I'm interviewing for a position on Maxwell Gunter Annex that I stand a good chance of landing.  If I took the position, I'd have to relocate the family from Vegas.

Looks like all my NFA stuff is good, I'll be able to easily get a ccw, and it appears to have a ~12% lower cost of living compared to Vegas.  

That all said, I grew up in the South but never lived in Alabama.  Anyone have any information or pro's and con's that I should consider before accepting or rejecting the position?

ETA:  Looks like the position is on the Gunter Annex of Maxwell, not Maxwell proper.

Montgomery is a rough place these days. i suggest living outside the city either in the Prattville/Wetumpka area or East on 85. lots of new development out there. The main part of the city is very urban if you know what i mean.

I'd prefer a place in the country with some land. My wife wants some goats and I want a range and explosives storage magazine.

I agree with evnash.  I was once recruited by a lady at Maxwell and she said many people she knew, herself included, commute from Prattville or Millbrook.  If I recall correctly, Millbrook was a little cheaper but I might have it backwards.  To me, the main plus of Montgomery is it's geographical location.  Just depends on how much you mind being in the car.  2 hrs to Atlanta, 3 hours to the beach, 1 hour to Birmingham.  I was only TDY there for two weeks, but there didn't really seem to be many things to do in Montgomery.  Maybe I just didn't get out enough.

When I have t drive down and work in Montgomery I always stay in Prattville.  The Prattville area has really grown and is not a bad area.  There are some nice areas around Montgomery but as others have eluded to there is not much for me in the main part of Montgomery.

Just a warning the Gump has a high STD rate...

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/07/montgomery_has_nations_highest.html#incart_river

Look to Elmore and Autuaga counties to live in.  Lowndes is cheap but there is a reason for that.  Folks in Elmore can't drive worth a piss.  Stay out of Montgomery proper as far as living.  East side Montgomery is typically nice and the subdivisions are pretty common to any other areas.  School system sucks in Montgomery County but is the reason that private schools are so common (over 100 last I heard.)  Elmore and Autuaga have nicer schools.  Really about all I have.

Great fishing and hunting if you can make the connections to the right people.  

As a resident of Montgomery County, I say find a place in Autauga County (Prattville).  The commute to Maxwell is closer from Autauga County compared to east Montgomery, which is the better part of the city.  Wetumpka is a nice area, but a bit of a drive to Maxwell.  Plenty of rural areas around Prattville.

What's the income tax and property tax situation like down there?

If you're at Gunter you'll either want Wetumpka or Prattville.  Wetumpka is about 5 miles closer but much less developed commercial area.  Prattville commercial area is very centrally located and much bigger but not sprawling a large distance.  Tons of land around Prattville.  Look off exit 186 of i65 for acres commutable to Gunter.

 

Sales tax is 10% in Montgomery, 9.5% in Prattville, 8.5% in Millbrook, and 8% in Wetumpka. Montgomery public schools are on the verge of a state takeover for a variety of reasons, Prattville public schools are getting overcrowded, Millbrook public schools are so-so (mainly discipline irregularities), Wetumpka public schools are so-so (same discipline issues).

One town you might consider is Tallassee. It is on the eastern edge of Elmore County, and east of Montgomery. It is about a 30 minute commute to East Montgomery / Gunter Annex area, mainly via interstate. The tax rate is 8.5% to 9% (don't remember which). The school system is a city system, but has some mutual benefits with the county system. Tallassee is still very much a small town, but real estate is reasonable, country living is available, and it does have a hospital, Walmart, etc. My wife is from there, and I sometimes joke with her about retiring there.  I currently live in Millbrook and commute to Montgomery for work, but I did live in Tallassee temporarily while my house was being built.

Gunter Annex is sort of small, but there are some eating areas close to the base.

Feel free to ask for more info.

There is land available north and west of Wetumpka to either side of I-65.  You should be able to find what you are looking for area.  Montgomery is a rough town.  Shop north or east of the city. Good luck on your move and job.

Property tax in rural areas unincorporated areas is typically around $300-$400 for a home.  But you'll pay $1500+ in insurance, since there's no local fire department, and another $500 for garbage service.  



Be careful about schools.  Around 90% of the public schools in Alabama are really, really bad.  

Here's a website that rates schools.  Prattville schools are okay.  

http://www.greatschools.org/alabama/prattville/101-Prattville-High-School/quality/



 

As much as I'd love to move back to the South, I don't think I'll be taking the job if it is offered.  Too much turmoil in the company dealing with that project and the strategic review of any IT service contracts we're undertaking.

They are called "Cheese Grits".  Not "Cheesy Grits".

I have neighbors who work in the Montgomery Hyundai plant.
They commute from Shelby Co every day.

Too bad. I would say don't listen to everyone bashing Montgomery. I lived there for 3 years before moving to Dothan, AL. I enjoyed it and would rather live there than Prattville/Millbrook. That being said, I would probably rather live West of Maxwell if I ever moved back. As soon as you drive a few miles to get out of the ghetto, you're out in the middle of the country and surrounded by woods. It's kind of peaceful. My father in law used to hunt out that way.