A lifestyle that combines big-city conveniences and small-town comforts

When you make Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley your home, you'll enjoy a high quality of life, a low cost of living and some of the country's most exciting recreational, cultural and historic attractions. Surrounded by breathtaking mountain views, you'll find a place where modern urban edge and cosmopolitan diversity meet Southern tradition and charm.

Once you're here, you'll quickly find that top schools, safe streets and commutes without daily traffic gridlock are all part of the Tennessee Valley way of life.

A quality of life you can afford

The cost of living score for Huntsville is below the national average – and way below other cities with a tech-savvy population.

Huntsville, Alabama: 97
U.S. National Average: 100
Austin, Texas: 107
Denver, Colorado: 115
Washington, D.C.: 154
San Jose, California: 197

(Source: bestplaces.net)

Looking to buy a home? You'll get more bang for your buck in the Tennessee Valley. Compare the median sales prices for houses around the country.

Huntsville, Alabama: $157,900
Austin, Texas: $229,700
Denver, Colorado: $251,600
Boston, Massachusetts: $407,600
Washington, D.C.: $434,300
San Jose, California: $646,100

(Source: trulia.com)

Huntsville: Quick facts

The city is the anchor for the Tennessee Valley, a region in North Alabama with more than 1 million people.
Huntsville is home to Cummings Research Park, the second largest research park in the U.S. and the fourth largest in the world.
16.7% of workers in the Huntsville metropolitan area hold a job in STEM fields – making it the third most technical workforce in the country after San Jose, California, and Framingham, Massachusetts (Source: Bloomberg.com)
Huntsville's unemployment rate sits below the national average.

A place where education is a priority

The school districts of Huntsville and Madison are committed to meeting the needs of their diverse populations through exciting curriculums and innovative magnet schools. Their dedicated educators help talented students excel in Advanced Placement courses that cover English, math, science, computer science, foreign language, social studies, art and more.

Huntsville's magnet school programs enable students to focus on engineering, international social studies, language, creative and performing arts, and space science. The space science curriculum was developed with the assistance of NASA's Marshall Space Center. The Creative and Performing Arts Magnet School has received many awards for its programs in visual arts, vocal music, creative writing, dance, drama, photography/videography and technical theater production. Huntsville's newest magnet program, the College Academy, accelerates the learning of highly motivated and capable students. By beginning college coursework in the ninth grade, students in the College Academy will earn up to two years of college credit through The University of Alabama in Huntsville while simultaneously earning their high school diploma. Funded entirely by Huntsville City Schools, admission into the College Academy can save families up to $40,000 in tuition.

Find out more about the area's major school districts:

Fly nonstop to major hub cities

With close and convenient parking – and short security lines – Huntsville International Airport takes the hassle out of travel. Fly nonstop to Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston and Washington, D.C. (both Reagan National and Dulles).

A day's drive to popular destinations

Because the Tennessee Valley has convenient access to Interstate 65, Interstate 59 and Interstate 75, it's easy to visit big cities and beaches throughout the South and Southeast.

Nashville: 110 miles
Atlanta: 191 miles
Memphis: 216 miles
Destin: 363 miles
New Orleans: 443 miles
Orlando: 628 miles

The more you find out about Huntsville, the more you'll like it