Like the topic title says...tell me about Huntsville, Alabama. Going down there for a job interview and I've never been. For reference I currently live in Hampton Roads area of Virginia (Norfolk/Virginia Beach).
Seems like a relatively low cost of living and AL won't tax my military retirement pay. What else?
Jobs are here in the high tech field, military and NASA (the space agency not the racing 
). Houses are cheaper than Hampton Roads area (Eustis?). It's a growing area, more businesses and industry coming here. There are plenty car stuff here also. There's a local racing club that's a sister club to the local SCCA chapter and both hold autocrosses, Rallycrosses and other car related events. There are also other car clubs around for any sort of car type you like. There's also a oval track that has buzz racing and a drag strip. Huntsville area is also a family friendly. So much for the advertisement, I came here after I retired from the military and it's the best thing I did for my family. Of course I came here from Clarksville, TN (Campbell 
). By your avatar you have a mini? There is also a Brit car club here. And since I moved here I can say that I have friends that are rocket scientists 
.
You Navy or Army? Aviation?
Huntsville - Home of Redstone Arsenal, Red Rock U! (US Army Ordnance Missile and Munition Center and School), , and the Marshall Space Flight Center. I spent a little time there while in the Army, and enjoyed the area.
Way back in 1982 I took a job with a company that relocated me to Alabama. The doofus that hired me looked at a map and said, "you can live in Birmingham or Montgomery or anywhere in between". I was in agchem R&D and most agriculture in Al is either way north or way south, not where I was told i could live. Consequently, I was gone from home all the time. If I could have moved to Huntsville area (where I wanted to go), I would have been home at least half the time. Also when the SOBs laid me off 41 months later, I would have stayed. I liked Huntsville that much. I left Montgomery three weeks after the layoff (the house sold in 5 days) and have never been back.
Huntsville is a cool town. All the salient points have already been covered, pretty much (lots of smart people, good schools for kids, etc). I live about halfway between Birmingham and Huntsville, and the way Birmingham is going (where I currently commute to- check the news, the entire Bham/JeffCo government is ready to fold up), Huntsville is looking better and better as a possible place to relocate at some point. For now, my job is good, though, so I'll stay put. We'll see.
If you're moving down this way from pretty much anywhere in VA, be prepared for a pleasant surprise around housing costs. It's pretty cheap everywhere, until you get into the really snooty sections.
I've been here for about 25 years and love it. It's a nice looking area, housing is relatively cheap, low property taxes, and every other guy is indeed a rocket scientist. I've also lived in Chicago and Kansas City among others, and would never trade them for Huntsville. It's not like most southern cities in that you have a huge non-native Huntsvillian population from pretty much every where in the world.
As was stated before, there is a very active car club scene for most cars, we also host a hillclimb every year through TVR-SCCA, plus it has an almost sister club that's one of the oldest in the US at over 50 years. For such a smallish club, we've also had our fair share of national championship drivers in solo, and a few in road racing. You're pretty much a few hours from Road Atlanta, Barber Motorsports Park, Memphis, and Nashville Speedway, plus a long day to Robling Road, Carolina Motorsports Park, and even Indy.
And one of GRM's usual pro-drivers for the challenge lives here. He's also a home inspector and a realtor so he can help you find a house if you decide to move here, and give you driving lessons all at the same time! 
A little more about the area. It has hills they call mountains, it's right on the TN river if you like watersports, and there is a huge nearby lake for additional water activity. Weather is decent pretty much year round, and you do actually get four seasons, but the winters are pretty mild.
And though even here has been hit by the economy, it's not nearly as bad as most places around the country it seems. I highly recommend it!
My brother and his wife moved there about a year ago and love it. (he's a lawyer for the Fed. Govt.)
He's met a bunch of friendly folks, and like was said above, it is a very educated area.
It did get kinda cold this winter, but nothing like up North. I've never heard anyone say anything negative about Huntsville.
I'll be heading up there soon for a visit.
slantvaliant wrote:Huntsville - Home of Redstone Arsenal, Red Rock U! (US Army Ordnance Missile and Munition Center and School), , and the Marshall Space Flight Center. I spent a little time there while in the Army, and enjoyed the area.
Redstone has grown significantly, it's now the home of Army Aviation and Missle command and Army Material Command is moving here in a couple years, bringing in more jobs.
That hillclimb is a blast, been a corner worker there every year of the event. TVR-SCCA & TAC are very friendly clubs like racerdave said. Also it does seem that most of us aren't from here but now call it home. It is just the opposite of stereotypical Alabama (although you can be there in a short drive).
Used to autox there, wife grew up there, we moved when she wanted to get away from the parents and get to a bigger city.
Entertainment (bands and clubs) are limited since it is a smaller place, so we used to go up to nashville or atlanta. You can fly cheap across the country if you are willing to drive to birmingham. It was a pretty nice town, you will find that the community tends to be conservative.
Overall not bad, I am not sure I would move back, I prefer living out west, but out of the south not a bad place, the traffic will sure be improved for you.
Oh, When we lived there 5 years ago the booming area was Madison, west of huntsville proper near Research Park. There are plenty of apartments near the main engineering companies, I would suggest taking a look at those if you do move down, find out what the traffic is like depending on where you are going to be. It may not be as bad, but if you are on the main arteries from the suburbs (and there are not many) it will make a big impact on your commute.
Thanks for all the great responses. Sounds like a nice place - I'm looking forward to seeing it. This trip down there I will only have a few hours to look around, but I do have a tour guide who lives there.
Sitting at the airport in Huntsville waiting to go home. If I get the job I interviewed for I will gladly relocate here.
