Choccolocco offers a rural lifestyle close to major cities
Choccolocco is a quiet community in the southeast corner of Calhoun County, not far from the Georgia border. The area shares a zip code with Anniston, its closest city, but that’s where the similarities end. Choccolocco is almost entirely residential, with homes sitting on sprawling lots, often in dense tree coverage. “It’s very rural and very nice. And properties hold their value very well,” says Anna King, a real estate broker and owner of ERA King Real Estate, who lives nearby and sells throughout the Birmingham area. King says the community’s location halfway between Birmingham and Atlanta makes it an attractive option for those who work in those bustling cities but don’t want to live in them. “You’re going to get a whole lot more house in Choccolocco than in Atlanta and Birmingham,” she says.
Ranch-style and New Traditional homes on sprawling lots
Three and four-bedroom New Traditional and ranch-style homes are most common in Choccolocco. Many were built between the 1960s and 1990s and have been renovated, or were built after 2000. Prices range from $170,000 to around $500,000. Less expensive homes tend to be smaller and sit on lots that are an acre or less. More expensive homes tend to span 3,000 square feet or more and sit on multiple acres. There are a few small subdivisions, which give residents a more suburban feel, but most of the community is rural, with homes sitting far back on their lots, away from quiet, two-lane roads.
The area's schools are a major draw
Good schools attract people to this area, including White Plains Elementary, White Plains Middle and White Plains High. “The administration is great, and the schools are smaller [than nearby schools]. There are a lot of kids who don’t want to go to big schools because they get lost in them,” King says. White Plains Elementary, which serves prekindergarten through fourth grades, rates a B-plus on Niche. White Plains Middle has a B rating and White Plains High has a B-minus.
Choccolocco Park and Pinehill Golf Club offer outdoor recreation
Pinehill Golf Club offers an 18-hole course that’s open to the public year-round. Choccolocco Park is a large complex with ball fields, a soccer field, a running track, two playgrounds, and a 33-acre lake for fishing. Nearby McClellan has a series of popular trails used for hiking, biking and horseback riding.
Essentials, restaurants and medical care in nearby cities
Dollar General and a gas station are on the community’s southwest side. Nearby Oxford and Anniston offer shopping at big box stores and Quintard Mall, and dining at a mix of chain and local restaurants. Brad’s Bar-B-Que in Oxford is a popular local spot for its large portions and friendly service. The closest medical centers are in Anniston. Birmingham’s hospitals, including the highly-rated Grandview Medical Center, are about 70 miles away.
Residents head to Anniston for annual events
Residents head to Anniston for its annual Heritage Festival, which celebrates Juneteenth and features live music, and December’s Downtown Anniston Christmas Parade, which also features vendors and a tree-lighting ceremony.
I-20 and airports in Birmingham and Atlanta are nearby
Interstate 20 is less than a mile from the community’s south side and travels to Birmingham and Atlanta, about 70 and 80 miles away, respectively. The closest airports are Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, which King says are equally convenient. “Birmingham’s is closer, but it’s usually easier for me to fly out of Atlanta,” she says.
Choccolocco's weather and environmental concerns
Choccolocco has mild winters, with temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees, and hot, humid summers that start in May and last until September. While not in Tornado Alley, the Birmingham area is part of “Dixie Alley” and typically sees several tornadoes a year.
