Huntsville, Alabama, has long been known as Rocket City thanks to its contributions to the space race in the 1950s and ‘60s, as well as the giant Saturn V on display at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
Residents know it simply as a wonderful place to live, work and enjoy many attractions and activities. U.S. News & World Report agrees — they listed Huntsville as the third-best place to live in the United States. That lofty ranking is due to a boom of well-paying jobs, low cost of living, and the fact its residents have a high level of education.
Huntsville is a city of approximately 200,000 that is growing every day thanks to a diverse economy. There are jobs in traditional sectors such as aerospace and defense, while many new jobs in tech and manufacturing have been created in recent years.
Real Estate Market
Compared with many other markets across the United States, Huntsville real estate is very affordable. According to Realtor.com, Huntsville is in a buyer’s market, meaning the supply of homes is greater than the demand. The median listing price of homes in Huntsville was $274,700 in June — an increase of 9.9% over the previous year.
Neighborhoods
There are several great neighborhoods to explore for homes for sale in Huntsville, as well as many comfortable suburbs. Before moving to Huntsville, identify your needs as they relate to family and professional life. You might want to live near your place of employment. If you’re moving to Huntsville because you can work from home and you want to do so in a more relaxed setting, your choices will be more varied.
Research neighborhoods and homes online, and then hire an experienced real estate agent who has extensive knowledge of Huntsville’s various neighborhoods and will help guide you through every step of the exciting home-buying process.
Here’s a look at a few of the best places to live in Huntsville:
Downtown
There’s no better way to get a sense of the energy and excitement of this dynamic city than to buy Huntsville real estate in or near the historic downtown area, which has become a desirable live-work-play area. There are several different kinds of residences, as well as an arts and entertainment district. Downtown has many historic homes, including the most antebellum homes in the entire state. There are other modern residences as well, including single-family homes, luxury lofts, condos, and apartments.
One of the fun areas of downtown is the Lincoln Mill District, known for renovated cottages and other residences within walking and biking distance of dining and shopping.
Thanks to the increasing demand for housing in the growing city, there are plans for new construction.
Lake Forest
This master-planned community is one of the nicest places to find homes for sale in Huntsville. It is tucked into the quiet southwest corner of Huntsville and is just a short drive from downtown and several major employers.
Spread out over 700 acres, there are 11 different neighborhoods in Lake Forest, and each has homes built in distinctive styles. Depending on your tastes and lifestyle needs, you can choose from traditional single-family homes, historic, Southern, plantation, garden, and patio style homes. There are also custom single-family homes.
Lake Forest has a homeowners association, and amenities include a pool, gym, tennis courts, and clubhouse.
Jones Valley
South of downtown is Jones Valley, a gorgeous area of rolling hills with beautiful homes. The popular neighborhood occupies a good deal of what was once the Jones Farm, a family-run operation which at one point spread over 2,500 acres. The Jones Farm is still in operation and is believed to be the country’s largest urban farm.
Madison
Madison has become one of the most popular suburbs of Huntsville. It is a friendly community and a great place to raise a family. It has highly ranked schools and is located near several large employers.
South Huntsville
South Huntsville has been described as the convergence of urban energy and the peacefulness of nature. There’s a wide variety of Huntsville real estate here, ranging from traditional neighborhoods to waterfront homes. Many homes are on large lots, allowing residents to enjoy a laid-back lifestyle while still being within close proximity of everything a big city offers.
Major Attractions
U.S. Space & Rocket Center
A gigantic Saturn V rocket that draws visitors to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center has become the best-known landmark in Huntsville. The U.S. space program helped put Huntsville on the map, and that legacy is on display at the world’s largest spaceflight museum. It has attracted approximately 17 million visitors since it opened in 1970 on land donated by the U.S. Army.
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center has one of the most comprehensive collections of rockets and other manned space flight hardware of any museum. It is home to the famous Space Camp, Robotics Camp, and Cyber Camp. It is also NASA's Official Visitor Information Center for Marshall Space Flight Center.
U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum
Located on the south side of Huntsville, this museum honors the accomplishments of American military personnel from the Revolutionary War to the present. There are more than 30 military vehicles on display that were used in World War I and in subsequent conflicts. Among them is the oldest surviving Jeep, the Ford Pygmy. There are also many other artifacts and pieces of military equipment on display.
It’s an excellent place for the families of veterans to learn about the service of their loved ones.
Huntsville Botanical Gardens
Located not far from the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, the 112-acre Huntsville Botanical Garden offers wonderful open space with meadows, wetlands, and upland and bottomland forest. There are native plant collections, specialty gardens, the Mathews Nature Trail, and the Anderson Education Center, which features the country’s largest open-air butterfly house.
There are many other attractions and neighborhoods in Huntsville worth exploring.
If you plan to buy or sell Huntsville real estate in 2021, let InTown Partners Real Estate Group provide the best service possible.
