Boaz, Alabama, was originally named after the husband of Ruth in the old testament of the Bible.
Boaz, Alabama, population 9,551, sits atop the Sand Mountain Plateau. It is within Marshall County in northeast Alabama and sits between Gadsen and Guntersville. It is a small town located fifty-seven miles from Huntsville and seventy-seven miles from Birmingham. When choosing your next town to call home, consider Boaz. The school systems churn out well educated students, and the college is also committed to their students and their community. Per capita, there are more citizens involved in community charitable programs in Boaz than cities twice its size. The community culture is strong and you will regularly see well-to-do community members rolling up their sleeves and helping out. Even the Mayor can be found reading to the local children at the library!
Moving to Boaz
Boaz has a great mixture of rental housing options, as long as you've set your sights on an apartment for rent. If you think you're gonna talk your way into renting a single family home, you better use your noggin for a better purpose. (Playin' with it _don't _count!) Most of the houses for rent are already taken by students attending Snead State Community College.
That's okay. Let 'em have the houses. Yes, the rental prices tend to be higher because of these bookworms, but you will be living in a residential area that still has healthy farm lands. You could look into studio apartments or perhaps rent a 2 bedroom apartment in town and be happy as a lark.
When to Start Looking
A good time to nab a rental property in Boaz is before students return to college and right after classes end for the summer. So, start looking in June or July.
What You'll Need
First off, take money - lots of it. It costs more than chicken feed to rent a place. And southern charm only goes so far. At a minimum, you'll need a security deposit and first month's rent upfront, more if you want to bring your faithful furry friend along. Landlords typically require a non-refundable pet deposit, but if you can't find anyone else to love you unconditionally, it's worth the extra price.
Neighborhoods in Boaz
Various neighborhoods tend to be comparatively priced within any given section and all are only minutes from great shopping and eateries.
City Center: This is a suburban area that has retail stores, outlet stores, and locally owned unique gift shops. It has a wide variety of apartments, single family houses, and mobile homes, with a mixture of owners and renters.
Egypt Rd: This is a rural area with a walk score of 0, so if you don't have a car, grab a bicycle. Most of the homes are owner occupied, but you can still find small to medium-sized apartments for rent.
Route 431 / Kilpatrick Rd: This is where all the action is. With a walk score of between 6 and 14, you still need wheels. But if you like to eat, you'll be in hog heaven. Pizza Hut, Hardee's, and most other restaurants are located along Route 431.
Living in Boaz
Boaz, Alabama is a quaint town quietly nestled in the northeast part of the state. Those who choose to live here consider it to be a privilege and an honor to give back to their community and continue to keep it strong.
As so many locals are farmers, commuting to and from Boaz is quite popular for many. They live primarily on the family farm and drive to work within the city limits. Most notably, locals enjoy the landscape of the surrounding area. The soil is said to be like no other and should be experienced in person.
But there's more to this town than work and charitable pursuits. There is a lot to do in Boaz, Alabama. Here's just a few of them:
You can participate in water sports at Weiss Lake, such as fishing, swimming, and skiing, to name a few. You can also relax at the Lake; it's called "rest and relaxation" for a reason.
Or you can tee off at Boaz Golf Club or enjoy a week of camping in the scenic Alabama countryside. Locals also enjoy taking in a game of bowling at Thunder Alley Bowling or catching a flick at the Sand Mountain Twin Drive In or the Boaz 9 Cinema.
You also have many choices of eateries. Besides having almost every fast-food joint you can think of - really, you could eat at a different one every week for a year and not run out of places -- Boaz also has Los Arcos for Mexican fare, Dale's BBQ, China Buffet and many more.
If you run out of things to do in Boaz, you can visit Cathedral Caves State Park in nearby Woodville, the Guntersville Museum in Guntersville, or the Arab Historic Village in Arab.
One thing's for sure, you'll never be bored.
When all is said and done, you couldn't do much better than living in a small town with big-hearted folks like they have in Boaz. Come for short visit or a long stay, and you will understand just why and how people tend to stick around for longer than they originally planned.
