The Southern Charm event space in Cartwright, Alabama, not only serves as the area’s favorite venue for weddings, proms, and class reunions, but it also captures the essence and character of the region: picturesque, rural, and community-oriented. The rustic red-roofed barn at Southern Charm is curated to the smallest detail, celebrating the history of northern Alabama and the area’s inextricable link to agriculture. “What I always tell people is that our town provides a rural country feel and small-town atmosphere, but that we’re still so close to Athens, Madison and Huntsville,” says the office manager at Elkmont Rural Village, a master-planned rural village on the northeast corner of Cartwright. “We’re growing, but so quickly that it sacrifices our rural way of life.”
Cartwright
Rural Neighborhood in Athens, Alabama
Limestone County 35614, 35620
Craftsman homes with wide vista views
Most of Cartwright’s homes are in residential pockets along one of the three rural two-lane country highways running north from Athens towards the Tennessee state line like prongs on a fork. Locals typically live no closer than a quarter-mile from their neighbors, with homes ranging from mobile homes to updated Craftsman and Farmhouse-style homes with large garages and plenty of outdoor living space. Homes in Cartwright are priced between $180,000 and $325,000, with the most expensive properties located within the Elkmont Rural Village, a housing development committed to promoting economic growth and ecological conservation within the Alabama portion of the Elk River Watershed.
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Rural trails connecting Cartwright's parks
Cartwright is home to a wide range of outdoor recreational opportunities, none more impressive than the Richard Martin Rails-to-Trails system, a 10-mile stretch of former railroad tracks stretching between Veto and Athens that has been converted into a scenic multi-use trail. The trail winds past Civil War battlefields and bird sanctuaries on its way through Cartwright, providing a picturesque space for biking, running, bird watching and horseback riding. Kids love the Kids Dugout, an enormous wooden playground next to Athens Sportsplex, an athletic complex with tennis courts, baseball fields, sand volleyball pits and an Olympic-sized swimming pool. On rainy days, locals can roll a few games at the Madison Bowling Center or catch a movie at the Cineplanet 15 movie theater.
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Supporting Cartwright's growing shopping scene
While Cartwright locals enjoy the privacy and seclusion of their wide-open rural town, the nearest shopping and dining options are in Athens, a 12-mile drive from the northern half of the community where shoppers can find familiar national retailers like Walmart and The Home Depot. The North Madison Corners Shopping Plaza in Madison provides additional retail options — including Marshall’s and Target — along with restaurants like Mia’s Cafe, a southern-style homestyle eatery with hearty servings of comfort food. Thankfully, new developments in Cartwright have brought some amenities closer to home, including the Piggly Wiggly Supermarket and Gin House Barbeque, a laid-back smokehouse serving a variety of smoked meats.
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Athens' award-winning school district
Students in Cartwright begin their education at Athens Elementary School, an A-minus-rated school on Niche with a student-teacher ratio of 18-to-1. Next, students move to Athens Middle School — earning a B on Niche — and Athens High School, an A-minus-rated school ranked among the top 40 on Niche’s list of Best Public High Schools in Alabama. Students at Athens High earn an average SAT score of 1100 and are regularly admitted into prestigious local universities like Auburn and the University of Alabama.
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Navigating the country roads in Cartwright
Situated among the sprawling Alabama farmland between Athens and Richland Creek, Cartwright is 30 miles west of Huntsville near Alabama’s border with Tennessee. Interstate 65 cuts a vertical path along the community’s eastern edge, and residents can make the 90-mile commute into Nashville to access the nearest international airport. Cartwright is 170 miles from Memphis and Atlanta, while Birmingham — Alabama’s biggest city — is located 95 miles to the south.
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Written By
Jack Hale
Photography Contributed By
Stephen Flint
Video By
Maurice McNeil
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Agents Specializing in this Area
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Trenten Hammond
Trenten Hammond
South Towne Realtors, LLC
(256) 727-5387
491 Total Sales
2 in Cartwright
$150K - $186K Price Range
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Taylor Gregory
Taylor Gregory
Responds QuicklyNewton Realty
(256) 374-0521
139 Total Sales
14 in Cartwright
$28K - $410K Price Range
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Kristin King
Kristin King
RE/MAX Today
(256) 617-5123
132 Total Sales
2 in Cartwright
$390K - $410K Price Range
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Philip Wright
Philip Wright
MeritHouse Realty
(938) 444-0893
158 Total Sales
2 in Cartwright
$135K - $189K Price Range
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Blake Hale
Blake Hale
Weichert Realtors-The Sp Plce
(938) 444-1058
119 Total Sales
1 in Cartwright
$185,000 Price
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Sherry Cox
Sherry Cox
RE/MAX Unlimited
(256) 289-7386
90 Total Sales
1 in Cartwright
$950,000 Price
Schools
Source:
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
- 6th to 12th
- Public
- 6th to 12th
- Public
- Pre-K to 3rd
- Public
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Big Spring Memorial Park
- Picnic Area
- Tennis
- Playground
Fifth Avenue Park
- Baseball/Softball
- Trails
- Playground
Kids Dugout
Trinity's
- Basketball
- Picnic Area
- Playground
Athens Sportsplex
- Playground
Swan Creek Park
- Picnic Area
- Tennis
- Multi-Purpose Field
Transit
Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Cartwright | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 3 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 3 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 3 | 4 |
| Robbery | 2 | 4 |
| Burglary | 2 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 2 | 4 |
| Larceny | 2 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 2 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Cartwright, Athens sell after 66 days on the market compared to the national average of 47 days. The average sale price for homes in Cartwright, Athens over the last 12 months is $313,535, up 24% from the average home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Home Trends
Median Price (12 Mo)
$259,000
Median Single Family Price
$280,000
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$167
Number of Homes for Sale
35
Last 12 months Home Sales
57
Months of Supply
7.40
Median List Price
$295,000
Median Discount From 1st List Price
0%
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
0%
Home Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
769
Median Year Built
1997
Avg. Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,734
Below the national average
1,936
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
27,878
Open Houses
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Sunday, May 42 - 4pm
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Friday, May 21 - 6pm
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Sunday, May 41 - 4pm
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
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Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
7,274
Median Age
41
Population Density
1 person/acre
Population under 18
24.1%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
18.4%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$59,353
Below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$78,830
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
85.3%
College Graduates
16.9%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
8.1%
Below the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
64.4%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
49''
Average Winter Low Temperature
33°F
Average Summer High Temperature
90°F
Annual Snowfall
3''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
25
/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
0
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Persimmon Grove
Unincorporated Limestone County community with new home construction
Fairview Park
Highly rated schools and quiet streets minutes from downtown Athens
Robert Beaty Historic District
Historic district in walking distance of downtown Athens
Elkmont
Peaceful country living 45 minutes north of Huntsville
Piney Chapel
Brick midcentury ranches surrounded by nature, plus proximity to downtown Athens
Athens
Huntsville suburb with growing industry and historic charm
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