Huntsville

Once a sleepy farming town, Huntsville gained national recognition during the Space Race of the 1960s and is now consistently among the fastest-growing metro areas in Alabama. 

In the past, the U.S. government relocated a team of German rocket scientists to the area and opened a NASA center that would design the Saturn V, the rocket that sent Apollo astronauts to the moon. Today, Huntsville residents pride themselves on being a nerdy bunch. The metro area has the most educated population in the state, and a large portion of the population works in engineering and defense thanks to the large presence of NASAand the U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal.

Cost of Living: $4234/mo

Overall Score: ★ 8.8/10

Location: Huntsville, Alabama

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