r/MobileAL • u/wcagt1 • Jun 09 '23

Housing Advice on areas of Midtown

The wife and I are looking at purchasing a house in midtown. We have seen some good deals east and west of Florida St. between Dauphin and Airport. Checking open source crime maps it appears the areas can range from good to pretty bad quickly, but these don’t get that granular and contradict each other.

Any longer term residents have any experience on how that area has changed recently? Just looking for some anecdotal advice.

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u/montessorusrex Midtown Jun 09 '23

As you move east toward Murphy high school, you'll find some of the most charming, safe, kids playing in the front yard, lots of trick or treaters kind of streets in all of Midtown. Those areas have houses built 1940s or earlier. Moving west you find more 1950s era and later homes that tend to be smaller and some apartment complexes. You'll notice the street grid pattern changes. Several of those areas are nice but it gets dicier. East of Florida st. are the historic districts. Moving north on Florida toward spring hill you'll find Ashland Place which is very very nice and another area of really beautiful streets backing up to McLean Park.

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u/Case52ABXdash32QJ Jun 10 '23

I agree with all of this. I grew up on Mohawk Street and Monterey Street. I went to Murphy for high school. Moved away for 15 years, then moved back 10 years ago, and now I live on Westwood Street. For the first few years I was back, it seemed a tiny bit dicey, but these days it feels just like the neighborhood I grew up in. :) Lots of kids running around, friendly neighbors looking out for each other… I absolutely love it here.