Located 2 miles from downtown Opelika, North Gate sits in the middle of the city’s residential north side. The neighborhood’s well-maintained homes set it apart from others in the area; while the 1970s ranch-style builds are familiar, North Gate’s median prices are higher than adjacent subdivisions. Alongside access to Opelika’s highly rated school district, the neighborhood’s quiet character attracts homebuyers.
Northgate Drive runs perpendicular to Oak Bowery Road and lends its name to the neighborhood. Side streets jut off Northgate Drive, often ending in cul-de-sacs or circling to meet back up with the main road. The area has the typical features of a suburban neighborhood built in the back half of the 20th century, including large, well-maintained front yards and fenced-in backyards. The median home price in North Gate is higher than in nearby neighborhoods like North Hills or Highland. Ranch-style homes built in the 1970s can go between the upper $200,000s and mid-$400,000s, while more recent 1990s builds in new traditional style with colonial influences can go from the mid-$300,000s to low $400,000s.
North Gate is zoned to Opelika City Schools, which receives an A-minus grade from Niche. Students can start at Southview Primary School for kindergarten through second grade, which receives an A from Niche, before heading to A-minus-rated Northside Intermediate for third through fifth. Fox Run School opened for sixth-grade students in 2023 and has yet to be graded by Niche. Opelika Middle receives a B-plus grade, while Opelika High is graded an A-minus. The school offers multiple dual-enrollment programs, including with Auburn University. The second-largest university in Alabama with over 34,000 students, Auburn University is roughly 8 miles from the neighborhood.
Less than 2 miles from North Gate is Floral Park, the closest green space to the neighborhood. Over the past year, the city of Opelika has worked to upgrade the park to help relieve other nearby parks from overcrowding. “It’ll have an inclusive playground and new turf fields for all of our sports teams to practice,” says Leigh Krehling, the community relations officer for Opelika. “That will be a real draw once it opens.” Municipal Park is roughly 2 miles away and features a miniature train and a playground. Five miles away, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Grand National offers three public 18-hole courses and has hosted PGA Tour events.
The north side of Opelika, where North Gate resides, is almost exclusively residential, but downtown restaurants and shops are a little over 2 miles away. The area south of the railroad tracks that run through the center of town is generally more commercial, with restaurants like Zazu Gastropub and Irish Bred Pub. However, the northern portion of downtown, traditionally more industrial, has started to offer more to residents, including breweries like Red Clay Brewing Company. “The downtown area’s revitalization has made it a hub for dining, shopping, and cultural events,” says Laura Sellers, a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Preferred Real Estate. The nearest grocery is Piggly Wiggly near downtown, while more shopping can be found west on Pepperell Parkway or at the Tiger Town Shopping Center 6 miles away.
Downtown Opelika hosts community events, from street festivals to holiday celebrations. One of the biggest is Snopelika, a holiday parade and tree-lighting put on by the local chamber of commerce. The event claims its Christmas tree is the tallest in Alabama at 72 feet tall.
Located up Oak Bowery Road, North Gate is about 2 miles from downtown Opelika. While some of Opelika is bikeable, the neighborhood is more car-dependent, as Oak Bowery Road lacks bike lanes. The city has no fixed-service public transportation, but Lee-Russell Public Transit offers a “dial-a-ride” service, where individuals can call and schedule a pickup and dropoff. I-85 passes south of downtown Opelika and runs 100 miles northeast to Atlanta. While the Columbus and Montgomery airports are closer, residents generally head to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for its 200-plus nonstop flights.
Stacie LeCroy
THE TALONS GROUP
(334) 319-9998
174 Total Sales
1 in North Gate
$257,000 Price
Adris Ludlum
LURE
(334) 686-0790
78 Total Sales
1 in North Gate
$375,000 Price
April Coulter
Three Sixty East Alabama
(334) 589-5348
150 Total Sales
1 in North Gate
$324,575 Price
Tori Beth Thompson
HOMELINK REALTY
(334) 759-5061
190 Total Sales
3 in North Gate
$265K - $342K Price Range
Justin Rivers
THE PRIME REAL ESTATE GROUP
(251) 545-4393
213 Total Sales
2 in North Gate
$310K - $439K Price Range
Melissa Bruce
BRUCE REAL ESTATE GROUP
(334) 219-7607
193 Total Sales
2 in North Gate
$175K - $400K Price Range
On average, homes in North Gate, Opelika sell after 72 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in North Gate, Opelika over the last 12 months is $333,500, down 1% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Homes from as early in the 1920s near Floral Park and Downtown Opelika
Suburban character nearby to the amenities of Opelika
Mix of old and new homes north of downtown Opelika
Established midcentury neighborhood near Municipal Park and downtown Opelika
Quiet suburban neighborhood west of downtown Opelika
Quiet suburban neighborhood east of downtown Opelika
