$527,079Average Value$445Average Price per Sq Ft52Homes For Sale
Home of the University of Alabama
Alabama founded its first public university in 1831, back when the state capital was still Tuscaloosa. The capital may have moved to Montgomery, but the University of Alabama remains the state's flagship university and Tuscaloosa's central institution. Students, faculty and staff often live in the so-called university area, which unfurls south and west of campus. However, even residents not rolling with the Tide still feed off the school’s energy and economy.
Enjoy a beautiful summer day in University Area.
Take your dog to play at Annette M. Shelby Park near Downtown Tuscaloosa.
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Enjoy the sights and sounds of University Area.
Rolling with the Tide at Bryant-Denny
Tuscaloosa revolves around the university — especially in the areas around campus, and especially around football. One of the most decorated teams in college football history, the Crimson Tide plays at the newly christened Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Attendance regularly tops 100,000, as countless more descend upon the university for tailgating and other festivities. Residents of the university area also have access to events in downtown Tuscaloosa, from the Live at the Plaza concert series held over the summer at Government Plaza to more prominent musical acts at the riverside Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater. Every Saturday morning, the Tuscaloosa Farmers Market sets up at the Tuscaloosa River Market alongside the Riverwalk, featuring over 70 local vendors.
Student housing and historic districts
While student housing monopolizes parts of the university area, established Colonial-style homes and cottages built as early as the 1920s occupy much of the western portion. Those homes — many of which are owned and occupied by permanent residents rather than students — sell from around $500,000 to $1.5 million, generally priced based on size and location. “The line right by Queen City Avenue is a high concentration of historic districts,” says Ashley Crites, executive director of the Office of Urban Development for the city of Tuscaloosa. “So you’ve got the university, you’ve got downtown and, smack in the middle, you’ve got the historic district homes. There have been some student-oriented developments, especially west of the stadium there, but the community wanted to get a handle on the density of those student developments.” Student-focused apartments and condos sit within a few blocks of campus, though development has slowed. Investors own many, and students’ families sometimes buy condos. Multiunit properties for investors start north of $1 million and can go as high as $3 million, while single units can go from the mid-$100,000s for one-bedroom condos to nearly $700,000 for two bedrooms.
Investment properties are common in University Area.
Older large homes are a great investment in University Area.
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Nightlife on The Strip
University Boulevard heads east from downtown Tuscaloosa to campus, passing through the nightlife district known as The Strip. Iconic bars and restaurants like Buffalo Phil’s and the Houndstooth fill up with football fans on gamedays and with Alabama undergrads at just about any other time. Meanwhile, residents of the historic along Queen City Avenue will often walk to downtown Tuscaloosa for a night out. “It’s all really connected and walkable,” Crites says. “Downtown is vibrant and thriving, and people want to be down there now.” Restaurants like the Avenue Pub and Jalapenos Downtown Cocina are local favorites. University Town Center has a Publix for groceries, while The Shoppes at Legacy Park on the neighborhood's east side has The Fresh Market.
Attending Tuscaloosa City Schools
The university area is part of the Tuscaloosa City Schools district, with the neighborhood mainly zoned for University Place Elementary, which receives a C-plus grade from Niche. C-minus-rated Westlawn Middle School and C-rated Central High School also serve the neighborhood, with Central High offering the International Baccalaureate program. Many families send their children to private schools instead, including nearby Holy Spirit Catholic School, which receives an A-minus for kindergarten through 12th grade. The University of Alabama, which sits adjacent to the neighborhood, enrolls nearly 40,000 students.
West Lawn Middle School is a great place for kids.
Kids love to learn at Central High School.
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Watch the boats go by from the Tuscaloosa Riverwalk in Downtown Tuscaloosa.
Recreation at the Black Warrior River
Residents of the university area have plenty of parks to enjoy, especially toward the Black Warrior River. The Tuscaloosa River Walk follows the waterway with a paved path for walkers, joggers and bikers. The path leads 4 miles to the Park at Manderson Landing, which overlooks the river. Queen City Park is just across Jack Warner Parkway from the River Walk, featuring trails through the woods. Annette N. Shelby Park, at the southern end of the neighborhood, also offers walking paths and a splash pad.
Walkability to campus and downtown Tuscaloosa
One of the main draws for many living in the university area is its proximity and walkability to Tuscaloosa attractions, especially its namesake institution. While many residents are students, others are professors and staff members who can walk to work. Much of the western half of the neighborhood is also walkable to downtown Tuscaloosa. For drivers, Interstate 20 is the main highway through western Alabama, with on-ramps 2 miles from the neighborhood. I-20 leads 60 miles east to Birmingham, home of Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, the nearest commercial airport, which serves destinations including Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth and Charlotte.
Take a walk and admire the older homes in University Area.
Take the family to enjoy Live at the Plaza in Downtown Tuscaloosa next to the University Area.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
On average, homes in University Area, Tuscaloosa sell after 45 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in University Area, Tuscaloosa over the last 12 months is $422,000, up 13% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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