North Alabama facts for kids

Map of North Alabama counties shaded in, with metropolitan areas labeled. (counties not included in a metropolitan area are shaded in red)

North Alabama is a special part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It's a region with different ways to describe its borders. Most definitions include nine counties located in Alabama's Tennessee Valley. Other definitions might add a few more counties like Cherokee, Cullman, Franklin, and Winston. Some even include Blount, Etowah, and Marion counties.

Huntsville is the biggest city area in North Alabama. Decatur and Florence-Muscle Shoals are also large city areas. Smaller towns like Albertville, Cullman, Fort Payne, and Scottsboro are important centers for their local areas. Other well-known cities include Madison and Athens.

Many people who live here call the area the "Tennessee Valley". This is because the famous Tennessee River flows right through the northern part of the state. A lot of North Alabama has low hills. The eastern parts are high flat areas called the Cumberland Plateau. These areas have deep canyons, like Little River Canyon in DeKalb County, which are very impressive.

Climate

North Alabama has a humid subtropical climate. This means it gets hot and humid summers. The winters are usually mild. In summer, the average high temperature is around 90 °F (32.2 °C). In winter, it's about 49 °F (9.4 °C).

Geography

North Alabama shares its northern border with Middle Tennessee. To the east, you'll find northwest Georgia. To the south, it borders Central Alabama and the Birmingham area. On the west, it touches North Mississippi. The entire region is in the Central Time Zone.

Topography

Little River Canyon is a distinct feature of North Alabama’s Cumberland Plateau region.

The Tennessee River flows almost all the way across North Alabama. It enters the state near Bridgeport and leaves near Waterloo. All the major city areas in the region are located in the Tennessee River valley.

Large dams built by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) create big lakes along the river. These include Guntersville Lake, Wheeler Lake, and Wilson Lake. Another company, Alabama Power, also manages two lakes in the region: Weiss Lake on the Coosa River and Lewis Smith Lake on the Black Warrior River.

The eastern part of North Alabama is mostly covered by the Cumberland Plateau. This area has wooded, steep-sided plateaus with deep valleys. The north-central and northwestern parts are called the Highland Rim, which includes the Tennessee River delta. The Valley and Ridge section, with its narrow ridges and steep valleys, is in the southeastern part. The far western areas are part of the East Gulf Coastal Plain.

Counties

North Alabama includes the following counties. This is based on the most common way to define the region.

Metropolitan Areas

These are large city areas where many people live and work.

• Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area (About 774,480 people)
• Huntsville metropolitan area (About 481,681 people. Main cities: Huntsville, Madison, Athens)
• Decatur metropolitan area (About 152,740 people. Main cities: Decatur, Hartselle, Moulton)
• The Shoals (About 148,779 people. Main cities: Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, Tuscumbia)

Micropolitan Areas

These are smaller city areas that are still important centers for their surrounding communities.

• Albertville micropolitan area
• Cullman micropolitan area
• Fort Payne micropolitan area
• Scottsboro micropolitan area

Economy

North Alabama has many different kinds of businesses. You'll find industries, factories, and high-tech companies here. The three main economic centers are Huntsville, Decatur, and Florence. Each one has a different main type of business.

The whole region also relies a lot on farming. This includes growing crops, raising cattle, and producing poultry (like chickens). Farming is a very important part of the economy in the Tennessee Valley. Some of the biggest farms in Alabama are located here.

The Huntsville area is home to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal. This is the largest employer in the region. NASA’s Marshall Spaceflight Center is also here. Nearby, Cummings Research Park is the second largest research park in the country. It has many high-tech companies that work on defense projects, like Boeing, SAIC, and Dynetics. Huntsville has also become a big center for making cars. Companies like Toyota Manufacturing Alabama and Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA have factories in the city.

The Decatur area is in the middle of the region. It has been a center for shipping and manufacturing for a long time. This is because of its great location on the Tennessee River. Many industrial and manufacturing companies are here, including General Electric, Nucor, and 3M. Food processing companies like Wayne Farms also have large facilities. United Launch Alliance builds rockets for NASA and other groups in Decatur. The Tennessee Valley Authority also has a strong presence in this area.

The Florence-Muscle Shoals area, also called "The Shoals," has many manufacturing companies. These include North American Lightning, Constellium, and FreightCar America. Many people in The Shoals also work in healthcare and education.

Wilson Dam is a part of the Tennessee Valley Authority's valuable impact on the North Alabama economy.

Tourism

North Alabama has many fun places to visit! The most popular attractions are the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, and Point Mallard Park.

Other great places to explore include Lake Guntersville State Park, Joe Wheeler State Park, Huntsville Botanical Gardens, Little River Canyon National Preserve, the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, and the Cook Museum of Natural Science. The biggest yearly event in the area is the W.C. Handy Music Festival.

Education

The University of North Alabama is Alabama’s oldest public university.

North Alabama has several colleges and universities. These include both two-year and four-year schools. The public universities in the region are Alabama A&M University, Athens State University, the University of North Alabama, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Oakwood University is the largest private university in the area.

There are also many two-year colleges. These include Calhoun Community College, J.F. Drake State Community & Technical College, Northeast Alabama Community College, Northwest-Shoals Community College, Snead State Community College, and Wallace State Community College.

Images for kids

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  A view of Downtown Huntsville, the largest city in North Alabama

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  Downtown Madison, the second largest city in North Alabama

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  Decatur seen from the Tennessee River, is the third largest city in North Alabama

See also

• University of North Alabama
• The University of Alabama in Huntsville
• List of Appalachian Regional Commission counties#Alabama