There’s no denying that Alabama is a great place to call home. However, there are several things about our great state that could (and should) be improved. Listed below are 10 scary facts about Alabama that just might shock you.

  1. Birmingham, Alabama’s largest city, is one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S.

flickr/James Willamor Neighborhood Scout found that Birmingham is the 12th most dangerous city in the U.S. It’s ranked #25 for most murders in the U.S.

  1. Alabama has one of the worst public school systems in the country.

flickr/Melinda Shelton In 2015, WalletHub found that Alabama ranked #39 in “School System Quality.”

  1. Alabama’s unemployment rate is above the national average.

flickr/neetalparekh In December 2015, the national unemployment rate was 5.0%. In Alabama, the unemployment rate was 6.2%.

  1. Each year in Alabama, a high number of traffic deaths are caused by drunk driving.

flickr/James Palinsad In 2012, MADD found that 30% of total traffic deaths in Alabama were caused by drunk driving.

  1. Alabama is one of the poorest states in the U.S.

Matt Production/Pexels Sadly, in Alabama, more than one in four children live in poverty.

  1. Alabama houses a high number of inmates on death row.

wikipedia The Death Penalty Information Center found that Alabama ranks #4 in the number of inmates on death row. As of March 2, 2016, there are 184 inmates on death row in Alabama.

  1. Alabama has a high teen pregnancy rate.

MarijoAH12/Wikimedia Commons In 2011, Alabama was ranked #1 for teen births among females aged 15-19.

  1. A high number of smokers are living in Alabama.

pixabay/geralt County Health Rankings in 2015 showed that the percentage of adult smokers in Alabama is 22%. In 2011, nearly 23% of kids in grades 9-12 were smokers.

  1. Alabama has the fifth-highest adult obesity rate in the U.S.

pixabay/mojzagrebinfo Alabama’s adult obesity rate is currently 33.5%, up from 22.6% in 2000 and from 11.2% in 1990.

  1. Alabama has definitely seen its fair share of tornadoes.

flickr/Tabitha Kaylee Hawk As a matter of fact, Alabama is tied with Oklahoma for the most reported F5/EF5 tornadoes.

What did you think about these facts? Did any of them shock you? Let us know in the comments. While you’re at it, here are some more things to learn about Alabama.

flickr/James Willamor

Neighborhood Scout found that Birmingham is the 12th most dangerous city in the U.S. It’s ranked #25 for most murders in the U.S.

flickr/Melinda Shelton

In 2015, WalletHub found that Alabama ranked #39 in “School System Quality.”

flickr/neetalparekh

In December 2015, the national unemployment rate was 5.0%. In Alabama, the unemployment rate was 6.2%.

flickr/James Palinsad

In 2012, MADD found that 30% of total traffic deaths in Alabama were caused by drunk driving.

Matt Production/Pexels

Sadly, in Alabama, more than one in four children live in poverty.

wikipedia

The Death Penalty Information Center found that Alabama ranks #4 in the number of inmates on death row. As of March 2, 2016, there are 184 inmates on death row in Alabama.

MarijoAH12/Wikimedia Commons

In 2011, Alabama was ranked #1 for teen births among females aged 15-19.

pixabay/geralt

County Health Rankings in 2015 showed that the percentage of adult smokers in Alabama is 22%. In 2011, nearly 23% of kids in grades 9-12 were smokers.

pixabay/mojzagrebinfo

Alabama’s adult obesity rate is currently 33.5%, up from 22.6% in 2000 and from 11.2% in 1990.

flickr/Tabitha Kaylee Hawk

As a matter of fact, Alabama is tied with Oklahoma for the most reported F5/EF5 tornadoes.

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Address: Alabama, USA

The OIYS Visitor Center

The Most Amazing Facts About Alabama January 06, 2023 William Suphan What are some historical facts about Alabama? Historical facts about Alabama include:

Sheriff Pat Garrett, who became famous for killing Billy the Kid in 1881, was born in the town of Cusseta. Alabama used to be full of plank roads for traversing the swamps until the railroad was built and came through Alabama. The first Americans went to the moon in a Saturn V rocket that was designed at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. The first people of color to be military airmen were the Tuskeegee Airmen and they were trained in Alabama.

Discover more about these and other historical facts about Alabama.  What are some hidden facts about Alabama? Hidden facts about Alabama include:

The only all-water mail route in the entire United States is in the town of Magnolia Springs.  The very first electric streetcar system in the world was built in 1886 in Montgomery, Alabama. The world record for the fastest building of a house belongs to the Shelby County Habitat for Humanity, which built a house in 3 hours, 26 minutes, and 34 seconds. The only known person in all of history to have been hit by a meteorite was Ann Hodges in Oak Grove, Alabama. She even survived!

Learn more about these and other hidden facts about Alabama.  What are the weirdest laws in Alabama? The weirdest laws in Alabama include:

It is illegal, and possibly punishable by death to put salt on a railroad track, as it can attract cattle to the tracks. It is unlawful in the state of Alabama to impersonate a priest. It is unclear what the official criteria for this might be. It is illegal to wear a fake mustache in a church in Alabama. The fear is that it might cause laughter. In Lee County, it is unlawful to sell peanuts after sundown on a Wednesday. Do it all you like on the other days, but Wednesday is out.

Find out more about the weirdest laws in Alabama.

The OIYS Visitor Center

The Most Amazing Facts About Alabama

January 06, 2023

William Suphan

What are some historical facts about Alabama? Historical facts about Alabama include:

Sheriff Pat Garrett, who became famous for killing Billy the Kid in 1881, was born in the town of Cusseta. Alabama used to be full of plank roads for traversing the swamps until the railroad was built and came through Alabama. The first Americans went to the moon in a Saturn V rocket that was designed at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. The first people of color to be military airmen were the Tuskeegee Airmen and they were trained in Alabama.

Discover more about these and other historical facts about Alabama.  What are some hidden facts about Alabama? Hidden facts about Alabama include:

The only all-water mail route in the entire United States is in the town of Magnolia Springs.  The very first electric streetcar system in the world was built in 1886 in Montgomery, Alabama. The world record for the fastest building of a house belongs to the Shelby County Habitat for Humanity, which built a house in 3 hours, 26 minutes, and 34 seconds. The only known person in all of history to have been hit by a meteorite was Ann Hodges in Oak Grove, Alabama. She even survived!

Learn more about these and other hidden facts about Alabama.  What are the weirdest laws in Alabama? The weirdest laws in Alabama include:

It is illegal, and possibly punishable by death to put salt on a railroad track, as it can attract cattle to the tracks. It is unlawful in the state of Alabama to impersonate a priest. It is unclear what the official criteria for this might be. It is illegal to wear a fake mustache in a church in Alabama. The fear is that it might cause laughter. In Lee County, it is unlawful to sell peanuts after sundown on a Wednesday. Do it all you like on the other days, but Wednesday is out.

Find out more about the weirdest laws in Alabama.

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

Historical facts about Alabama include:

  • Sheriff Pat Garrett, who became famous for killing Billy the Kid in 1881, was born in the town of Cusseta.
  • Alabama used to be full of plank roads for traversing the swamps until the railroad was built and came through Alabama.
  • The first Americans went to the moon in a Saturn V rocket that was designed at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.
  • The first people of color to be military airmen were the Tuskeegee Airmen and they were trained in Alabama.

Discover more about these and other historical facts about Alabama. 

What are some hidden facts about Alabama?

Hidden facts about Alabama include:

  • The only all-water mail route in the entire United States is in the town of Magnolia Springs.
  • The very first electric streetcar system in the world was built in 1886 in Montgomery, Alabama.
  • The world record for the fastest building of a house belongs to the Shelby County Habitat for Humanity, which built a house in 3 hours, 26 minutes, and 34 seconds.
  • The only known person in all of history to have been hit by a meteorite was Ann Hodges in Oak Grove, Alabama. She even survived!

Learn more about these and other hidden facts about Alabama. 

What are the weirdest laws in Alabama?

The weirdest laws in Alabama include:

  • It is illegal, and possibly punishable by death to put salt on a railroad track, as it can attract cattle to the tracks.
  • It is unlawful in the state of Alabama to impersonate a priest. It is unclear what the official criteria for this might be.
  • It is illegal to wear a fake mustache in a church in Alabama. The fear is that it might cause laughter.
  • In Lee County, it is unlawful to sell peanuts after sundown on a Wednesday. Do it all you like on the other days, but Wednesday is out.

Find out more about the weirdest laws in Alabama.