Get to Know Montgomery, AL – Your EZ Home Search Moving Guide

Get ready to bless your heart and drink some sweet tea because you’re preparing to move to Montgomery, Alabama. The state’s second-largest city is almost literally at the center of everything that makes living in Alabama appealing. What do you gain by calling Montgomery home? A city, but one that’s not too crowded, a beautiful, rolling landscape, and a growing sports destination.

If you’re on the fence about moving to Montgomery, our guide delivers a brief overview of what you need to know. And if the move is happening because you’ve been hired by one of its growing companies or you’re planning to attend college there, this will help you feel more settled in.

A Brief History

Alabama’s Black Belt region is a central geographical strip prized for its rich soil. The region rose to prominence for its ability to grow cotton and other high-commodity crops. Montgomery’s central location in the Black Belt and access to the Alabama River made transporting the region’s cotton easier, leading to the town’s growth and position in Alabama history.

That history is tied into some of the more controversial parts of American history, such as slavery, reconstruction, and the Jim Crow era. Montgomery did serve as the first White House of the Confederacy, but it was also the epicenter of the Civil Rights Movement. The Montgomery Bus Boycotts are an especially important part of this legacy.

Montgomery has also been home to prominent Americans, like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, musician Hank Williams, and writers F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.

Montgomery Fun Facts

The Wright brothers of aviation fame opened the first civilian flight school in 1910 at what is today the Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base.

Montgomery was the first US city to initiate an electric streetcar system all the way back in 1886.

Montgomery’s Empire Theater was the first known to use refrigeration and became the first to use actual air conditioning.

Riverfront Park has a quirky architectural design called Echo Circle that will send your voice back to you.

Affordable Cost of Living

Good news about your expenses! Dollars stretch further in Montgomery as its cost of living is typically lower than the rest of the state and the country. The only two categories that were more expensive were healthcare and utilities.

Some of your biggest cost savings are in housing. It’s incredible to think that you could live in a major city and spend about 62% less than the national average rate on a home. But that’s the case in Montgomery, which was also 18% cheaper than Alabama’s state housing average.

Overall, your expenses in the Alabama state capital will run about 22% less than most people in the United States.

And to afford all of this, the average annual salary in Montgomery is $65,000 as of March 2023, signaling you can have a comfortable life in a major city.

A Mid-size Population

Is Montgomery growing? That’s a great question because growth signals a strong economy and an increase in the potential for your housing options.

Montgomery has just over 200,000 residents as of the 2020 Census. Only Huntsville, AL, had more people living in it. The entire metropolitan area ranks as Alabama’s fourth largest population center. So it’s a city, but nowhere near as dense as other southern metropolises like New Orleans or Atlanta.

Zooming out statewide, projections have Alabama at 5.3 million residents by 2040, an 11% increase in its population from 2010. Montgomery County is projected to add 9.3% more people, for 21,000 more residents by 2040.

Heat, humidity, and more heat

This is the South, so you should expect a combination of mild winters and hot, muggy summers. That doesn’t mean you’ll be as hot as tropical Florida, but it can still get so sticky your shirt will cling to your back in July when you walk out the door.

Montgomery’s hottest months post an average 92F high, and that’s for July and August. The latter happens to be one of the wettest months of the year, too, along with February and March. Montgomery gets washes of warm, moist air pushed in from the Gulf of Mexico, especially along seasonal frontal boundaries.

Those same frontal boundaries create strong tornadoes that are definitely a risk factor in this part of Alabama. So you’ll need to stay alert during the fall and spring months when the weather changes.

On the upside, the city is far enough away from the coastline that tropical storms have a reduced impact. You can still experience heavy rains, localized flooding, and wind damage, but it wouldn’t be as severe as on the coast.

And don’t forget the cold. Sure, you may not get an intense winter blizzard every season, but you can have some icy days and light snow dustings even in Montgomery. The average winter high is around 36F.

Home to a nationally-ranked public school

Montgomery Public Schools is the local system for public K-12 education. This large school district with 28,000 students operates 53 different schools, with a few being among Alabama’s top-ranked. In fact, Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School also ranks nationally.

Unfortunately, that same high level of quality is not uniform across the school district. On the whole, Montgomery Public School District is not among the state’s best. However, some surrounding suburbs have top-ranked and consistently high-performing Alabama school districts.

As for your higher education choices, Montgomery has about six options. Perhaps the best-known is Huntingdon College, a private, small university offering Methodist education. It ranked no. 8 in the 2022-2023 Best Colleges is Regional Colleges South.

Faulkner University made the same list but down as no. 101. This private school enrolls around 2,000 students for a nondenominational religious education.

Secular Auburn University operates a satellite location in Montgomery. Its regional ranking was number 68, with around 4,000 students at its urban 500-acre campus.

Alabama State University, also known as Bama State or ASU, is a historically black and colored university (HBCU) founded in 1867, first as a teacher’s college. As segregation rules lifted, it broadened its offerings and positioned itself as a world-class institution with over 60 programs of study.

Government Employment Dominates the Job Market

Agribusiness remains vital to the greater Montgomery area. Indeed, numerous manufacturing businesses directly serve this sector. However, Montgomery’s status as the political center means work in government has been key to the city’s economics. Today 24% of local jobs are in government roles, both at the state and federal level, thanks to the nearby Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base.

The economy has broadened to hit upon every industry. Manufacturing is dominant, with two automobile plants in the Montgomery Metro. Retail, hospitality, and education are also top-employing local industries.

Area unemployment was going down during early 2023. The March 2023 rate of 2.4% was a year-over-year drop from 3.1% and a month-over-month drop from 2.9%.

Sales Taxes Are High

New Montgomery residents may find the 10% sales tax rate especially high. Alabama has been challenged to improve the quality of its schools, which have been funded through property taxes. The problem is Alabama has one of the nation’s lowest property tax rates, and homeowners have been reluctant to raise funds through increased property taxation. The result is sales taxes are being used to try and fill the funding gap.

Alabama also has an individual income tax on your earnings. It’s a tiered system, but you’ll essentially pay a 5% income tax if you make over $3,000.

In Montgomery, the property tax rate in 2022 was 3.65 mills. Alabama charges 6.5 mills, and the County 7.5 mills.

Getting Around

It is a central Alabama city, and it’s much easier to get around to the other destinations, thanks to the interstate system running through Montgomery. Having a car will definitely make it easier to get where you want to go. While there is a public transportation system, it only operates around 15 bus routes.

The Montgomery Regional Airport, located about seven miles southwest of the city, does have connecting Delta and American Airlines flights. But your options are more limited with days and times than other regional airports.

Real estate and neighborhoods

Montgomery is a historic city, resulting in neighborhoods with lots of character. But newer options are there, too, reflecting the city’s modern growth and demand for contemporary housing.

So where should you live in the city? Check out the best neighborhoods in Montgomery, including:

• Cottage Hill, an expansive historic district with iconic cottage-style homes going back to Montgomery’s earliest days.
• Cloverdale, another historic district near Norman Bridge Road.
• Capital Heights, a development from the mid-1910s built on former plantation land
• Garden District, a National Register of Historic Places neighborhood with eclectic stylings.

Bucket list attractions

As you settle into your home, why not start learning about the history and culture by checking out key attractions that make Montgomery unique? Here are a few must-see things to do in the city:

Alabama Shakespeare Festival is world-renowned for Romeo and Juliet performances on the Blount Cultural Park grounds.

While at the park, check out the beautiful Chihuly exhibit at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. Their glass collection includes pieces from this world-famous artist, as well as Tiffany glass and Homer Winslow watercolors. The museum is also kid-friendly with a hands-on children’s section.

Riverfront Park is the revitalized entertainment district in Montgomery. Kids will love the splash pad in the summer, while the iconic riverboat captures days long gone by. At the stadium, catch a game of the Montgomery Biscuits, a minor league baseball team.

The whole family will also enjoy the Montgomery Zoo, which has 500 animals it cares for across various habitats.

The Rosa Parks Museum is a resource for educating people about Alabama’s complex history, the Montgomery Bus Boycotts, and its role in the Civil Rights Movement.

Continue the experience along Dexter Avenue, making your way to the King Memorial Baptist church. It was renamed to commemorate the memory of the civil rights leader, who was the church pastor for six years.

Old Alabama Town has over 50 historic homes restored to their original state. It includes a school, church, and barns. Many buildings are open to the public, giving you an idea of what life was like a century ago.

Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of The Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald, was born in Montgomery. You can visit the only museum documenting their glamorous life.

Find antiques and treasure gems at Eastbrook Antique Mall. You never know what you’ll find in the combination flea market and antique thrift store.

The historic State Capitol building reflects a classic Greek Revival Style. Built in the 1850s, it played backdrop to crucial events in Alabama history you can learn about while on a tour.

Montgomery reflects classic Alabama dining, with homestyle southern cooking and lots of BBQ. You could spend days trying all the BBQ joints and still struggle to find the best one. And wherever you go, be ready for the fluffy biscuits.

The Crime Rate Is High

Call one thing to be aware of living in Montgomery: it has a higher crime rate than other similarly sized communities. Violent crime was indexed at 33.9, and property crime was 61.7. That’s almost double the US average.

It doesn’t mean every neighborhood in the city has a high crime rate, but you definitely want to investigate where you want to live and what’s going on for safety near you.

Setting Up Your Home

As you prepare to make Montgomery your home, you must set up your utilities. Power is provided through Alabama Power, and wastewater services are provided through Montgomery Waterworks. You can set up new services online.

Trash collection depends on your address. You could be served by the city sanitation department, or you may have to arrange for a private pick-up.

If your home has natural gas, Spire most likely offers it.

Living in Montgomery, AL

You’ll find your life in Montgomery mixes the old with the new. Historic buildings contain new lofts and farm-to-table restaurants. Traditions jut up against new, progressive ways of thinking. Arts reflect the turbulent past and hope for the future. If this mixture sounds appealing, get to know more about Montgomery under the guidance of a local real estate agent who can help you explore the city’s charms.