Huntsville Named in List of Best Southeastern Cities for Defense Jobs

The defense industry is swelling throughout this region, and Florida is a prime example. Florida now holds the distinction of being home to one of the nation's largest defense and homeland security clusters. The economic impact on the state is now at $52 billion.

Enterprise Florida, a partnership organization devoted to the state's economic development, reports that the military and defense communities now support more than 723,000 jobs. Factor in the extra $8 billion the defense industry is predicted to pump in over the next two years, and it equals great job prospects for candidates with the double asset of military experience and an active clearance.

Huntsville
It's green, it's growing — and it's fair game for transitioning service members and civilians with active security clearances. Since hitting the map in the 1960s for its role in space and rocket technology, Huntsville, Alabama has been a quiet presence at the foothills of the Appalachians. Not that there hasn't been plenty going on — it's just that Huntsville is now getting renewed attention.

As a place to live, numerous organizations bill Huntsville in their top ten. It's an environmentally friendly city, one with family perks like music, theater, sports, gardens, and museums. The average home costs $168,500, and the average income is about $75,000. It also gets top billing for its job market. Huntsville's motto — ‘The sky is not the limit' — definitely applies to the rise in defense industry jobs. Expansion Management Magazine calls it one of the top 10 places for scientists and engineers.

Military presence is always a good indicator that government contractors are nearby and hiring. Redstone Arsenal, Marshall Space Flight Center and Space and Missile Defense Command are already there, with Army Materiel Command and the Missile Defense Agency coming soon. Positioned alongside are numerous aerospace related businesses like Boeing and Booz Allen Hamilton, which each announced more than 400 positions in 2007. Jobs in other industries are also plentiful — computer sciences and integration, communications services, engineering and biotechnology to name a few — and all are attracted to candidates with active security clearances.

"Growth in Huntsville has been exceptional," said Lesser. "We're showing upwards of 50 percent more jobs posted in the past year for the Huntsville area. Northern Alabama is widely known as the aerospace capital of the eastern U.S. All the primary defense contractors are located here, and engineering, IT, and support staff jobs are plentiful. The low cost of living and tight sense of community make Huntsville a desired location for anyone looking to get away from a fast-paced lifestyle." No doubt, Huntsville's nickname as the ‘Rocket City' is well-deserved.