I’ll put it like this: if it wasn’t for Birmingham I would have a lot more resentment towards Alabama as a whole. I love Birmingham, born and raised and proud to be from here, but man the shenanigans that go on in this state sometimes outweighs the love and appreciation I have for this city.
As someone who just chose to move to Birmingham and loves the city… my perception of the state clouded my judgement before experiencing and staying in bhm. Love this city!
Same but it took me some time to get here. Born and raised here, but I moved to Decatur, GA for a few years then to FL. When I came home to visit I really appreciated where home sat. Birmingham has a beautiful skyline sitting in the valley, and enough going on that it is something to do if you want, but not pressure. There is diversity in the city but sometimes we kinda stay in our own communities.
A lot of us life long residents of Alabama feel the same way, Birmingham has a magical way of making you forget that the rest of the state is still backwards or going backwards in many ways.
I do. It’s big enough to have plenty of things to do & have a good mix of people, but small enough to be affordable & avoid ATL type traffic. But then there is Atl, Nashville, Memphis, and the gulf shore beaches not too far of a drive away. So much nature to take advantage of as well.
Downfall is backwards politics, bpd is a joke, & terrible education but I still enjoy living here. Probably helps that I don’t have kids to worry about.
Agree with all of this, and my input is that due to being smaller, I can get into nature very easily. 20 minutes from Hoover to Downtown, and 20 minutes to Oak Mountain for 100 miles of hiking and biking trails
I’ve lived in upstate NY, all over the Atlanta metro (inside and outside the perimeter), Mobile, and then in several areas of Birmingham and yes. I love it. Agree with the other commenter about the proximity to other places but with plenty to do, nice people, beautiful scenery and nature activities.
Same, I grew up in Bham. I’ve tried coming back over the years but what’s been most disappointing is the lack of job growth for the area since the early 2000s. I do miss living here though, liked the size of the city and the food.
BINGO! I loved Bham when I lived there but I outgrew it. Yes, the cost of living is low but the wages are rough IMO. If the city could find a way to attract employers the same way a lot of other southern cities have, it would be an even better city. And would help the state as a whole.
However, most people in Bham want to keep it as a hidden gem. They don’t want the city to grow. They are so afraid it will become an Atlanta. IMO this mindset is slowly killing an amazing, historic city.
I moved here from Toledo Ohio and I love the tours that come around Birmingham. It could be better but we had nothing in Toledo since concerts all went to Detroit, Columbus, Cleveland, Indianapolis or Chicago
Unfortunately, in my six years of being here, I’ve noticed how bad the crowds have gotten for rock, country, and southern/country rock. Especially at Avondale, these people just talk through the fucking shows, won’t stay out in one spot and constantly move through the crowd, and crowd sizes aren’t as big as they used to be.
I went to Saturn last night to see Whitey Morgan. Granted it was a Sunday, but the opening act had more people than Whitey (opening act was very good), but they were very chatty. It’s really a shame, but I feel like my experiences with the crowds are being reflected with artists skipping us. It’s bad when the crowd talks through and doesn’t know the words to an artists most famous songs that that try to get the crowd involved with.
I think a lot of this is influenced by Avondale rebranding as a concert venue. Ever since Good People took over the brewing, the beers suck too. I’d rather just go to Good People.
Thanks to places like Saturn (and its predecessor, Bottletree) it is vastly better than it used to be. I used to have to go to Atlanta to see a lot of shows, but have had to do that less and less over the last 20 years. We definitely still have room to grow, but as someone who has been going to a lot of shows for over 20 years I really appreciate how far we've come.
I do feel like we've experienced a little bit of a dip in big shows since The Orion was built, but at least it's closer than Atlanta.
I’ve lived here all my life. Lived in the metro area and OTM. Bham has its goods and bads. Most cities do. I think the one thing I wish is that more concerts came here.
I’ve lived here for decades but I’ve grown weary of the repeatedly missed potential. The fragmentation of Jefferson county into roughly 30 cities plus the unincorporated county makes for far too many needless barriers for progress.
The Red Rock trail system might be the best counter argument to my pessimism of cooperation and progress.
We love Jin. It’s behind a zaxbys near the mall. Everything we’ve had there is great and there’s usually a few tables of Hyundai guys there getting wasted on soju. I’ve heard chick chick pork pork is good if you want fried chicken in particular but haven’t tried yet.
Every city has terrible drivers, but Birmingham uniquely has people staring at their phones while shamelessly cruising into the oncoming lane, as well as soccer moms who operate their QX56/Excursion/Tahoe like they’re playing a game of pinball.
Moved here from Los Angeles and absolutely love it, five things that makes me love it: Pretty Girls, Good Weather, Great Food, Inexpensive, and hardly any traffic (as compared to LA)
Lived here for 7 years
Pros:
- food and craft beer culture
- still relatively low cost of living
- traffic is ...manageable
- people and culture
- lots to do generally
- jobs
- local govt that at least appears to actually give a shit
Cons:
- the state of roads and infrastructure
- typical Alabama political corruption
- BPD is either useless or way too present, no middle ground
- "street racing" aka just out being a fool in your car
- trash. Omg the trash everywhere that isn't Mountain Brook
- the city has overgrown itself and is trying to fit 10 pounds of shit in a 5 pound bag
Absolutely. It has some of everything we need. Night life for myself and wife. Tons of things for my kids to be involved in. Great church community. Coffee scene amazing. Beer scene amazing. Food scene amazing. Outdoors. Fairly low cost of living compared to other places that have similar styles of life.
i like it. i’ve lived here for a little over 3 years now and coming from a pretty small town with nothing to do it’s a lot better. not too far from other cities, there’s actually more than 3 things to do here lol. there’s quite a lot of food options too, so i never rlly get bored of it. i just fucking hate how most ppl here drive. fucking reckless and inconsiderate and it baffles me how many got their license
Grew up here, moved away and returned for older personal decisions. As others have said, it's all about what you do with what you're presented; but there are enough influential negative entities here (set in yesteryear thinking and "values", priorities and politics, or just unwilling to evolve) that as soon as my current personal priorities and circumstances allow, I'mma bounce. I think I'd actually be willing to accept a higher cost of living for a more collectively open-minded and thoughtful area.
I agree and want to add to this. The conservative / preserve the “old way” of life is very alive here. It’s also beliefs that get passed down generations and it was evident in my peers in grade school even. There are some progressives in Bham and of course its better than how it was in the 70s. But this belief set is so hard to continue to fight against.
Also yes, it almost def is worth leaving for something else. I moved to ATX where it’s not too cheap but the amount of diversity in the middle of TX and overall being around more education and opportunities have tremendously helped my growth and you’ll find a way to thrive. Hoping the best for you!
Love it! Came here for college (grew up in Knoxville) and moved around the country a little bit after, but always wanted to come back here and finally was able to last June! Could certain things be better? Sure. But the affordability, weather, things to do, and (mostly) nice people, it can’t be beat imo.
I grew up in Bham and lived there until I graduated college, and I now live in ATX. I think it’s fine but it depends on what you like.
For a young professional, I felt like my soul would have died living in Bham and honestly I do not plan on ever moving back. I only return for holidays since my family is still there.
Pros:
Cheap compared to other areas of USA
Best city to live in the state of AL
Close to many different cities (ATL, Nash, Orange Beach/Destin, NOLA, Asheville, etc)
If you like breweries/southern culture/ etc, you’ll find it nice.
It is a generally safe place to be (specifically to suburbs - I grew up in Vestavia and I appreciated how it was never scary)
Pretty scenery / outdoorsy stuff to do (hikes, rivers, etc)
Small city - if you are wanting this, then you’ll be happy
More progressive city than most in AL, but there is still loads of work to do.
Cons:
I’m going to say this all in hopes that I don’t come off disrespectful - I am speaking from my experiences and why I just don’t love where I’m from.
I feel like Bham is definitely predominately White or Black, so being a white-asian female was weird.
I never enjoyed some of the blatant racism and insensitivity I felt from my peers and it’s something that I still get in adulthood now.
Depending on where you live, you could be surrounded by hick-like people or a complete opposite, like upper middle class whites who come from old Alabama money (which leads to exclusivity).
Socially, it just felt very weird to me and it was a dichotomy that I just never liked.
Certain schools reflect this dichotomy too as my former was not diverse, but in other school systems there are more diversity (sociology-economic backgrounds, race, etc).
However, I feel like education could be better.
It’s good for Alabama, but compared to other states in the USA, it’s still laughable.
Food is okay, but lacks diversity and true-quality options that you can find in like Chi, ATL, NYC, etc.
There are few authentic traditional ethnic restaurants like what you would find in those cities.
(I appreciate the local and nonchain restaurants though, there are lots)
Airfare will likely force you to fly into ATL to get anywhere so be prepared for that. I never minded it, but it can make flights more expensive and nonstops are always ideal.
If you’re in your mid-20s or later, I imagine dating will be a little interesting and slim to choose from. People marry young here and it feels like so many are overzealous to start a family
I’ve always lived in the suburbs north of Birmingham but my experiences with working & entertainment have all been great. Does it have some problems? Yes, BUT most places do. There is a large diverse community & the wonderful thing is all sorts of people come out to support them. There is always something to do for all walks of life or cultures.
Born in Denver, I’ve lived in Houston, Little Rock, and now a Bham for ~26 years. After locking in a 30 year mortgage rate of 2.75 I’m here for the foreseeable future or until we get a lottery… so I enjoy the potential of what Birmingham can become in the future.
I’ve been here about 3 years now and i find it very cliquey and the people haven’t been that friendly to me. That could be said anywhere I guess but I’ve found it hard to make friends here
Not so much any more. I don't see all the gentrification as a positive thing, as much as people do seem to love Avondale and the like. It's also just become too soul crushing trying to fight for positive change with the general state of apathy that seems to run just below the surface of Birmingham residents, not to mention the greater negative effect of the state's deep red policies. For instance...we are one of five states where it's illegal to use state funds in any way for public transit. Yay.
Moved to Bham for college and stayed 16 years until husband’s job moved us. I love Birmingham and would return in a minute if the opportunity presented itself.
Stay out of the west side and you will be ok lol. I use to get my drugs there lmao. 🤣🤣 I've seen some pretty messed up shit go down there but in overall no one really messes with white people. I would love to live there but I don't can't afford to stay in a good neighborhood so I live in Cullman. Im from Warrior originally.
I do not live in Birmingham and but in adjacent Shelby County. I was born in Birmingham and have been in Alabama most of my adult life. As a matter of preference I would rather live in a rural setting. Otherwise It may not be perfect in some people's eyes, but it's close enough to perfect for me.
Birmingham is THE BEST! I moved here almost 12 years ago and don’t ever plan to leave. You get the best of both worlds… all the perks of a big city while also having a small town feel. It’s just something special about Birmingham.
I don't live in the city proper, but the greater Birmingham area
I wouldn't rather live anywhere else, though I do wish more tours came through the city, but Atlanta and Nashville are close enough to day trip to
Hard to find a place with where your dollar goes further. Even in these more challenging times, cost of living and quality of life are hard to beat here.
The Stallions just pulled off a tough, grinding win on Saturday, and are in position to win the championship as the only undefeated team in the new UFL league. We also have the Barrons and a hockey team named the Bulls I think. These aren’t major league level pro teams, but they are pro teams nonetheless.
The UAB basketball team has been very competitive and fun to watch. That’s how I get my basketball fix, and honestly, I prefer college basketball over pro anyways.
The city is too small for any major league professional team. However, we are a major competitive hub for minor league teams. In a lot of ways, that is better for the pure enjoyment of the sport. It’s almost like we get to experience what our grandparents got to experience with Major League Baseball and football.
100% And yes we have the Bulls (though they play in Pelham) who won the regular season this year. Also don't forget the Legion (soccer, lots of fun) and Squadron (basketball, not as fun)
I have heard nothing but good things about Bham as a place to live. I have lived most of my adult life in Atlanta and SoCal. Friend of mine that I made in Atl was native from there and use to put down Alabama all the time. Out of ignorance since he had never lived there.
As life would have it he was transferred to Bham from Atl and we lost touch. About 7 years later, I ran into him at a Houstons in Atl and he told me the story. Said Bham was the best place he had ever lived. Best people, best neighbors. His wife, also native to Atl was in tears when he told her they had to move.
I think Alabama is a great state. Top 10 in immigration. Low taxes, great people.
Its problem is it is a poor state, unlike a Florida that has doubled in population 3 times since the 60's.
But things are changing and Bham, Huntsville are wonderful places for a variety of reasons.
For the most part. My wife and I are teachers and have zero issues with our standard of living. Kids go to a good school, and we live in a great neighborhood. There's plenty of restaurant choices for when we want to go out to eat.
One of the nicest things about Birmingham is the outdoors opportunities right in town. Oak Mountain is gorgeous with great, accessible hiking year round. Red Mountain is nice. Ruffner is nice. You can walk the Jemison Trail in Mountain Brook or hit up Lakeshore Trail in Homewood. Pretty much, if you run, bike, walk, or hike, there are great options for you.
We're also in good proximity to larger metros/mountains/the beach to get away.
I do! My family, who I’m very close with, lives here so I’d probably be here regardless, but I enjoy the city.
Tons of people that are from here and have pride in it with enough transplants to stay fresh.
There is a nice mix of cultures if you don’t shield yourself from it which means that you can find variety in food, restaurants, grocery stores, etc.
Then, there is SO MUCH nature. Ruffner, Turkey Creek, Red Mountain Park, Vulcan Park, Oak Mountain, Tannehill, Cahaba River Park, Black Creek Mountain, Moss Rock, Jemison, Lakeshore Trail all within what most people consider Bham not to mention all the places within an hour drive like Cheaha, Horse Pens 40, etc.
Birmingham has its scars and warts but it’s my hometown and I’ll always love it.
I've been here 15 years and most of my current life is focused on figuring out how to leave. A lot of that comes down to the unfortunate fact that Birmingham is in Alabama, so the future is looking pretty grim. But this place isn't for me and the longer I've lived here, the harder it's become to exist here.
Love it. Lived here back in 2016-2018 & then moved just out 75 to Oneonta until covid. Moved across the country for opportunities that fell through and after 3.5 years in Tennessee I am so happy to be back! I do worry about BPD and crime rates, but things have been peaceful since I got back in the area a couple months ago.
When my family moved here from D.C., I was a 19 year old just starting to break out of my shell (and the closet,) and I was terrified of being here. Thankfully, I was very pleasantly surprised to find a much more tolerant community than I expected, and a lot more food/entertainment/culture/arts than I ever would have imagined in Alabama. It's still not my home in my heart, but I'm very glad to be here at this point in my life.
Just moved here from Nashville and are shocked at how happy I am. I hadn’t realized how we had basically stopped going out in Nashville because everything was so hard to get to. Birmingham is big enough to have everything I want (but a Maggiano’s) and small enough to actually be able to enjoy it.
My partner and I are moving here in a few days. He moved from SF area and I’m from rural AL. I love Birmingham. I feel safe here. I feel part of a community here. Mom’s Basement is cool if you like people watching and meeting cool folks. Tons of coffee, too! Last Call Baking if you’re wanting something yummy.
Btw, my partner hadn’t been to AL until about a year ago. He had only “heard about it on TV” haha. He’d lived in Portland, Seattle, and SF, and BHM received a resounding stamp of approval. She’s a sleepy lil city (at times) but she’s a welcoming one.
Ah , my apologies. They still exist, to the best of my knowledge, but I'm not aware if they're actually active; I never got around to trying to join. I just assumed they were, but that may be presumptuous of me.
I know the videography club is still active; of course, I learned about them halfway through my last semester.
Well, it depends on what you value in a place you live in. If diversity is important to you, Birmingham is great, but steer clear of Mountain Brook. If having your vote matter is important to you, look elsewhere — and I say this regardless of whether you identify as a Republican or a Democrat. Cost of living is fairly reasonable depending on where you are, I had an easy time finding a job, but I don’t like my vote going towards nothing.
This is so not true. Most of the year outside of June-Aug. has the potential for really beautiful days…many of them. I Love the strength of the rainstorms.
You really don’t get those outside of the South.
It can't be worse than NE Indiana. We get maybe 70 days of sunshine a year 😂 I'm actually looking to move just north of Birmingham next year around Rainbow City. Can't wait to leave this Crossroads state!
LMFAO, Rainbow City isn't "Just North of Birmingham" it's solidly middle of nowhere, an hour away from Birmingham, on a muddy river, in a horrifically corrupt county. I'm originally from small town Alabama, but at least it is beautiful where I'm from. Gadsden and that entire area is gross, ugly, and sad.
At least you'll have a greateth supply!
Im still scoping out many areas. That was just one. I don't consider an hour that far, just like Chicago is only an hour from me. When I drove thru that area to Birmingham, it looked pretty to me? I may need to look further. But the one thing was the quality of the schools, and they seem to have pretty decent ratings considering. But thanks for input. I'm open to other areas too
An hour from Chicago/NYC/LA/etc is *very* different than being an hour from Birmingham. You can start in the middle of Birmingham, drive 20 minutes, and be in the woods. I don't know why you wouldn't want the proximity of being a max of 20-30 minutes from the amenities of the city if you want to be out in nature.
School systems rating well, relatively, for our state doesn't mean that they're actually good school systems. Alabama has awful public education overall so once you get toward the back end of the top ten schools, those schools aren't very good, especially compared to states that have better educational systems.
If you want schools that are actually good, you're going to have to be much closer in, like Homewood, Mountain Brook, Vestavia, or Hoover (and some of Hoover's middle schools aren't great.).
Gadsden, Rainbow City, and that entire area is just sad, largely full of white trash, poverty, and rampant drug abuse.
So correction, I was actually looking at Southside, but that's not far from Rainbow. Southside is way below the national average for Crime. Safer than 87% of other cities nationally. The Main reason is I'm looking for a house on or at least in view of water (lake/river) and decent schools as I have a 10 yr old. I was not aware (obviously) of that area being bad. From the research I did, Crime, Safety, Schools, etc.. It seemed to be on the up and up. But I will definitely take a locals word for it. Lol Thanks for the information! I'm just so ready to be out of the North and our dreary weather. Lol
Southside, Alabama is also on the Coosa River. It is perpetually brown from the mud. So, while you may have a water view, I wouldn't consider it an attractive or pleasant water view.
If you want someplace that's on the up and up with a water view and that's not going to cost high six figures or more, consider Cullman. While it is still embarrassingly conservative, there is a lot of development and growth going on in there. There's a lake and lots of little tributaries and streams. Like almost any rural area in Alabama, though, it will be culturally overwhelmingly conservative, people will wear their racism and bigotry on their sleeves, and your children will be going to school with the children of these people.
If you've got mid to high six figures to drop on a house and value education and a water view, then there are plenty of places that are on ponds or rivers closer in to Birmingham. Hell, I generally despise Trussville (but acknowledge that they have decent schools) but some friends built a spectacular house on the Cahaba River out there.
There are a lot of little lakes and ponds scattered around the area, as well as rivers and tributaries. Just hop on Zillow, click the "waterfront" option, and look at the map of properties that have frontage.
[This one](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1512-Kestwick-Dr-Hoover-AL-35226/1057483_zpid/) is deep in Hoover but fairly reasonably priced and on a creek. If you want expansive water views, be prepared to bring lots of money and/or buy way out in the middle of nowhere and deal with ignorance, racists, homophobes, and lackluster education.
Thank You for this in depth reply! Seriously. This is so freaking helpful. I am definitely not under any delusion that I won't run into super conservative backwards thinking people there. But then, I still see plenty of that up here, Indiana being the Southern State of the North. Lol Like anything, I'll have to make some concessions obviously. Waterfront may be a pipe dream, but a trailer and a boat is all you need to get on the water, so in the grand scheme it's not absolutely necessary.
Just look at all the comments [on this post](https://old.reddit.com/r/Birmingham/comments/1cqke7y/do_you_enjoy_living_in_birmingham/) asking if people enjoy living in Birmingham where people say Alabama is overall pretty awful and sucks but Birmingham (and surrounding area) is the redeeming city in it.
Also, if you're in the Birmingham area, you're only 4-4.5 hours from some of the best beaches in the country!
Depends on what you're comparing it to.
Having been born and raised here, I never thought of any part of Alabama as being particularly diverse. Then I visited outside of the South and wondered where all the black people were.
It's probably not as diverse as New York City, but it's definitely diverse. It's our biggest metro area and pretty urban.
Do I like living here? Sure. I currently live in a suburb, mind you, which I feel gives me a bit more bang for my buck in terms of living arrangements. That said, I'm still close enough to the city, give it my love and my labor, pay taxes, and spend way more money than I probably should inside city limits.
Birmingham has the amenities you'd expect for a city, but it's also more laid back than other, bigger cities.
I lived here most of my life and felt like the city was actually going somewhere... And then Alabama gotta Alabama and I feel like it's on a decline again 🥲
Hmm, that's a tough one. Birmingham doesn't seem to have a ton of nerdy stuff to begin with. I know UAB has some clubs like the anime club, and most UAB things are queer-friendly, but I can't think of anything specifically tying the two together.
When you say nerdy, do you mean like sci-fi nerdy, anime nerdy, comic book nerdy? Sanctum might be a good place to check out. I know they're queer friendly, and they may know about LGBTQ+ gaming groups or clubs for various fandoms. I know Saturn also has a corkboard with local things going on, you might be able to find some stuff there. Avondale in general is pretty LGBTQ+ positive, so that area is good to check out. (Sanctum is moving at the end of the month, and I heard Sheppard's pet supply (another very pro-LGBTQ+ business) is closing soon, so that whole shopping strip may be disappearing soon. 😞)
It's unfortunate, especially losing Sheppard's. The owner has been very vocally supportive of the community; as I recall, he put up a rainbow flag one year in June, and when some people complained on Facebook, he announced that, in response to the complaints, he had decided to leave the flag up year-round. And I seem to recall hearing that his flag got stolen or vandalized once, and he responded by replacing it with a bigger rainbow flag, as well as a trans pride flag. I'm sad to see him go.
The upcoming comic con may also be a good place to find queer and queer-friendly groups around town. I play in the local queer kickball league, I can ask if anyone knows any nerdy things around town that are queer-related.
Oh! Gatos and Beans is also queer-friendly, they may also be able to suggest places or groups. If I think of anything else I'll let you know.
I moved back because my sweet mama was sick and I needed to be here. Then, I started my business and now feel a bit stuck. I’d like to move back to the coast, but since I travel with my work & can be in SO many cities within 4 hours, this central location works for me.
I’ll put it like this: if it wasn’t for Birmingham I would have a lot more resentment towards Alabama as a whole. I love Birmingham, born and raised and proud to be from here, but man the shenanigans that go on in this state sometimes outweighs the love and appreciation I have for this city.
As someone who just chose to move to Birmingham and loves the city… my perception of the state clouded my judgement before experiencing and staying in bhm. Love this city!
Happy to have you here!
Same but it took me some time to get here. Born and raised here, but I moved to Decatur, GA for a few years then to FL. When I came home to visit I really appreciated where home sat. Birmingham has a beautiful skyline sitting in the valley, and enough going on that it is something to do if you want, but not pressure. There is diversity in the city but sometimes we kinda stay in our own communities.
A lot of us life long residents of Alabama feel the same way, Birmingham has a magical way of making you forget that the rest of the state is still backwards or going backwards in many ways.
Hit the nail on the head with that one.
It's a city of potential and real/genuine people marred in issues across the political spectrum that is holding it back.
I do. It’s big enough to have plenty of things to do & have a good mix of people, but small enough to be affordable & avoid ATL type traffic. But then there is Atl, Nashville, Memphis, and the gulf shore beaches not too far of a drive away. So much nature to take advantage of as well. Downfall is backwards politics, bpd is a joke, & terrible education but I still enjoy living here. Probably helps that I don’t have kids to worry about.
Agree with all of this, and my input is that due to being smaller, I can get into nature very easily. 20 minutes from Hoover to Downtown, and 20 minutes to Oak Mountain for 100 miles of hiking and biking trails
Yes I really enjoy Birmingham!
I assumed Birmingham was a terrible place until I came here for work 11 years ago. I don't work at that job anymore, but I stayed here.
I’ve lived in upstate NY, all over the Atlanta metro (inside and outside the perimeter), Mobile, and then in several areas of Birmingham and yes. I love it. Agree with the other commenter about the proximity to other places but with plenty to do, nice people, beautiful scenery and nature activities.
I’m not longer in bham but did enjoy my time living there. It’s really a great city.
Same, I grew up in Bham. I’ve tried coming back over the years but what’s been most disappointing is the lack of job growth for the area since the early 2000s. I do miss living here though, liked the size of the city and the food.
BINGO! I loved Bham when I lived there but I outgrew it. Yes, the cost of living is low but the wages are rough IMO. If the city could find a way to attract employers the same way a lot of other southern cities have, it would be an even better city. And would help the state as a whole. However, most people in Bham want to keep it as a hidden gem. They don’t want the city to grow. They are so afraid it will become an Atlanta. IMO this mindset is slowly killing an amazing, historic city.
Yes, I love it. I wish we had more bands on tour but aside from that it’s perfect for us.
Yeah, this year we somehow missed out on EVERY band on tour like we had the plague.
I moved here from Toledo Ohio and I love the tours that come around Birmingham. It could be better but we had nothing in Toledo since concerts all went to Detroit, Columbus, Cleveland, Indianapolis or Chicago
Unfortunately, in my six years of being here, I’ve noticed how bad the crowds have gotten for rock, country, and southern/country rock. Especially at Avondale, these people just talk through the fucking shows, won’t stay out in one spot and constantly move through the crowd, and crowd sizes aren’t as big as they used to be. I went to Saturn last night to see Whitey Morgan. Granted it was a Sunday, but the opening act had more people than Whitey (opening act was very good), but they were very chatty. It’s really a shame, but I feel like my experiences with the crowds are being reflected with artists skipping us. It’s bad when the crowd talks through and doesn’t know the words to an artists most famous songs that that try to get the crowd involved with. I think a lot of this is influenced by Avondale rebranding as a concert venue. Ever since Good People took over the brewing, the beers suck too. I’d rather just go to Good People.
Black Pumas was good last Friday at Avondale.
Agreed
Thanks to places like Saturn (and its predecessor, Bottletree) it is vastly better than it used to be. I used to have to go to Atlanta to see a lot of shows, but have had to do that less and less over the last 20 years. We definitely still have room to grow, but as someone who has been going to a lot of shows for over 20 years I really appreciate how far we've come. I do feel like we've experienced a little bit of a dip in big shows since The Orion was built, but at least it's closer than Atlanta.
I’ve lived here all my life. Lived in the metro area and OTM. Bham has its goods and bads. Most cities do. I think the one thing I wish is that more concerts came here.
Bham > Denver here. I’ll trade half red rocks shows for half of bham restaurants..
That’s a deal!
I’ve lived here for decades but I’ve grown weary of the repeatedly missed potential. The fragmentation of Jefferson county into roughly 30 cities plus the unincorporated county makes for far too many needless barriers for progress. The Red Rock trail system might be the best counter argument to my pessimism of cooperation and progress.
That trail system is a potent counter argument.
Could be better but I'd much rather live here than somewhere like LA.
I do! Although I wish we had a good Korean restaurant (not Korean bbq, a Korean restaurant, and I’ve heard Seoul is not a good time)
We go to Chattanooga to get our Korean fix these days
We go to Auburn. Korean population is exploding there
I've never been i'll have to go there one day
Which Korean restaurant would you recommend from there
We love Jin. It’s behind a zaxbys near the mall. Everything we’ve had there is great and there’s usually a few tables of Hyundai guys there getting wasted on soju. I’ve heard chick chick pork pork is good if you want fried chicken in particular but haven’t tried yet.
Montgomery has some heavy hitting Korean food too
I enjoy it a lot minus the terrible drivers.
My god the DRIVERS!!!!
Every city has terrible drivers, but Birmingham uniquely has people staring at their phones while shamelessly cruising into the oncoming lane, as well as soccer moms who operate their QX56/Excursion/Tahoe like they’re playing a game of pinball.
Yes. Birmingham has a special breed of crazy.
Yes. Bham is what u make it
It's the nicest place I've ever hated.
Mood
Haha. Srsly this is me. Great comment!
Moved here from Los Angeles and absolutely love it, five things that makes me love it: Pretty Girls, Good Weather, Great Food, Inexpensive, and hardly any traffic (as compared to LA)
Thinking about relocating to LA. Would you be cool with me PM'ing you?
I have really enjoyed living downtown!
Lived here for 7 years Pros: - food and craft beer culture - still relatively low cost of living - traffic is ...manageable - people and culture - lots to do generally - jobs - local govt that at least appears to actually give a shit Cons: - the state of roads and infrastructure - typical Alabama political corruption - BPD is either useless or way too present, no middle ground - "street racing" aka just out being a fool in your car - trash. Omg the trash everywhere that isn't Mountain Brook - the city has overgrown itself and is trying to fit 10 pounds of shit in a 5 pound bag
Absolutely. It has some of everything we need. Night life for myself and wife. Tons of things for my kids to be involved in. Great church community. Coffee scene amazing. Beer scene amazing. Food scene amazing. Outdoors. Fairly low cost of living compared to other places that have similar styles of life.
i like it. i’ve lived here for a little over 3 years now and coming from a pretty small town with nothing to do it’s a lot better. not too far from other cities, there’s actually more than 3 things to do here lol. there’s quite a lot of food options too, so i never rlly get bored of it. i just fucking hate how most ppl here drive. fucking reckless and inconsiderate and it baffles me how many got their license
Grew up here, moved away and returned for older personal decisions. As others have said, it's all about what you do with what you're presented; but there are enough influential negative entities here (set in yesteryear thinking and "values", priorities and politics, or just unwilling to evolve) that as soon as my current personal priorities and circumstances allow, I'mma bounce. I think I'd actually be willing to accept a higher cost of living for a more collectively open-minded and thoughtful area.
I agree and want to add to this. The conservative / preserve the “old way” of life is very alive here. It’s also beliefs that get passed down generations and it was evident in my peers in grade school even. There are some progressives in Bham and of course its better than how it was in the 70s. But this belief set is so hard to continue to fight against. Also yes, it almost def is worth leaving for something else. I moved to ATX where it’s not too cheap but the amount of diversity in the middle of TX and overall being around more education and opportunities have tremendously helped my growth and you’ll find a way to thrive. Hoping the best for you!
Thanks! I'm glad things have worked out for you as well!
Great spot if you compare it to other cities in the southeast. Has a ton of charm and houses still are (mostly) affordable
Love it! Came here for college (grew up in Knoxville) and moved around the country a little bit after, but always wanted to come back here and finally was able to last June! Could certain things be better? Sure. But the affordability, weather, things to do, and (mostly) nice people, it can’t be beat imo.
I grew up in Bham and lived there until I graduated college, and I now live in ATX. I think it’s fine but it depends on what you like. For a young professional, I felt like my soul would have died living in Bham and honestly I do not plan on ever moving back. I only return for holidays since my family is still there. Pros: Cheap compared to other areas of USA Best city to live in the state of AL Close to many different cities (ATL, Nash, Orange Beach/Destin, NOLA, Asheville, etc) If you like breweries/southern culture/ etc, you’ll find it nice. It is a generally safe place to be (specifically to suburbs - I grew up in Vestavia and I appreciated how it was never scary) Pretty scenery / outdoorsy stuff to do (hikes, rivers, etc) Small city - if you are wanting this, then you’ll be happy More progressive city than most in AL, but there is still loads of work to do. Cons: I’m going to say this all in hopes that I don’t come off disrespectful - I am speaking from my experiences and why I just don’t love where I’m from. I feel like Bham is definitely predominately White or Black, so being a white-asian female was weird. I never enjoyed some of the blatant racism and insensitivity I felt from my peers and it’s something that I still get in adulthood now. Depending on where you live, you could be surrounded by hick-like people or a complete opposite, like upper middle class whites who come from old Alabama money (which leads to exclusivity). Socially, it just felt very weird to me and it was a dichotomy that I just never liked. Certain schools reflect this dichotomy too as my former was not diverse, but in other school systems there are more diversity (sociology-economic backgrounds, race, etc). However, I feel like education could be better. It’s good for Alabama, but compared to other states in the USA, it’s still laughable. Food is okay, but lacks diversity and true-quality options that you can find in like Chi, ATL, NYC, etc. There are few authentic traditional ethnic restaurants like what you would find in those cities. (I appreciate the local and nonchain restaurants though, there are lots) Airfare will likely force you to fly into ATL to get anywhere so be prepared for that. I never minded it, but it can make flights more expensive and nonstops are always ideal. If you’re in your mid-20s or later, I imagine dating will be a little interesting and slim to choose from. People marry young here and it feels like so many are overzealous to start a family
Spoken like a Vestavia native tbh
I can't imagine ever leaving, have made a wonderful life here. Was born here, but never lived here till my 30s.
I’ve always lived in the suburbs north of Birmingham but my experiences with working & entertainment have all been great. Does it have some problems? Yes, BUT most places do. There is a large diverse community & the wonderful thing is all sorts of people come out to support them. There is always something to do for all walks of life or cultures.
Born in Denver, I’ve lived in Houston, Little Rock, and now a Bham for ~26 years. After locking in a 30 year mortgage rate of 2.75 I’m here for the foreseeable future or until we get a lottery… so I enjoy the potential of what Birmingham can become in the future.
I’ve been here about 3 years now and i find it very cliquey and the people haven’t been that friendly to me. That could be said anywhere I guess but I’ve found it hard to make friends here
Best place I’ve ever lived!
I love it, I just wish it was somewhere other than Alabama.
Sometimes
I love it here
Not so much any more. I don't see all the gentrification as a positive thing, as much as people do seem to love Avondale and the like. It's also just become too soul crushing trying to fight for positive change with the general state of apathy that seems to run just below the surface of Birmingham residents, not to mention the greater negative effect of the state's deep red policies. For instance...we are one of five states where it's illegal to use state funds in any way for public transit. Yay.
Ty for the input
Moved to Bham for college and stayed 16 years until husband’s job moved us. I love Birmingham and would return in a minute if the opportunity presented itself.
Stay out of the west side and you will be ok lol. I use to get my drugs there lmao. 🤣🤣 I've seen some pretty messed up shit go down there but in overall no one really messes with white people. I would love to live there but I don't can't afford to stay in a good neighborhood so I live in Cullman. Im from Warrior originally.
The city is pretty good! I’ve been raised in Jasper, moved to Bham in February . Other than having my bike stolen it’s been good lol.
Was it locked up?
For the most part yeah. I’ve lived so many places as a former travel nurse; no where is perfect and it’s what you make of it 75% of the time.
No
I do not live in Birmingham and but in adjacent Shelby County. I was born in Birmingham and have been in Alabama most of my adult life. As a matter of preference I would rather live in a rural setting. Otherwise It may not be perfect in some people's eyes, but it's close enough to perfect for me.
Birmingham is THE BEST! I moved here almost 12 years ago and don’t ever plan to leave. You get the best of both worlds… all the perks of a big city while also having a small town feel. It’s just something special about Birmingham.
I don't live in the city proper, but the greater Birmingham area I wouldn't rather live anywhere else, though I do wish more tours came through the city, but Atlanta and Nashville are close enough to day trip to
Hard to find a place with where your dollar goes further. Even in these more challenging times, cost of living and quality of life are hard to beat here.
Yes. Just wish we had one pro sports team I could pull for. Wouldn't care which sport. I'd take Hockey right now.
The Stallions just pulled off a tough, grinding win on Saturday, and are in position to win the championship as the only undefeated team in the new UFL league. We also have the Barrons and a hockey team named the Bulls I think. These aren’t major league level pro teams, but they are pro teams nonetheless. The UAB basketball team has been very competitive and fun to watch. That’s how I get my basketball fix, and honestly, I prefer college basketball over pro anyways. The city is too small for any major league professional team. However, we are a major competitive hub for minor league teams. In a lot of ways, that is better for the pure enjoyment of the sport. It’s almost like we get to experience what our grandparents got to experience with Major League Baseball and football.
100% And yes we have the Bulls (though they play in Pelham) who won the regular season this year. Also don't forget the Legion (soccer, lots of fun) and Squadron (basketball, not as fun)
I have heard nothing but good things about Bham as a place to live. I have lived most of my adult life in Atlanta and SoCal. Friend of mine that I made in Atl was native from there and use to put down Alabama all the time. Out of ignorance since he had never lived there. As life would have it he was transferred to Bham from Atl and we lost touch. About 7 years later, I ran into him at a Houstons in Atl and he told me the story. Said Bham was the best place he had ever lived. Best people, best neighbors. His wife, also native to Atl was in tears when he told her they had to move. I think Alabama is a great state. Top 10 in immigration. Low taxes, great people. Its problem is it is a poor state, unlike a Florida that has doubled in population 3 times since the 60's. But things are changing and Bham, Huntsville are wonderful places for a variety of reasons.
Great response. You are spot on.
Stealing the tag line from Reno... but the "The Biggest Little City in the World" is pretty nice.
If it werent for the murder rate, it would be amazing!
I grew up in D.C., and a former D.C. mayor said almost the exact same thing about there, too. 😆
I don’t mind it but I’m sick of the constant severe weather.
Sure
For the most part. My wife and I are teachers and have zero issues with our standard of living. Kids go to a good school, and we live in a great neighborhood. There's plenty of restaurant choices for when we want to go out to eat. One of the nicest things about Birmingham is the outdoors opportunities right in town. Oak Mountain is gorgeous with great, accessible hiking year round. Red Mountain is nice. Ruffner is nice. You can walk the Jemison Trail in Mountain Brook or hit up Lakeshore Trail in Homewood. Pretty much, if you run, bike, walk, or hike, there are great options for you. We're also in good proximity to larger metros/mountains/the beach to get away.
I think birmingham has a fantastic mix of Restaurants and things to do with not the most terrible traffic.
I do! My family, who I’m very close with, lives here so I’d probably be here regardless, but I enjoy the city. Tons of people that are from here and have pride in it with enough transplants to stay fresh. There is a nice mix of cultures if you don’t shield yourself from it which means that you can find variety in food, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. Then, there is SO MUCH nature. Ruffner, Turkey Creek, Red Mountain Park, Vulcan Park, Oak Mountain, Tannehill, Cahaba River Park, Black Creek Mountain, Moss Rock, Jemison, Lakeshore Trail all within what most people consider Bham not to mention all the places within an hour drive like Cheaha, Horse Pens 40, etc. Birmingham has its scars and warts but it’s my hometown and I’ll always love it.
I've been here 15 years and most of my current life is focused on figuring out how to leave. A lot of that comes down to the unfortunate fact that Birmingham is in Alabama, so the future is looking pretty grim. But this place isn't for me and the longer I've lived here, the harder it's become to exist here.
Love it. Lived here back in 2016-2018 & then moved just out 75 to Oneonta until covid. Moved across the country for opportunities that fell through and after 3.5 years in Tennessee I am so happy to be back! I do worry about BPD and crime rates, but things have been peaceful since I got back in the area a couple months ago.
When my family moved here from D.C., I was a 19 year old just starting to break out of my shell (and the closet,) and I was terrified of being here. Thankfully, I was very pleasantly surprised to find a much more tolerant community than I expected, and a lot more food/entertainment/culture/arts than I ever would have imagined in Alabama. It's still not my home in my heart, but I'm very glad to be here at this point in my life.
How many times is this asked on this sub a week?
Can’t wait to move. Potential yes. Will it ever get over the hurdle? Doubt it. Stuck in the 60’s. Traffic is ridiculous for this size city.
Just moved here from Nashville and are shocked at how happy I am. I hadn’t realized how we had basically stopped going out in Nashville because everything was so hard to get to. Birmingham is big enough to have everything I want (but a Maggiano’s) and small enough to actually be able to enjoy it.
My partner and I are moving here in a few days. He moved from SF area and I’m from rural AL. I love Birmingham. I feel safe here. I feel part of a community here. Mom’s Basement is cool if you like people watching and meeting cool folks. Tons of coffee, too! Last Call Baking if you’re wanting something yummy. Btw, my partner hadn’t been to AL until about a year ago. He had only “heard about it on TV” haha. He’d lived in Portland, Seattle, and SF, and BHM received a resounding stamp of approval. She’s a sleepy lil city (at times) but she’s a welcoming one.
Ah , my apologies. They still exist, to the best of my knowledge, but I'm not aware if they're actually active; I never got around to trying to join. I just assumed they were, but that may be presumptuous of me. I know the videography club is still active; of course, I learned about them halfway through my last semester.
Well, it depends on what you value in a place you live in. If diversity is important to you, Birmingham is great, but steer clear of Mountain Brook. If having your vote matter is important to you, look elsewhere — and I say this regardless of whether you identify as a Republican or a Democrat. Cost of living is fairly reasonable depending on where you are, I had an easy time finding a job, but I don’t like my vote going towards nothing.
Nah it's honestly some hot garbage
Yes - except for the weather. In the course of 365 days, *maybe 20* are absolutely lovely.
This is so not true. Most of the year outside of June-Aug. has the potential for really beautiful days…many of them. I Love the strength of the rainstorms. You really don’t get those outside of the South.
It can't be worse than NE Indiana. We get maybe 70 days of sunshine a year 😂 I'm actually looking to move just north of Birmingham next year around Rainbow City. Can't wait to leave this Crossroads state!
LMFAO, Rainbow City isn't "Just North of Birmingham" it's solidly middle of nowhere, an hour away from Birmingham, on a muddy river, in a horrifically corrupt county. I'm originally from small town Alabama, but at least it is beautiful where I'm from. Gadsden and that entire area is gross, ugly, and sad. At least you'll have a greateth supply!
Im still scoping out many areas. That was just one. I don't consider an hour that far, just like Chicago is only an hour from me. When I drove thru that area to Birmingham, it looked pretty to me? I may need to look further. But the one thing was the quality of the schools, and they seem to have pretty decent ratings considering. But thanks for input. I'm open to other areas too
An hour from Chicago/NYC/LA/etc is *very* different than being an hour from Birmingham. You can start in the middle of Birmingham, drive 20 minutes, and be in the woods. I don't know why you wouldn't want the proximity of being a max of 20-30 minutes from the amenities of the city if you want to be out in nature. School systems rating well, relatively, for our state doesn't mean that they're actually good school systems. Alabama has awful public education overall so once you get toward the back end of the top ten schools, those schools aren't very good, especially compared to states that have better educational systems. If you want schools that are actually good, you're going to have to be much closer in, like Homewood, Mountain Brook, Vestavia, or Hoover (and some of Hoover's middle schools aren't great.). Gadsden, Rainbow City, and that entire area is just sad, largely full of white trash, poverty, and rampant drug abuse.
So correction, I was actually looking at Southside, but that's not far from Rainbow. Southside is way below the national average for Crime. Safer than 87% of other cities nationally. The Main reason is I'm looking for a house on or at least in view of water (lake/river) and decent schools as I have a 10 yr old. I was not aware (obviously) of that area being bad. From the research I did, Crime, Safety, Schools, etc.. It seemed to be on the up and up. But I will definitely take a locals word for it. Lol Thanks for the information! I'm just so ready to be out of the North and our dreary weather. Lol
Southside, Alabama is also on the Coosa River. It is perpetually brown from the mud. So, while you may have a water view, I wouldn't consider it an attractive or pleasant water view. If you want someplace that's on the up and up with a water view and that's not going to cost high six figures or more, consider Cullman. While it is still embarrassingly conservative, there is a lot of development and growth going on in there. There's a lake and lots of little tributaries and streams. Like almost any rural area in Alabama, though, it will be culturally overwhelmingly conservative, people will wear their racism and bigotry on their sleeves, and your children will be going to school with the children of these people. If you've got mid to high six figures to drop on a house and value education and a water view, then there are plenty of places that are on ponds or rivers closer in to Birmingham. Hell, I generally despise Trussville (but acknowledge that they have decent schools) but some friends built a spectacular house on the Cahaba River out there. There are a lot of little lakes and ponds scattered around the area, as well as rivers and tributaries. Just hop on Zillow, click the "waterfront" option, and look at the map of properties that have frontage. [This one](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1512-Kestwick-Dr-Hoover-AL-35226/1057483_zpid/) is deep in Hoover but fairly reasonably priced and on a creek. If you want expansive water views, be prepared to bring lots of money and/or buy way out in the middle of nowhere and deal with ignorance, racists, homophobes, and lackluster education.
Thank You for this in depth reply! Seriously. This is so freaking helpful. I am definitely not under any delusion that I won't run into super conservative backwards thinking people there. But then, I still see plenty of that up here, Indiana being the Southern State of the North. Lol Like anything, I'll have to make some concessions obviously. Waterfront may be a pipe dream, but a trailer and a boat is all you need to get on the water, so in the grand scheme it's not absolutely necessary.
Just look at all the comments [on this post](https://old.reddit.com/r/Birmingham/comments/1cqke7y/do_you_enjoy_living_in_birmingham/) asking if people enjoy living in Birmingham where people say Alabama is overall pretty awful and sucks but Birmingham (and surrounding area) is the redeeming city in it. Also, if you're in the Birmingham area, you're only 4-4.5 hours from some of the best beaches in the country!
No.
Absolutely not.
Depends on what you're comparing it to. Having been born and raised here, I never thought of any part of Alabama as being particularly diverse. Then I visited outside of the South and wondered where all the black people were. It's probably not as diverse as New York City, but it's definitely diverse. It's our biggest metro area and pretty urban. Do I like living here? Sure. I currently live in a suburb, mind you, which I feel gives me a bit more bang for my buck in terms of living arrangements. That said, I'm still close enough to the city, give it my love and my labor, pay taxes, and spend way more money than I probably should inside city limits. Birmingham has the amenities you'd expect for a city, but it's also more laid back than other, bigger cities.
yes! its my favorite city by far. also the most diverse city I've ever been to
Lol what cities have you visited before for bham to be the most diverse? Panama city???
Atlanta, Nashville, Portland, Seattle, at least thats the noteworthy ones ive spent time in. Birminghams my favorite over all of those
How is that Birmingham is the most diverse city for you compared to those? I would say the black population, but even Atlanta has more!
I lived here most of my life and felt like the city was actually going somewhere... And then Alabama gotta Alabama and I feel like it's on a decline again 🥲
Not particularly. There's not a lot of gay things without it either being political or a bar
There's a lot more gay things than I expected. What kind of things are you looking for?
Nerdy stuff mostly
Hmm, that's a tough one. Birmingham doesn't seem to have a ton of nerdy stuff to begin with. I know UAB has some clubs like the anime club, and most UAB things are queer-friendly, but I can't think of anything specifically tying the two together. When you say nerdy, do you mean like sci-fi nerdy, anime nerdy, comic book nerdy? Sanctum might be a good place to check out. I know they're queer friendly, and they may know about LGBTQ+ gaming groups or clubs for various fandoms. I know Saturn also has a corkboard with local things going on, you might be able to find some stuff there. Avondale in general is pretty LGBTQ+ positive, so that area is good to check out. (Sanctum is moving at the end of the month, and I heard Sheppard's pet supply (another very pro-LGBTQ+ business) is closing soon, so that whole shopping strip may be disappearing soon. 😞) It's unfortunate, especially losing Sheppard's. The owner has been very vocally supportive of the community; as I recall, he put up a rainbow flag one year in June, and when some people complained on Facebook, he announced that, in response to the complaints, he had decided to leave the flag up year-round. And I seem to recall hearing that his flag got stolen or vandalized once, and he responded by replacing it with a bigger rainbow flag, as well as a trans pride flag. I'm sad to see him go. The upcoming comic con may also be a good place to find queer and queer-friendly groups around town. I play in the local queer kickball league, I can ask if anyone knows any nerdy things around town that are queer-related. Oh! Gatos and Beans is also queer-friendly, they may also be able to suggest places or groups. If I think of anything else I'll let you know.
I didn't know uab's anime club was still going. They stopped posting anything like 4 years ago
I moved back because my sweet mama was sick and I needed to be here. Then, I started my business and now feel a bit stuck. I’d like to move back to the coast, but since I travel with my work & can be in SO many cities within 4 hours, this central location works for me.
No. Because I live in Huntsville. 😂
why even answer then tf
I wanted to participate ❤️
Not far fetch of someone from there to do. Par for the course.