an area such as Birmingham, the state's largest city. However, it is the state's 2nd largest city, & I'm sure has come a long way since I grew up there. I know the people are extremely friendly & you will find your very own little close-knit community in time.

As far as areas to live in, I would look out Airport Blvd. in west Mobile. Last time I was there, many new subdivisions were going up. I would stay away from Spring Hill....might be a little snottier than what you would like!
You might also want to check out Daphne or Fairhope, just over the causeway bridge in Baldwin County. Daphne is a great little artistic community. If you decide on Baldwin county, I believe the public school system is much stronger than Mobile county. Bayside Academy is a great private school in Baldwin county.

Hope this helps!!!

[steveklein]

there are a lot of nice areas to live in the mobile area. spring hill, airport road/west mobile, and the eastern shore (daphne, fairhope) are all nice areas. there are others as well.

lots of good private schools in mobile as well.

mcgill-toolen, ums-wright, st. paul's, and others...

[Chris Bassett]

You should subscribe to local news paper before moving to Mobile. I had to live here due to job but have taken early retirement to get out of Mobile. This place has the worst Schools and is crime ridden. If you read paper for several weeks you will understand the problem. If you have children stay out of the city limits if you must move.

[DreamWeavin]

I second that Chris and good luck with your move. I have lived here all my life and am getting out. If the hurricanes aren't bad enough, the crime is and add the over crowding, traffic,traffic, traffic and the way below par schools and wages make this one of the least desirable cities ever. I'm waiting for that to be the next released poll. Airport Blvd. is already ranked in the top 50 busiest,unsafe roads in the nation. I hate it here and can't wait to move. Am packing now.



[/b]

Originally Posted by Chris Bassett

You should subscribe to local news paper before moving to Mobile. I had to live here due to job but have taken early retirement to get out of Mobile. This place has the worst Schools and is crime ridden. If you read paper for several weeks you will understand the problem. If you have children stay out of the city limits if you must move.

[Kegan]

Originally Posted by northernexposure

I second that Chris and good luck with your move. I have lived here all my life and am getting out. If the hurricanes aren't bad enough, the crime is and add the over crowding, traffic,traffic, traffic and the way below ..............

Perhaps this is a matter of perspective. My wife and I moved to Baldwin Co. from Atlanta a year or so ago, then moved to Mobile (Oakleigh). Couldn't be happier. After 30 years in mostly in-town Atlanta, I have yet to see anything in Mobile that resembles heavy traffic. Ditto crime, etc. Like I said, perspective. Even traffic in Baldwin was/is much worse than my little section of Mobile.

Bottom line, West Mobile might be like any suburban gridlock. Intown is wonderful. And FWIW, the private schools mentioned above are intown more than West (surburban) Mobile.

[Roxanne G]

Congratulations on your move to Mobile, AL. I wish you and your family the best of luck in finding a home and good schools for your children. I myself have recently moved to Mobile from Philadelphia, PA. I read someone's response stating that the crime rate has increased and they are looking forward to getting out. It can't be any worse than Philadelphia right now. I believe Philadelphia has the worse crime rate so with that being said, welcome I wish you and your family the best of luck.

[stev32k]

I've lived in Mobile for ten years and moved here after living in Atlanta, Seattle, Chicago, and overseas for several years. Compared to those cities the traffic is minimal. Airport Blvd and springhill are busy streets and getting more so, but nothing like living in the loop area of Chicago or I-285 around Atlanta.

The only thing that that might give you a problem is the atheist part. Mobile is a strongly religious area. Your wife being Hispanic will be welcomed, but your atheism will be a problem if you let it be known.

The city itself is booming. Subdivisions and apartment complexes seem to spring up like mushrooms overnight. There are excellent restaurants and as you might expect the seafood is excellent.

Housing may or may not be cheap depending on where you are moving from. Three-hundred thousand will get you twice the house you could have in Chicago or Minneapolis, about the same as in Atlanta.