in 2009 forbes stated the following in its article:
The World's Smartest Cities
Further inland,
Huntsville, Ala., has long had a “smart” core to its economy–a legacy of its critical role in the NASA ballistic missile program. Today the area’s traditional emphasis on aerospace has been joined by bold moves into such fields as biotechnology. Kiplinger recently ranked the area’s economy No. 1 in the nation.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/12/03/in...s-columnists-smart-cities-09-joel-kotkin.html
Huntsville al is the best kept secret in the south if not america
in another forbes article
Metro Population: 427,100
Major Industries: Aerospace & Defense, Technology
Gross Metro Product: $21.1 B
Median Household Income: $53,223
Median Home Price: $127,400
Unemployment: 6.2%
Cost of Living: 6.2% below nat'l avg
College Attainment: 34.4%
Net Migration (2011): 5,920
Forbes Lists
#55 Best Places for Business and Careers
#145 in Cost of Doing Business
#20 in Job Growth
#33 in Education
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Profile
Huntsville is nicknamed ""The Rocket City"" for its close history with U.S. space missions. The city remains the center of rocket-propulsion research in the U.S. with many aerospace and defense contractors’ facilities located in the area. The city is home to the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, which is located at the nearby Redstone Arsenal. Huntsville is also the location of Alabama A&M University, Oakwood University, University of Alabama in Huntsville and the J.F. Drake State Technical College. Some of the larger events that take place in the city include the Big Spring Jam, an annual three-day music festival held in the Big Spring International Park in downtown Huntsville and the Panoply Arts Festival. The city is also home to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, which exhibits the only Saturn V rocket designated as a National Historical Landmark.
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bottom line....if you have a degree especially in science...physics , engineering ect... you will live like a king. Govt jobs and contractors.
family town. 3 hours from atl, 1 1/2 hours from nashville.