Highland Lakes, AL


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Highland Lakes, AL

About Highland Lakes, AL

Living in Highland Lakes, AL is a beautiful experience. The town is surrounded by lushly forested hills and sparkling lakes, providing residents with breathtaking views. There are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy, such as camping, fishing, boating, and hiking. There are also parks and playgrounds for children to explore. The town has a cozy, small-town atmosphere and the people are friendly and welcoming. It's the perfect place to relax and enjoy life away from the hustle and bustle of city life. On top of that, the cost of living in Highland Lakes is quite reasonable compared to other parts of Alabama. All in all, Highland Lakes is an idyllic spot for anyone looking for a peaceful oasis in nature or a quiet hometown away from it all. Mid-sized city - North-central Alabama, about 300 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico.

State: Alabama
County: Shelby County
Metro Area: Birmingham-Hoover Metro Area
City: Highland Lakes
Zip Codes: No Zip Codes Here.
Cost of Living:
Time zone: Central Standard Time (CST)
Elevation: 618 ft above sea level

Birmingham is one of the South’s most misunderstood cities. A former steel and manufacturing center once known as the “Pittsburgh of the South,” Birmingham is still thought by many outsiders to combine the grittiness of this legacy with some of the other more unsavory images of the old South. But the truth is far different: Birmingham has experienced a major economic turnaround, and while not quite as far along as noted Southern stars like Charlotte, Raleigh Durham and Atlanta, the area has come a long way.

The steel industry is still evident but has transitioned into higher value-add manufacturing enterprises supporting the South’s growing automotive assembly industry, which surrounds the city in a few-hundred-mile radius in places like Tuscaloosa (Mercedes) Lincoln, AL (Honda), Montgomery, AL (Hyundai), and Spring Hill and Smyrna, TN (Saturn and Nissan). Beyond this industry, the economy has moved decidedly towards more new-economy enterprises in research, medicine, banking, finance, and technology. The area has become a magnet for young educated workers and their families looking for alternatives to Atlanta and other booming Southern centers. Nice older (and some newer) suburban neighborhoods have grown mainly south of the city towards Vestavia Hills and Hoover. The area scores relatively well in healthcare, arts, and the economy, and poorly in air service and climate.

Birmingham is located in a valley within a hilly area in the Appalachian foothills. Ridges rise to 600 feet above the valley floor, with a mix of open land and forest. The climate is decidedly southern, humid subtropical with a modifying influence from the Gulf of Mexico. Summers are long, hot, and humid with frequent thunderstorms. Winters are mild. Total annual rainfall is among the highest in the United States.

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Highland Lakes Cost of Living

Arts and culture, diversifying economy, and mild winters make Highland Lakes a great place to live.

$544,200
+37.9% higher than avg
$148,405
53.5% lower than avg
5.4 / 7.0
Comfort Index
summer/winter
Highland Lakes Crime
29.3 / 100
Crime is ranked on a scale of 1 (low) to 100 (high). US average: 35.4
Minimum annual income
To live comfortably in Highland Lakes, Alabama
$104,400
for a family
$51,600
for a single person
Pros & Cons of Highland Lakes
   Arts and culture
Air service
   Diversifying economy
Crime rates
   Mild winters
Summer heat and humidity
Cost of Living