Huntsville is a low-cost-of-living city with high-tech, multi-national, multi-cultural communities. In comparison to the national average cost of living index (100), Huntsville's cost of living index is 93.3, while the cost of housing index is 75.2. This provides significant economic benefit (buying capacity) to CFDRC employees, as compared to those in other high-tech cities.

The city of Huntsville has recently been recognized in several national press releases, as one of the best places for high-tech businesses and for quality of life.

Surrounded by lakes and mountains, Huntsville is located in an excellent natural setting with a temperate climate, and offers quite a variety of recreational activities including fishing, camping, golfing, and sports. The Von Braun Center has many outstanding spectator activities (e.g., concerts, rodeos, circus, ice hockey, indoor football, etc.)

The Huntsville, Madison, and Madison County school systems (public and private) annually receive awards as the best in Alabama. The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and Alabama A&M are located in Huntsville.

CFDRC is located in Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, Alabama. This is the second largest research park in the US, and is highly rated by Forbes Magazine (May 26, 2003), Newsweek (2001), and other business magazines particularly for Aerospace, Electronics, Information Technology, and Biotech businesses.