How do you define "Quality of Life?"
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8/5/2013
I grew up in Huntsville, left when I was 20 and lived in New York City, Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Came back at 35 for family reasons. If you are moving here from some tiny, nowhere town, you may think it's great. If you are used to living in a more liberal city with arts, culture and a diverse population, you will probably hate it. Huntsville is very conservative. You can't throw a stick without hitting a church. It's a dreadful place for gay people or straight singles. Anybody who is single is in for a lonely life here. If you are a conservative, white, christian family person who also happens to be an engineer, congratulations!! This is your paradise. If you are anything else, forget it. I regularly hear racist and sometimes homophobic comments. The old idea of "Southern Hospitality" is also nonsense. People will be very polite to your face and then turn around and gossip like crazy about you, all the while proclaiming to be a christian. Most of the restaurants are chain restaurants. The summers are brutally humid and hot, like sub-Saharran Africa hot. Walking out your front door is literally like stepping into a steam sauna. And they last for about 5 months. Also, not many people know this but due to the fact that so many people fly here for government contract-related business (and those costs are reimbursed), Huntsville has the highest average cost for airline tickets in the country!!!!! So if you like to travel, plan to spend A LOT to fly anywhere! The city is also very spread out. The downtown area is pretty with charming old houses, but it isn't an area where most people actually live. In my opinion, housing costs are quite high for a city of this size in Alabama. Definitely visit several times (and specifically during the summer months) before moving here.
Eric | Huntsville, AL