People in Alabama

Alabama is situated in the southeastern United States. It's bordered by Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico. Montgomery is Alabama's capital city. Other large cities include Birmingham, Huntsville, and Mobile.

Alabama is renowned for its beautiful coastline and inland waterways. Its also home to some of the best golf courses in the country, including the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Alabama remains hot for most of the year and the humidity can get pretty high.

What's life like in Alabama?

Alabama has a population of around 5 million people. A large proportion of the population lives in the 5 largest cities and 90% of the population speak English at home. While there is a rich diversity in the major cities in Alabama, the state as a whole is less ethnically diverse than some of its neighboring states.

People in Alabama have the reputation for being friendly and having a strong pride in their culture and heritage. Alabama also has an affordable cost of living compared to many states and with decent job opportunities, makes it a popular state if you're moving for work.

Work in Alabama

Alabama's economy employs around 2 million people. The largest economies in the state include aerospace, health care, education, and banking. There are also some heavy industries, including steel production, automobile manufacturing, and mineral extraction.

While agriculture used to employ thousands of people in Alabama, more recently, management jobs, business and financial operations, and IT-related jobs have made up a large portion of the state's job market. The most common jobs in Alabama are truck drivers, nurses, and teachers.

Major Attractions of Alabama

Here are some of the top attractions that make Alabama a great place to live and work:

• US Space and Rocket Center: Locate in Huntsville, this fascinating museum is dedicated to science and space travel.
• Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail: A collection of championship-level golf courses distributed across the state.   
• Birmingham Zoo: Opened in 1955, this 122-acre zoo located in Birmingham is home to nearly 1,000 individual animals.
• USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park: Historic WWII-era battleships in a US National Historic Landmark.
• McWane Science Center: An interactive science center with over 500,000 artifacts. Fascinating for adults and kids.

Pros and Cons of Living in Alabama

Pros:

• Mild winters – Compared to most other states, Alabama has a very mild climate and you can wear a t-shirt and shorts for 9 months of the year.
• Lots of manufacturing jobs – Alabama is the largest steel producer in the state and there are plenty of manufacturing and heavy industry jobs.
• Relatively low cost of living – While the high-paying job market isn't as wide as in some states, Alabama offers residents a relatively low cost of living.

Cons:

• Extreme weather – Alabama is mild for most of the year, but it does experience some of the most extreme weather events in the country, including hurricanes and tornadoes.
• Low quality of life – Alabama struggles with safety, housing, education, jobs, and health care and often ranks lowest on places to live in the country.
• Lack of diversity – Many of Alabama's cities and communities lack a broad range of cultures and ethnicities, especially compared to other states nearby.