According to a recent report, Alabama’s Rocket City has landed on another notable list of places to live throughout the country.
The North Alabama city was named among the top 5 of the country’s most prosperous metros in 2023 by MyElisting.com. Coming in at number four on the list, it is the only city in Alabama that made the top 25.
In a statement to Yellowhammer News, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle expressed appreciation that what is well known to those in Huntsville is being validated across the country.
“Huntsville has been steadily moving up in national rankings on numerous economic and quality of life listings, culminating with being ranked as #1 by U.S. News & World Report Best Places to Live,” the mayor’s office said. “We see prosperity and opportunity across our City and it’s always validating when others recognize it, too.”
The study ranked all metro areas in the country with a population of at least 200,000 people. As a result of this requirement there were 227 cities left for evaluation.
The criteria for the rankings include:
- 5 year percent change in population growth
- 5 year percent change in median household income
- 5 year percent change in the value of owner-occupied homes
- Unemployment rate in 2022
- Percentage of population with a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2021
- Population rate below the poverty line in 2021
The cities final rankings were based upon the combined average of ranking position for each metric.
The website found that Huntsville’s population grew by 9% over the last five years, the median household income increased by 25%, and the value of owner occupied homes increased by 20% over the same time frame.
The report also showed that Huntsville recorded an unemployment rate of 2% in 2022, 43% of residents have at least one college degree, and the city’s poverty rate in 2021 was 10%.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.
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