Axis: a quiet community with an industrial jobs hub
Fewer than 300 homes are spread among the community of Axis, Alabama, and the tranquility draws new residents like Cheyenne Autry. After wrapping up at the University of Alabama, Autry searched for a community that resembled the small Illinois town where she grew up. She found it in Axis, a collection of houses and industrial businesses 20 minutes north of Mobile. Soon, the rest of the family moved down to Axis along with Autry, owner of Longhorn Land Management and owner of SW Farms, specializing in horseback riding lessons and training. “It’s quiet and a small community,” Autry says. “It’s just far enough outside the city, but you can get to the city pretty quickly.” Connectivity to Mobile is boosted by U.S. Route 43 and nearby Interstate 65. Many people don’t need to go to Mobile for work, as Route 43 in Axis is where a large industrial complex anchored by a steel plant employs hundreds of workers.
Plenty of land on the market
Ranch houses and mobile homes are scattered along streets to the east and west of U.S. Route 43. They often occupy acre-plus lots alongside sheds and attached garages. There’s sporadic infill construction of new traditional homes. Homes have fetched between $220,000 and $245,000 in recent sales. Empty lots between 1 and 10 acres hit the market often, usually priced between $40,000 and $75,000. Landowners occasionally list large parcels of 40-plus acres in the high $300,000s and low $400,000s. Flood zones cover much of the east side of Axis, with a few homes located in these federally designated zones. Mortgage lenders may require homeowners in flood zones to buy flood insurance. The community’s CAP Index crime score is 1 out of 10, well below the national average of 4.
Schools close for the week of Mardi Gras, hold parades
North Mobile County K-8 School about 5 miles from Axis receives a C-plus grade from Niche. The school joins the annual Mardi Gras celebrations that sweep the region. Mobile’s tradition of celebrating Mardi Gras dates to the beginning of the 18th century, a couple of decades before the festival became popular in New Orleans. Mobile County Public Schools close that week, typically in February or March. Mobile County K-8 School organizes an annual Mardi Gras parade with marching band music and the coronation of a Mardi Gras king and queen. Older students in Axis can attend Citronelle High School, graded a B-minus.
Recreation along Mobile County’s waterways
The Mobile River and surrounding creeks and bayous east of Axis accommodate a host of outdoor activities. The Mobile River Delta Marina and Campground welcomes RV campers as well as boaters and anglers who want to set out on Dead Lake. The lake feeds into the Mobile River, which flows south through the Mobile-Tensaw Delta Wildlife Management Area. Trails and canoe paths wind through these wetlands, home to black bears and alligators. Meanwhile, deer, ducks and wild hogs are common targets for hunters. At SW Farms, instructors offer horseback riding lessons and horse training, as well as a couple of stable spots. Plus, Axis is about 90 minutes from Gulf Coast beach towns such as Orange Beach.
Shops and restaurants to the south, industrial jobs to the north
Businesses line U.S. Route 43, but they’re mostly companies involved in trucking and construction rather than shops or restaurants. One exception is BBQ House, a small eatery serving smoked meats and po’boys from a walk-up counter less than a mile south of Axis. Several small churches also sit along Route 43. Shopping runs typically require a 2-mile drive south to Creola, home to Creola Grocery, Dollar General and Creola Ace Hardware & Lumber. Restaurants, bars and small music venues are abundant 15 miles south in downtown Mobile. Manufacturers have invested roughly $300 million in their Axis operations and created dozens of jobs since 2020, according to the Mobile Chamber. In the recent past, a few local companies paid state and federal fines to resolve allegations they polluted the air. Still, the Axis area generally receives ratings of Good or Moderate on the U.S. Air Quality Index, which is based on data from federal and state environmental agencies.
Route 43 and I-65 connect to Mobile
Axis is a car-dependent community without access to public transportation. Route 43, as well as Interstate 65 south of Axis, connect to Mobile and other towns in the metro. Drivers can take area interstates to Montgomery and New Orleans, both about 150 miles away, and Pensacola, 80 miles southeast.
