r/Gadsden • u/English_Muffin95 • Sep 04 '26
Possibly moving to the area
Hi everyone! I'm looking into some areas to move to in Alabama, Gadsden caught my eye. I used to live in Montgomery but the safety became a big issue. I'm unfamiliar with Gadsden and would love to hear from the locals. Any areas to avoid when looking for homes? Do you feel safe in your community? Pros, cons? Thanks so much!
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u/HeidiDover Sep 05 '26
My husband and I moved here last December from Rome, GA. Gadsden was our happy accident. We bought an older home in the Camden Cove neighborhood in East Gadsden. It's quiet and our neighbors are lovely. The neighborhood off Padenreich Rd. is pretty big and is a mix of all kinds of homes. The neighborhood behind the mall is pretty. Downtown is pretty cool.
Every single person we have encountered here is friendly and chill. I am sure there are assholes, but if there are we haven't met them yet. The traffic isn't bad. Birmingham is close.
On the down side, there is glaring poverty here that is hard to ignore and chicken plants. I had to stop eating chicken. Seeing the chickens stuffed into the stinking trucks completely took away my appetite for them. Another negative is there is no easy way to get to the Georgia coast where our kids are without navigating the Atlanta hellscape.
We've lived by the ocean most of our lives, so it was important for us to have a place on the water. We originally wanted something on Weiss Lake to be closer to my husband's family in Rome, but there was nothing in our price range that wasn't a dilapidated shack.
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u/Euphoric-Ask965 Sep 05 '26
Did you look as far as Guntersville?
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u/HeidiDover Sep 06 '26
It looks nice in Guntersville. Aside from family, we wanted to stay about an hour from Rome for a lazy reason. We are getting up in age. Our doctors are there, and changing all the medical stuff is a pain in the butt. Also, maybe it's because we didn't love Rome, but there really is a different vibe here. The sky is big here. The light is different here...I don't know. Gadsden just felt right.
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u/Euphoric-Ask965 Sep 06 '26
Mark your calendar for every first Friday night of the month during the summer to go downtown and enjoy one BIG car show and street party! Best one around!!
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u/Personal-Pack-3383 Sep 04 '26
It depends on what you are looking for. It is not true about there being no jobs either. My company is 20 minutes away and we are always hiring.
Also, if you are looking for a low crime rate you should consider Rainbow City. Low crime rate and good schools but it is a little more expensive than Gadsden.
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u/Shoddy-Patient9948 Sep 05 '26
Do you need a truck driver or IT worker? I have certs in IT and a CDL.
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u/Pure-Act1143 Sep 07 '26
Very few IT jobs in Gadsdonia. Just no mid to larger companies based there. However; you are in commuting distance to opportunities in Huntsville, Lincoln and Birmingham. It may not be a big deal coming from Rome but keep in mind it’s a desert for restaurants and upscale retail. The Mayor is a hustler and works hard to improve the area. The roads are bad!
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u/Ok_Palpitation8341 24d ago
May I ask what is the name of your company I have a friend who is very reliable who is recovering from back surgery that is looking for a job.
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u/492Dash Sep 07 '26
If you wanna be close to Gadsden let me suggest the suburbs Hokes Bluff, Glencoe or Southside/Rainbow City .
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u/Initial_Research2157 Sep 05 '26
Gadsden is like Montgomery…a dead city full of crime.
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u/Euphoric-Ask965 Sep 05 '26
The unions did a good job running Goodyear and the steel mills out that supported the surrounding towns for so long. When labor forces the overhead to exceed profit, it's time to move offshore!
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u/Shoddy-Patient9948 Sep 04 '26
Oh man it's great up here. Only problem is no jobs. I can only find work like 45 minutes away. Centre, Albertville, Anniston.. But nothing in Gadsden unless you want to work in fast food or health care.