Photo by Jon Anderson
Celebrate Hoover Day 2018-1
Members of the Greystone Elementary School Jumpin' Jags Jump Rope Team show off their skills at the 2018 Celebrate Hoover Day at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, April 28, 2018.
USA Today has named Hoover among the top 10 cities to relocate in the South.
Hoover was No. 7 on the list of 209 Southern cities studied by the publication, with particular attention given to the city’s low crime rate and highly rated schools. Auburn also made the list at No. 5, while Johnson City, Tennessee, was ranked No. 1.
USA Today analyzed cities in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
The publication looked at 16 factors, including the quality of schools, number of activities, number of restaurants, walkability, life expectancy, hospital quality, crime rates, the risk of severe weather events, unemployment rates, cost of housing, typical household income and educational attainment.
Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato said it’s great to be recognized by a publication such as USA Today.
“We know this is a wonderful city, but you like for other people to point that out as well,” he said. “The livability of cities — that’s what they’re talking about. They’re talking about quality of life.”
It was noteworthy that of the top 10 cities on the list, Hoover had the highest median income ($103,194) and typical home value ($425,000), Brocato said.
“It’s a good little selling point when companies are talking to ua about wanting to come to our city,” he said.
USA Today also noted these things about Hoover:
- Life expectancy – 74
- Typical rent - $1,378
- Unemployment rate – 2.6%
- Crimes per 1,000 residents – 16.6
- Severe weather events in 2023 — 63
Here’s the complete top 10 list of best cities for relocation in the South:
- Johnson City, Tennessee
- Roanoke, Virginia
- Greenville, South Carolina
- Lynchburg, Virginia
- Auburn, Alabama
- Albany, Georgia
- Hoover, Alabama
- Laredo, Texas
- Concord, North Carolina
- Richmond, Virginia
