Best place to live in Bham

[mokelv]

I am doing some research about life in the Birmingham area, what are some of the best places to raise a family? Schools are important to us, since we have two kids, second would be affordable living, third safety of the area/neighborhood, not in that order, BTW!

[leo3000]

vestavia!!!

[TroutbumTJ]

It really depends on what part of town you work in and how much time you're willing to spend in the car. I live in Chelsea and work at Trinity and Princeton Medical Centers. We love Chelsea. The city is far enough out to feel like you are away from a big city and close enough to have everything you need within 10 mins away. Good school systems and very safe. Other areas to consider while looking at budget, safety, & schools: Gardendale, Fultondale, Trussville, Cahaba Heights (actually zoned for Vestavia), Pelham, Alabaster and Helena. All of these have good school systems. The "best" school systems in the area are likely Mountain Brook, Vestavia, and Hoover. These are all City school systems. These are large schools (especially Hoover) and the cost of living in those areas are at a premium. The best county school system is Shelby County. It is the fastest growing and best financed county system in the area. Hope this helps.

[duanewhatley]

Gardendale and areas north. Prices are more reasonable and traffic isn't nearly as bad going into and out of the city at rush hour.

[maffewl]

I had a friend who lived in Inverness... she loved it there. Great food and shopping. However, 280 was always congested and a total pain to try to get anywhere.

[faith4uu]

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