City of
LIVING IN SPANISH FORT
While still a young city, Spanish Fort is rich in heritage and continues to have an eye towards the future through managed growth. Although it has seen substantial growth over the past ten years, Spanish Fort has maintained its small town village concept. Incorporated in July of 1993, Spanish Fort quickly grew from a footprint of 1,542 acres to approximately 17,561 acres, consisting of approximately 27 square miles in Baldwin County, Alabama. Our City has also grown economically since its incorporation, with an economic base of commercial centers, including the Eastern Shore Centre and Spanish Fort Town Center.
One key factor in the continued desirability of Spanish Fort is the Baldwin County Board of Education which oversees the public school system in our area. Having a strong public school system has enabled Spanish Fort to be a targeted choice for families seeking excellence in academics. Strong educational opportunities have also helped to keep property values in Spanish Fort relatively stable. We are proud that Spanish Fort High School was recently named one of the Top 20 high schools in the state of Alabama by U.S. News & World Report (read article HERE). In addition, the City of Spanish Fort has been recognized for being one of the 12 best ZIP codes in Alabama, based upon income and education (read article HERE).
The City is pleased that, as of February 1, 2014, Spanish Fort Fire Rescue improved from a Protection Class 5 ISO rating to a Protection Class 3 ISO rating, one of only 49 cities in the State of Alabama to receive this rating. The Spanish Fort Fire Rescue website advises, "Residents and businesses should notify their insurance agents at renewal time to ensure that the correct rating is being applied." For more information, read Press Release regarding Spanish Fort Protection Class Upgrade.
Spanish Fort is a friendly community which enjoys an excellent quality of life and a unique natural setting. The City maintains a sustainable level of planned growth with an emphasis on high-quality new development. Our neighborhood character is complemented by community-supportive institutions and environmentally friendly businesses which serve local needs and provide jobs for our residents. You will find Spanish Fort to be a diverse community with a good mix of lifetime residents and newcomers. The integrity of existing natural resources has been protected while public access and recreational opportunities have been enhanced. Spanish Fort's close proximity to Interstate 10 enables its residents to conveniently commute to a workplace in Mobile, Baldwin County, and northwest Florida. Originally developed as a "bedroom community", Spanish Fort has experienced growth at a remarkable rate in the past decade. It's location north of Interstate 10 also provides Spanish Fort residents a distinct cost of living advantage over those who reside south of the Interstate because insurance rates typically drop for those residing north of Interstate 10.
ONE OF THE 'BEST CITIES FOR YOUNG FAMILIES IN ALABAMA'
Consumer advocacy site, NerdWallet, has released the 2nd Annual Edition of its study, "Best Cities for Young Families in Alabama", and out of 96 places, Spanish Fort is ranked 14th. To create this ranking, NerdWallet, analyzed U.S. Census data to assess four key factors, home affordability, growth and prosperity score, education quality and family friendliness.
Read the full NerdWallet article HERE.
AL.com article by Marc D. Anderson