Birmingham vs. Huntsville

[TimCity2000]

tacosman decided to dig up several posts tonight for some reason. tacosman, where do you live?

[tacosman]

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

tacosman decided to dig up several posts tonight for some reason. tacosman, where do you live?

Homewood primarily now(some other places too I spend a little time at); considering move to atlanta as well but will keep birmingham area place

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by preguntas

I would like to take this space to thank TACOSMAN for reprising this seven year old thread.

It was kinda interesting to read the 7-year old thread though. A lot has changed in 7 years.

[tacosman]

Huntsville is on an upward trajectory relative to birmingham. That's the consensus at least. of course that doesn't neccessarily mean it's a 'better' area(I prefer birmingham for example).

[MinivanDriver]

Originally Posted by tacosman

Huntsville is on an upward trajectory relative to birmingham. That's the consensus at least. of course that doesn't neccessarily mean it's a 'better' area(I prefer birmingham for example).

I don't think that's accurate.

Unemployment rate is about equal. 0.2% difference.

Birmingham GDP growth is better than Huntsville's. Job growth is strong, too.

Birmingham Per Capita Income, once a historical laggard, has now climbed past that of Huntsville.

None of that is to make this a Birmingham vs Huntsville comparison, since I like both cities and do not have an axe to grind. But, over the past 15 years, Birmingham has undergone a broad-based transformation in terms of its economy that's beginning to show evidence in terms of GDP growth. And to assert that downtown Birmingham is decaying is to ignore the new construction and renovation work that's taking place on literally every block. Just yesterday, driving to my daughter's downtown apartment from Southside, I had to drive around a good dozen or so construction projects between UAB and Third Avenue, North.

The other thing to consider, and one that frankly worries me a little, about Huntsville, is that its past growth has been in defense and aerospace. 55% of the Huntsville economy is based on government spending. Hey, that's great when the government is buying missiles and rockets. And it's sure recession proof. Yet past trend lines are not predictions of the future.

But that growth has been spurred by a succession of powerful senators in appropriations (Sparkman, Heflin, and Shelby) who have managed to wheel and deal, shunting one government project after another into the Huntsville market. Yet, suddenly, the state of Alabama has two rookie senators, one of whom has done his absolute level best to alienate the entire military and their contractor base. I have hope for Britt as Shelby's protege. But Tuberville has the potential to really have an adverse effect on the health of the city's defense industry.


If you don't think the Space Force HQ up and going to Colorado wasn't the DoD's retribution for Tuberville's antics, I'm not sure what to tell you. And it could signal future difficulty in landing the government pork that has helped that city grow.