Killen is a quiet community just off the Tennessee River
While Northwest Alabama's Killen dates back to the early 19th century, the community didn't prosper economically until the development of the Muscle Shoals Canals in the mid-to-late 1800s. Canal workers and engineers needed homes near the water, quickly building the community's first few houses. Soon after, in 1896, Killen was officially founded. The area today is relatively slow-paced and defined by its close-knit community, small businesses and access to the stable waters of the Tennessee River. "Everyone is just real country-type people, just real friendly," says local Realtor Jerry Dean of Exit River City Realty. He's sold homes across the region for over 35 years and lives in Lauderdale County. "It's close to the river, and everybody likes that, and a lot of people move out there to be close to the churches." Many residents enjoy homes on the water, and local churches, like Killen Church of Christ, engage the community.
Waterfront homes and modest ranch styles
Killen's housing styles and property types widely vary. "It's really diverse. You've got older homes, lots of new homes and some apartments in the area," Dean says. "There are all kinds of big and medium-sized houses." Residents mainly own their homes, and the market comprises a mix of ranch style, New Traditional and custom-built homes. The community's waterfront homes sit south of U.S. Route 72, often featuring private piers and docks. "It's a desirable place for its waterfront properties," Dean says. Housing values are generally higher for homes on the water, but Dean says Killen's overall price points are varied. "Prices range anywhere from about $100,000 to whatever you want to pay," he says. "I've got a property listed for $8 million out on the main lake." The median sale price for a home is around $300,000. The overall CAP Index Crime Score is 1 out of 10, which is lower than the national average of 4.
Lauderdale County Schools earn high remarks on Niche
The Lauderdale County School District scores an overall A-minus on Niche and serves nearly 8,000 students. Located in the community's heart, Brooks Elementary School welcomes pre-kindergarten through sixth-grade students and receives an A-minus. The elementary school, which is ranked the third-best overall in the county on Niche, offers the Program for Academic and Creative Enrichment (PACE) for gifted learners. For seventh through twelfth-graders, Brooks High School provides a robust mix of athletics and activities; students participate in Dungeons and Dragons, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Scholar's Bowl and football. Niche gives the high school an overall B.
Days at Killen Park and Wilson Lake
Locals often get together at Killen Park, the community's primary space for outdoor recreation. It offers a 1.5-mile paved trail that weaves around baseball fields, tennis courts, pickleball courts and pavilions. There's also an amphitheater that has space for up to 500 people. The park is a hub of local events, including the Killen Farmers Market, open on Saturdays from May through September, and Tuesday afternoons in June and July. Residents pop by the market for vegetables from Cedar Bridge Farm, eggs from Garden Ridge Farm, flowers from Firefly Farms and various meats from Running Rabbits Farm. Killen Time Adventure Park offers additional recreational activities, including mini golf, gem mining and a hillbilly hoedown shooting gallery.
Dean says a major benefit of living in Killen is proximity to Wilson Lake, a reservoir on the Tennessee River. There are several public access points across The Shoals, but "there's a really nice boat ramp that you have to go through Killen to get to," Dean says. The Lock Six Boat Ramp sits deep in dense woodlands along Killen's southern edge, a quietly kept public counterpart to the private marina at Turtle Point Yacht and Country Club. Near the public ramp, a parking lot offers plenty of parking spaces and an adjacent fishing pier. The marina at the country club, accessible with membership, offers dozens of boat slips. Membership also affords access to the club's pool, dining room, tennis courts and golf course with a Bald Eagle's nest on its 11th hole. The boat ramp next to Waterfront Marina and Dry Storage, about 3 miles west, offers additional public access.
Shopping and dining along U.S. Route 72
Killen is not nearly as commercially developed as Florence, but U.S. Route 72 is lined with several small businesses and service industries. Killen Marketplace features a gym, bank, auto parts store and is anchored by a Foodland – the closest spot with groceries. Also along Route 72, Fashion Exchange is a consignment shop with clothes, furniture and home décor, and Tate's Farms and Nursery has potted plants with wooden swings and rocking chairs. Though Little Mexico Grill is one of the community's few restaurants, it has plenty of tables and booths with traditional Mexican fare and sizable margaritas. LawLer's Barbecue has sandwiches, heaping plates and traditional sides. Additional shopping and dining options are available in Florence.
Navigating Lauderdale County
Killen is car-dependent and bisected by U.S. Route 72, the community's primary thoroughfare. In Killen's western corner, Route 72 merges with U.S. Route 43, and downtown Florence is about 10 miles away. North Alabama Medical Center is one of the nearest medical facilities, about 8 miles away, and the Northwest Alabama Regional Airport is a 14-mile trip.
Written By
Brennen Martin
