Alabama's 'Best Place To Live' Is Right Outside Of Huntsville With A Lovely Downtown Full Of Urban Amenities

Just over 11 miles west of Huntsville, Alabama, sits the city of Madison. While Huntsville is a lively city with a thriving arts scene, Madison is a hidden gem in the Yellowhammer State, containing a charming downtown district offering a plethora of places to eat, shop, and wander. In 2025, Madison was ranked number nine on the best places to live in the United States by Niche, and in 2017, it was considered one of the safest cities to reside in Alabama by the National Council for Home Safety and Security.

Madison is a city filled with plenty of exciting things to see and do, like a thriving main street and a plethora of trails for hiking. Visitors can also witness spectacles like the Rocket City Trash Pandas, a minor league baseball team that plays at Toyota Field during the spring and summer. The facility also hosts events like a beer and wine festival, free movie nights, and concerts year-round. 

If you're traveling to Madison, then your best option other than driving is to fly into Huntsville International Airport, which is only five miles from the city. When traveling within Madison, you're better off driving than relying on public transportation. Public transit in the city is limited to Madison Assisted Ride System (MARS), which offers transportation for individuals with disabilities or health conditions, and TRAM (Transportation for Rural Areas of Madison County) for the general public.

In 1818, Madison's first settler, John Cartwright, came to the city, then known as Madison Station. Since then, Madison's settlers have increased, going from a population of 15,000 in 1990 to 30,000 a decade later, and amassing over 60,000 residents by 2023. The folks who populate the charming city know that, while it may be small, it's a city rich with history and urban amenities just like other cities in Alabama, such as the charming Monroeville. 

If you enjoy boutique shopping, then Noble Passage Interiors on Main Street is a great interior design shop selling everything from art and rugs to jewelry, lamps, and custom upholstery. There's also Madison Station Antiques nearby, which not only has one of the best slogans of any antique store ("If it's as old as dirt, we have it or we are looking for it!"), but the owner, Ronald Williams, sells and collects everything from chairs and vintage jars to antique whiskey jugs and so much more. For animal lovers, there's Animal Traxx on Church Street, a family-owned and operated store where visitors can see small animals like frogs, tortoises, and geckos, as well as snakes and spiders for the more adventurous folks.

Madison's historic downtown is a welcoming site for visitors and includes monuments such as the historic town clock at the intersection of South Dalton Street and East Murphy Street, which has been there since 1919 when it was first established to act as a World War I memorial honoring soldiers who served.

Alabama is loaded with a plethora of options to find southern comfort food, like the state's oldest restaurant, the Bright Star Restaurant in Bessemer. Madison is no exception when it comes to its own charming offerings, like the Main Street Cafe. Housed in a building originally intended to be Madison's third City Hall, it was later converted into a dining spot. Now the cafe bills itself as a place where visitors can get southern comfort food, offering delightful dishes including four cheese ravioli, red snapper filet, country fried chicken, and for something sweet, a strawberry pretzel or Coca-Cola cake.

Another must-visit dining experience is Old Black Bear Brewing Company. Also situated on Main Street, this brewery and distillery offers a range of on-tap beers and cocktails. For those visitors not wanting to partake in any drinks, there's plenty of food to try, as Old Black Bear serves up everything from a giant Bavarian pretzel to steak, burgers, and salads like a classic chicken Caesar or a strawberry spinach steak salad. 

After dining out in Madison you might be seeking a place to lodge, and one of your best bets is the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson on Westchester Drive, only 3 miles from Huntsville airport, with room prices starting around $100 per night. Another option for affordable lodging is the Quality Inn Madison on Arlington Drive, with rooms available for as low as $59 per night.