Montgomery is a hotbed of American history. The city, which sits along the Alabama River, was incorporated in 1819 and has been the state capital since 1846. In February 1861, the city was the capital of the Confederate States of America for four months before Richmond, Virginia, took the title. The city's seal acknowledges both its Confederate roots and its later role as the birthplace of the American Civil Rights Movement. The city has the most stops on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, and several downtown museums are dedicated to the movement.
The city of about 200,000 people is the state’s third largest behind Huntsville and Birmingham. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population is down from about 206,000 in 2010. Nearly 25% of city residents are 18 years or younger, and around 15% are 65 years or older. The cities of Prattville, Tuskegee, Auburn and Selma sit outside Montgomery's borders.
In the years since the Civil Rights Movement, the city has continued to be a mix of people from different backgrounds. The Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base is the city’s largest employer, with around 12,000 people working there. Other large employers include the state of Alabama, Montgomery Public Schools, Baptist Health and Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, often called HMMA, whose factory is on the city's southern edge. “Often, people overlook the diversity present in Montgomery, which stems from the military base. And this diversity extends to our neighborhoods,” says Tiesha Andrews, associate broker with Keller Williams Realty and president of the Montgomery Area Association of Realtors. “Beyond the diversity, Montgomery has a rich historical legacy, and it is a central location, making it an attractive place to call home.”
Downtown Montgomery is home to Alabamas State Capitol.
Established in 1885 on top of an artesian well can be seen in Downtown Montgomery.
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Rising home prices and early to midcentury cottages downtown
Homes in Montgomery have a median price of around $180,000, lower than the United States median of $420,000, but higher than in recent years. The Cottage Hill District, colloquially known as The Hill, is one of the city's oldest districts, showcasing Queen Anne-style homes along the hilltop. Cloverdale/Idlewild is full of early to midcentury cottages. Farther from the city’s center, communities like Great McGehee Estates have Cape Cods and Colonial Revival homes. These homes also tend to be more expensive.
Andrews says many first-time homebuyers are purchasing homes previously considered second or third homes, reflecting a higher price point and larger square footage. “This shift could be attributed to increasing home prices, improved job opportunities and greater accessibility to loans," says Andrews. "As a result, first-time homebuyers are acquiring more spacious homes compared to previous years.”
Montgomery, Alabama's Old Cloverdale Historic District features restored historic homes.
A two story home with a large front porch is a common site in Cloverdale/Idlewild.
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The Montgomery Area Transit System gets riders from place to place
Interstates 65 and 85 cut through the heart of the city. Taking I-65 can lead drivers around 90 miles north to Birmingham or 170 miles south to Mobile, while I-85 heads about 160 miles east to Atlanta.
The Montgomery Area Transit System, or The M, serves riders within the city limits. The M’s bus system uses 34 buses to navigate 14 routes. A month-long pass is $45, with discounted rates available for some groups. The M also offers a ride-share service to Montgomery Regional Airport and to the city’s downtown area. The airport partners with American Airlines and Delta Airlines on nonstop flights to Dallas-Fort Worth, Charlotte, Atlanta and Washington, DC.
Baptist Health is the largest healthcare system in Central Alabama. It has two hospitals in Montgomery and a third in Prattville. Jackson Hospital, with 344 beds, is also in the city.
Montgomery Public Schools serves city students
The city’s students are served by Montgomery Public Schools, which earns a C-plus grade from Niche. The district serves nearly 27,000 students in 55 schools. Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School earns an A-plus grade and is ranked by Niche as the second-best public high school in the state. Forest Avenue Elementary School has an A-minus grade. Private schools like The Montgomery Academy and Trinity Presbyterian School receive A-plus grades. The city is also home to seven colleges, including Alabama State University and Huntingdon College, whose campus is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Your children can attend Forest Avenue Elementary in the Cloverdale/Idlewild neighborhood.
Your high school student can attend Carver High School in Cottage Hills.
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The Civil Rights Memorial Center and other attractions tell an important story
Montgomery’s legacy as the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement lives throughout the city’s streets. The Civil Rights Memorial Center details the movement’s history and honors those who did not survive it. A quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is engraved: “We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” King was a prominent figure in many of the city’s Civil Rights events, including the marches from Selma and the Montgomery Bus Boycotts sparked by Rosa Parks. The Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, a central location of the boycotts, features a mural of King. The Legacy Museum has exhibits dedicated to slavery and racial inequality in the United States. Andrews says understanding the Civil Rights Movement is critical to understanding how the city was shaped and its progress over time.
The city's political history is also represented. The Alabama State Capitol sits atop Goat Hill but is often unused by the Alabama Legislature. Instead, it acts as a museum. The Museum of Alabama — which has free admission — explores the state’s people, geography and happenings.
The city has been a filming location for award-nominated movies like “Big Fish” and “Selma.” The Capri Theatre is the state’s longest continually operating movie theater, opening in 1941 and getting modern renovations in 2016. Owned by the Capri Community Film Society, the theater shows independent and classic films and partners with the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts on screenings of art-tour documentaries. The MMFA has served city residents since 1930, offering art exhibitions and workshops. The Alabama Shakespeare Festival celebrates The Bard by performing his plays, but also performs other classics and takes submissions of original works. The festival’s performances are in the Carolyn Blount Theatre, which has two stages: the 750-seat Festival Stage and the 225-seat Octagon. The annual Riverbend Brew Fest has live music and many craft beers to sample. There are also Holiday Candlelight Tours that go through the Governor's mansion.
The Montgomery Biscuits, a Double-A minor league baseball team affiliated with the Tampa Bay Rays, play their home games at the 7,000-seat Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium. Across the street is Riverfront Park, which has a 6,000-seat amphitheater for concerts and offers rides on the Harriott II Riverboat. The city is about 15 miles from Wind Creek Wetumpka, a luxury casino and hotel in Wetumpka that has more than 2,000 game machines.
Tour the home of Dr. Martin Luther King in Centennial Hill.
Downtown Montgomery is home to the Rosa Parks Museum.
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Montgomery Whitewater is the city's newest recreational hub
According to the Trust for Public Land, the city has 56 parks that take up approximately 1% of its land. As a result, only 25% of Montgomery residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. That is lower than the median for urban U.S. cities and towns, which is 55%. The city is working to improve its park offerings. In its Downtown Action Plan, the city confirms long-term goals to create a new park to serve as downtown’s “front lawn” and to recategorize the Selma to Montgomery Trail as a National Park, which would create more funding sources and provide additional resources.
Montgomery Whitewater is a 120-acre outdoor recreation hub that took nine years to construct before it opened in 2023. The space provides a whitewater rafting experience with channels for different skill levels, including world-class athletes: The park hosted the 2024 U.S. Canoe Slalom & Kayak Cross Olympic Team Trials. It also has walking trails and a bouldering wall, and the city plans to add more rock-climbing areas and create an access point for the Alabama River.
The 40-acre Montgomery Zoo is home to more than 500 animals from five continents. Blount Cultural Park has 175 acres of green space and miles of walking trails. Alabama Bicentennial Park commemorates 200 years of statehood and has 16 bronze statues depicting key moments from the state’s history.
Be sure and attend Winter at Montgomery Whitewater.
You can see a beautiful Bengal tiger at the Montgomery Zoo in North Montgomery.
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Entertainment districts and farmers markets are popular
The city has several farmers markets on the weekend. The Montgomery Curb Market, off Madison Avenue, is a year-round market with more than 30 vendors specializing in seasonal vegetables and fruits. The Eastbrook Flea Market & Antique Mall, open since 1994, has more than 150 vendors that cater to thrift shoppers and those seeking rare finds. The Shoppes at East Chase has traditional mall retail stores and chain sit-down restaurants. Andrews says each corner of the city is filled with shops and restaurants, so residents rarely have to leave their neighborhood to find things they need.
Montgomery has designated entertainment districts where alcohol is allowed to be carried and consumed outside. These districts, such as the Downtown and Cloverdale districts, have their sidewalks marked with the city’s green “M” logo. The Old Cloverdale neighborhood is filled with lounges, clubs and casual restaurants. In the Riverfront Park area, several restaurants offer outdoor seating. The neighborhood’s Central restaurant is one of the city’s most well-known spots, an upscale eatery specializing in comfort food.
Prevail offers a great cup of joe and has plenty of seating to relax and browse the internet.
Buy some freshly shucked corn from the Montgomery Curb Market near Centennial Hill.
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A renewed focus on crime prevention
Violent crimes and property crimes in the city are on the rise. A new task force, the Metro Area Crime Suppression Unit, was formed in 2024 to respond to emergency calls. The city has also increased its “Star Watch” program, a city-wide camera network designed to help aid criminal investigations. A room at the Montgomery Police Department shows live feeds of the cameras.
The city experiences four seasons, with humid summers and milder winters. According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Montgomery is at a relatively high risk of tornadoes, heat waves and lightning compared to the rest of the country.
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