The Buoyant South

The Benefits of Relocating to the South

Warmer weather year-round with amazing summers and mild winters, soul food, a cheaper cost of living, more spacious real estate sections, and the famous southern hospitality are just some of the perks to moving to the South. The South is made up of 16 states including Texas, Mississippi, Florida, Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia to name a few. The South is geographically a very spacious and large area, home to cities such as Dallas, Orlando, Lexington, Memphis, Tallahassee, and Atlanta.

Follow the Appalachian Trail, Explore the Great Smoky Mountains or Cumberland Gap National Parks, and dive headfirst into this culturally and historically rich region of the country.

The Safest Areas Based on Crime Rates

The entire Southern region’s average violent crime rate for 2019 sits at 406.6 instances per a population of 100,000 people. There is a high amount of variation between southern state crime rates, so knowing where to go makes all of the difference. Virginia has the lowest violent crime rate of the entire region, sitting at 208 instances per 100,000 people, almost half the rate for the region. Kentucky and Mississippi follow suit with rates in the low 200s which is great considering that the national US average sits at 379.4 incidents per 100,000, making these some of the safest parts of the country.

In terms of general neighborhood safety, the burglary crime rates of Virginia put the entire country to shame with a burglary rate of 162.8 per 100,000 people, more than half the national average. Cities such as Oak Ridge in Tennessee, Florence in Mississippi, Margaret in Alabama, and Milton in Georgia have all been rated as the safest cities in the South, and even in the entire USA.

Demographics

Age demographics for the South are typical of the rest of the USA, with a median average age of 38 years old and approximately 16% of the population being over 65.

Income averages do sit about 10% lower than the national average since the median household income is $60,566 and the per capita income sits at $32,755. These lower income levels are, however, offset by things such as lower costs for real estate and lower costs of living when compared to the rest of the USA. Approximately 13.6% of people in the Southern region live below the poverty line, which is 10% higher than the national average.

Real Estate Potential

With an average median property value of $204,100, real estate prices on average sit below those of the rest of the country. About 20% of the market sits at or under $100,000, making this the most affordable real estate market in the country.

Real estate vacancy rates are at 14% for the entire region, slightly higher than the national average meaning that finding a place to rent or to buy is a little easier than other regions in the country.

Because of the sheer size of the southern states, however, there are generally more opportunities to purchase a great section to build your own house on than in other regions. Check-in with companies like Pulte Homes to get the best ideas and advice for the wide variety of locations and environments the South has to offer. 

Texas, Florida, Georgia, and Alabama are four key real estate markets that are currently booming and on a path to continue providing great real estate investment opportunities. This is mainly driven by steady job growth trends that are climbing faster than real estate prices, giving new arrivals to the area ample opportunity and time to find work and property that complement each other in terms of location and price.