Moving to Huntsville, Alabama

Huntsville is 130 km north of Birmingham. Visitors can learn about their work at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, which includes a space shuttle as well as an actual Saturn V moon rocket developed by von Braun’s team.There are more than 60 interactive exhibits and the Spacedome, an IMAX theater showing films about spaceflight. In the process, you’ll feel four Gs of force about the same amount as astronauts typically experience during a space-shuttle launch. Unfortunately, the bus tour of NASA’s George C. Marshall Space Flight Center has been suspended indefinitely

The giant USSpace and Rocket Center , five miles west of downtown on Hwy-20, off I-65, summer daily 9am-6pm; $15, contains a mind-boggling array of technological exhibits, hands-on displays and weightlessness simulators, as well as a giant IMAX cinema.

The Huntsville Museum of Art contains works by Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns and Thomas Hart Benton, among others, as well as changing exhibits by regional, national and international artists. The Burritt Museum and Park has exhibits on local history and information on Huntsville artists, and Monte Sano State Park includes cabins and camping facilities as well as picnicking and hiking areas.

Huntsville is the site of the Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, Oakwood College, a campus of the University of Alabama, a junior college, and a technical college. The Von Braun Civic Center houses the Huntsville Museum of Art. The U.S. Space and Rocket Center, a complex with a large collection of missiles, models, working simulators, and the Mercury 7 and Apollo 16 spacecraft, is located nearby and hosts the U.S. Space Camp, devoted to teaching children about space exploration.

Population: 158,216. Estimated population in July 2024: 166,313 (+5.1% change)
Males: 76,174 (48.1%), Females: 82,042 (51.9%)

Zip codes: 35801, 35802, 35803, 35805, 35806, 35808, 35810, 35811, 35816, 35824.

Demographics

Median resident age: 36.7 years
Median household income: $41,074
Median house value: $97,300

Population by Race

Races in Huntsville:

• White Non-Hispanic (63.4%)
• Black (30.2%)
• Hispanic (2.0%)
• Two or more races (1.8%)
• American Indian (1.3%)
• Other race (0.7%)
• Asian Indian (0.6%)
• Chinese (0.5%)

Ancestries: United States (11.5%), English (10.8%), German (8.9%), Irish (8.1%), Scotch-Irish (3.0%), Scottish (2.1%).

Elevation: 641 feet

Land area: 174.0 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Huntsville

• High school or higher: 85.7%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 36.1%
• Graduate or professional degree: 12.7%
• Unemployed: 6.9%
• Mean travel time to work: 18.3 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Huntsville city

• Never married: 26.5%
• Now married: 52.4%
• Separated: 2.4%
• Widowed: 6.7%
• Divorced: 12.0%

4.9% Foreign born (1.7% Asia, 1.3% Latin America, 1.3% Europe).

Population change in the 1990s: -2,131 (-1.3%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers in Huntsville:

• CRESTWOOD HOSPITAL (1 HOSPITAL DR)
• HEALTHSOUTH REHAB HOSP OF NORTH ALA (107 GOVERNORS DRIVE)
• HUNTSVILLE HOSPITAL (101 SIVLEY RD)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Huntsville:

• HUNTSVILLE INTL-CARL T JONES FIELD (about 13 miles; HUNTSVILLE, AL; Abbreviation: HSV)
• NORTHWEST ALABAMA RGNL (about 70 miles; MUSCLE SHOALS, AL; Abbreviation: MSL)
• BIRMINGHAM INTL (about 81 miles; BIRMINGHAM, AL; Abbreviation: BHM)

Other public-use airports nearest to Huntsville:

• REDSTONE AAF (about 7 miles; REDSTONE ARSNL HUNTSVILLE, AL; Abbreviation: HUA)
• MADISON COUNTY EXECUTIVE (about 10 miles; HUNTSVILLE, AL; Abbreviation: MDQ)
• MOONTOWN (about 11 miles; HUNTSVILLE, AL; Abbreviation: 3M5)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/Universities in Huntsville:

• UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN HUNTSVILLE (Full-time enrollment: 4,795; Location: 301 SPARKMAN DR; Public; Website: www.uah.edu; Offers Doctor’s degree)
• OAKWOOD COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 1,664; Location: 7000 ADVENTIST BLVD NW; Private, not-for-profit; Website: www.oakwood.edu)
• J F DRAKE STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 372; Location: 3421 MERIDIAN ST N; Public; Website: www.dstc.cc.al.us)
• VIRGINIA COLLEGE-HUNTSVILLE (Full-time enrollment: 359; Location: 2800A BOB WALLACE AVE; Private, for-profit; Website: WWW.VC.EDU)
• ALABAMA CAREER COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 37; Location: 4900 CORPORATE DR STE G1; Private, for-profit)
• SOUTHEASTERN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (Location: 300 SPARKMAN DR; Private, not-for-profit; Offers Doctor’s degree)
• FAULKNER UNIVERSITY (Location: 420 WYNN DR; Private, not-for-profit)
• SCIENTIFIC BEAUTY ACADEMY (Location: 3115A DRAKE AVE; Private, for-profit)
• BEN PORTER REAL ESTATE SCHOOL (Location: 3409 S MEMORIAL PKY; Private, for-profit)
• JOHNSONS BEAUTY SCHOOL (Location: 916 MERIDIAN ST N; Private, for-profit)
• HUNTSVILLE HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF RADIOLOGIC TECHN (Location: 101 SIVLEY RD; Private, not-for-profit)
• MASTERS INSTITUTE OF COSMETOLOGY (Location: 8215 STEPHANIE ST; Private, for-profit)

Other colleges/universities with over 2000 students near Huntsville:

• ALABAMA A & M UNIVERSITY (about 6 miles; NORMAL, AL; Full-time enrollment: 4,886)
• JOHN C CALHOUN STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 29 miles; DECATUR, AL; Full-time enrollment: 4,547)
• GEORGE C WALLACE STATE COMMUNITY COLL-HANCEVILLE (about 49 miles; HANCEVILLE, AL; Full-time enrollment: 3,272)
• MOTLOW STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 52 miles; Tullahoma, TN; Full-time enrollment: 2,256)
• COLUMBIA STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 70 miles; COLUMBIA, TN; Full-time enrollment: 2,784)
• NORTHWEST SHOALS COMMUNITY COLLEGE-MUSCLE SHOALS (about 72 miles; MUSCLE SHOALS, AL; Full-time enrollment: 2,669)
• BEVILL STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 73 miles; SUMITON, AL; Full-time enrollment: 2,670)

Schools

Public high schools in Huntsville:

• VIRGIL GRISSOM HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,916; Location: 7901 BAILEY COVE RD; Grades: 09 – 12)
• SR BUTLER HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,142; Location: 3401 HOLMES AVE; Grades: 09 – 12)
• HUNTSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,128; Location: 2304 BILLIE WATKINS SW; Grades: 09 – 12)
• LEE HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 891; Location: 606 FOREST CIR NE; Grades: 09 – 12)
• JO JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 841; Location: 6201 PUEBLO DR; Grades: 09 – 12)
• NEW CENTURY TECHNOLOGY DEMO HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 250; Location: 102 WYNN DR; Grades: 09 – 12)
• MADISON COUNTY CAREER ACADEMY (Location: 1275 JORDAN RD BLDG A; Grades: 09 – 12)
• HUNTSVILLE CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY (Location: 2800 DRAKE AVE SW; Grades: 09 – 12)

Private high schools in Huntsville:

• RANDOLPH SCHOOL (Students: 748; Location: 1005 DRAKE AVENUE SE; Grades: KG – 12)
• WESTMINISTER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (Students: 635; Location: 1400 EVANGEL DRIVE; Grades: KG – 12)
• OAKWOOD ACADEMY (Students: 351; Location: BOX 108 5380 OAKWOOD RD; Grades: KG – 12)
• VALLEY FELLOWSHIP CHRISTIAN AC (Students: 219; Location: 3616 HOLMES AV; Grades: PK – 12)
• CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 146; Location: 4810 BRAD FORD DRIVE; Grades: 9 – 12)
• CALVARY BAPTIST ACADEMY (Students: 71; Location: 1800 SPARKMAN DRIVE NW; Grades: KG – 12)

Biggest public primary/middle schools in Huntsville:

• MONROVIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 1,113; Location: 1030 JEFF RD; Grades: KG – 05)
• MONROVIA MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,010; Location: 1216 JEFF RD; Grades: 06 – 08)
• CENTRAL SCHOOL (Students: 755; Location: 990 RYLAND PIKE; Grades: KG – 08)
• MOUNT CARMEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 701; Location: 335 HOMER NANCE ROAD; Grades: PK – 05)
• JAMES E WILLIAMS SCHOOL (Students: 679; Location: 155 BARREN FORK RD; Grades: KG – 08)
• EDWARD WHITE MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 668; Location: 4800 SPARKMAN DR; Grades: 06 – 08)
• CHALLENGER MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 645; Location: 13555 CHANEY THOMPSON RD; Grades: 06 – 08)
• CHALLENGER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 638; Location: 13555 CHANEY THOMPSON RD; Grades: KG – 05)
• RIVERTON MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 618; Location: 399 HOMER NANCE RD; Grades: 06 – 08)
• HUNTSVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 608; Location: 817 ADAMS ST SE; Grades: 06 – 08)

Biggest private primary/middle schools in Huntsville:

• HOLY SPIRIT SCHOOL (Students: 388; Location: 619 AIRPORT ROAD SW; Grades: KG – 8)
• FIRST MISSIONARY BAPT.CHILD DE (Students: 225; Location: 3509 BLUE SPRING ROAD; Grades: PK – 5)
• UAW-CHRYSLER CHILD DEV CTR (Students: 214; Location: 100 JETPLEX BLVD.; Grades: PK – KG)
• HERITAGE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (Students: 197; Location: 3911 PULASKI PIKE; Grades: PK – 8)
• GRACE LUTHERAN SCHOOL (Students: 190; Location: 3321 S MEMORIAL PKWY; Grades: PK – 8)
• HOLY FAMILY PAROCHIAL SCHOOL (Students: 175; Location: 2300 BEASLEY AVENUE N W; Grades: KG – 8)
• HIGHLANDS BAPTIST CHILD DEV (Students: 131; Location: 2525 ASPEN AVENUE; Grades: PK – KG)
• MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF HUNTSVILL (Students: 112; Location: 1220 BLEVINS GAP RD; Grades: PK – 5)
• MAYFAIR CHILD DEV CTR (Students: 76; Location: 4700 WHITESBURG DR; Grades: PK – KG)
• THE CHILDRENS HOUSE OF MONTESS (Students: 72; Location: 2605 LEEMAN FERRY; Grades: PK – KG)

Libraries

Library in Huntsville:

• HUNTSVILLE-MADISON CO. PUB. LIBRARY (Operating income: $4,657,276; Location: 915 MONROE STREET; 536,314 books; 17,997 audio materials; 28,613 video materials; 1,952 serial subscriptions)