Get to Know Dothan, AL

Getting ready to move on down to Dothan, Alabama? Welcome to the Peanut Capital of the World! Nestled in the heart of the beautiful Wiregrass region, Dothan is proud of its rich agricultural heritage and, of course, its deep-rooted love affair with peanuts. Don’t believe us? Just take a walking tour of its peanut sculptures.

Besides boiled, roasted, and buttered peanuts, Dothan is a charming small town that blends southern hospitality with modern sentiments. This is not an agricultural town on the decline but a slowly growing center of education, commerce, and service. So journey through the city where peanuts reign supreme, and discover why Dothan, AL, is a destination worth planting roots.

Where is Dothan, AL?

Dothan is right in the corner of southeastern Alabama, just a few miles from Florida and the Georgia border. This is the Wiregrass region, a flat, coastal plain with wide stretches of prairie that grows a thick grass locally called “wiregrass” because of its texture. It includes counties in northern Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.

Surrounding Dothan is Houston County, where the city is the county seat and the largest population center in Southeastern Alabama.

How big is Dothan, AL?

Dothan qualifies as a small town, although it’s not a tiny one-stoplight town. With around 71,000 residents, it is the local center for things to do in Houston County and the surrounding region.

It’s proud to have the nation’s smallest downtown city block but is still large enough to throw some fun city events like the National Peanut Festival, have more than chain fast food options for eating out, and have attractions like movie theaters and museums.

Dothan is a growing town, adding around 6,000 residents in the last Census count. From 2021 to 2022, Dothan grew by 0.3%. Now could be an excellent time to get in on Dothan before more people discover its charms.

What is Dothan’s cost of living?

Like much of Alabama, Dothan residents enjoy a relatively low cost of living compared to many other cities in the United States. Housing prices, utilities, and everyday expenses tend to be more affordable, allowing residents to enjoy a good quality of life without breaking the bank.

The ACCRA Cost of Living Index for the second quarter of the US put Dothan at an overall 92.3, which was under Atlanta, Tampa, Phoenix, and San Diego. Interestingly enough, it was in line with Birmingham and Huntsville.

A different index, Sperling’s Best Places, has Dothan even cheaper than that, coming in 20% under the national average and 5% under the state average. In their numbers, housing is about 50% cheaper than what you could expect us to pay nationwide. You also realize savings in groceries, utilities, and transportation costs. In fact, the only category where you may spend more is healthcare.

What does real estate cost in Dothan, AL?

Based on the cost of living, it’s clear that housing is a huge saving in Dothan. So how much exactly might you spend to purchase a home here?

Data from April 2023 put the median list price at $247,000 for the 323 homes for sale. This price was up 13% year-over-year. The options ranged from a $4,000 vacant lot to $4.4 million for a 6,600 sq ft home on a 1.85-acre lot.

Do remember this is just a snapshot in time. Real estate can change. Looking at data from 2020, Dothan’s real estate market shows that it is relatively stable, with a more gentle upward trend starting around December 2021.

And what about your options for real estate? Now that Alabama is becoming a popular retirement destination, you might be interested in maintenance-free living by purchasing a condo or a townhome. Dothan has a small selection of these kinds of properties, with only three listed in May 2023. Their prices ranged from $92,500-$150,000.

What if you are interested in waterfront living? Dothan may be part of southeastern Alabama, but it does not have extensive waterfront choices within the city limits. May 2023 had five listings with waterfront as a property feature. Most waterfront options will be on a creek or a run as part of the greater Chattahoochee watershed, though you may find a small pond or reservoir. That $4.4M listing was on Spann Ponds.

But don’t despair. The Chattahoochee River lies directly east on the state border, so if you want water you can boat on, it may be worth looking here. Depending on where you settle along the riverfront, you’d be about 25-35 minutes from downtown Dothan.

What neighborhoods are in Dothan, AL?

Since Dothan is approaching small-city status, you’ll find a collection of different neighborhoods and residential areas to explore. The closer you are to downtown, the more historic the real estate will be, whereas you’ll find more modern developments as you move towards the countryside.

The Highlands is prized for its beautiful, tree-lined streets and rolling scenery. Situated near the Highlands Oaks Golf Course, it feels calm and quiet. Haddington Park is managed by the community HOA, and you’ll find residents taking a walk around the lake or admiring the turtles sunning themselves in the lake. Amenities include a playground, gazebo, and restrooms. Housing is a selection of single-family homes and townhomes.

The Garden District is one of the more historic neighborhoods with classic architecture like Colonial Revival and Craftsman. Its central location puts locals near downtown and its restaurants, museums, and boutique stores. Spring is an especially beautiful time of year in this neighborhood when the dogwoods and azaleas bloom.

Westgate is probably best known for its city park, which is the city’s largest recreation complex. Not only does it have baseball and softball fields, but there is also an outdoor fitness court, biking trail, BMX track, and Water World, a water-themed park. Westgate has two playgrounds, and one is an inclusive, all-abilities playground. There’s also an extension of the Houston County Library. Residents get the most convenient access to this incredible park, and you’ll find single-family homes, apartments, and townhomes.

Grandview is described as being peaceful and clean by the residents. They appreciate how it has a family-friendly vibe but also that it has a great location inside Dothan. The former community elementary school grounds are being renovated into a park with an NFL-quality turf field, with plans to be ready by fall 2023.

How are the schools in Dothan, AL?

Depending on where you live in Dothan, your children will be zoned for one of two possible public school districts. Dothan City Schools have 19 schools, including two pre-K centers. One of the 11 elementary schools is a special admission STEM school. The middle school is for grades 7 to 8; there’s one 9th grade Academy and one high school for grades 10 to 12. The school district also has an alternative education and career technical education facility.

Houston County schools are the second option, and the smaller of the two school districts in terms of students served. Because it covers a broader area, it has two schools that are K-12. There’s also one K-6, one 6-12, and two 7-12 schools.

What should I know about Dothan, AL?

Dothan has long been an agricultural center in Alabama. Particularly, peanut farms have been crucial to its economy and development. The extensive collection of farmers growing peanuts led to the city being known as the “Peanut Capital of the World.”

As a city, it wasn’t established until the railroad came through. Even then, agribusiness remained the primary driver for Dothan.

World War II brought further economic growth and some diversification when the US Army set up the Camp Rucker training facility. It was later renamed Fort Rucker and remains an active military base in a training center for the Army’s aviation corps.

Today, Dothan has a job market based on agriculture, healthcare, education, and manufacturing. As a regional center, it has two colleges, including Troy University’s Dothan campus and a job-training Wallace Community College. The Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine was established to provide medical education for aspiring doctors, adding to the local access to quality health care. Southeast Health and Flowers Hospital are two of the city’s three largest employers.

Dothan has also been ranked one of the safest cities to live in Alabama. It was number seven in a 2023 list and outstripped some of Alabama’s larger cities.

What is there to do in Dothan, AL?

Even though Dothan is a small city, it does have cultural and entertainment choices to have fun when you’re done with school or work.

Westgate Park, as mentioned before, is just one of those choices. The facilities at this comprehensive park outstrip the amenities you’d find in larger city parks. The Miracle Playground is an all-inclusive place for kids of all ages and needs to play. Fitness facilities include an indoor and outdoor fitness center and track. Sports fields support football, baseball, and soccer. Cyclists can tackle the BMX track or ride the flat multi-use path.

The park is also home to Water World Water Park, open to the public for swimming and splash pad fun.

But this is not the only park available to you in Dothan. In total, there are 11 neighborhood parks, 14 playgrounds, two disc golf courses, four outdoor pools, and four neighborhood recreation centers.

The Forever Wild Land Trust Preserve at Beaver Creek has 387 acres with trails for biking and hiking. The mountain bike course includes facilities for beginners and advanced riders.

To the east, you have the Chattahoochee River, where you can go kayaking or boating. Travel southbound to visit Florida Gulf Coast beaches. Panama City is an easy day trip at 83 miles, or about an hour and a half drive.

In terms of what else is around Dothan, it’s mostly a collection of small towns and unincorporated areas. Columbus, GA, is the closest largest city at 99 miles north, but Montgomery isn’t much further at 108 miles northwest. Tallahassee, FL, is also just 104 miles southeast.

Living in Dothan, AL

With mild weather year-round and a charming small-town feel, Dothan is an excellent destination for those looking to settle down in their dream home. Its low cost of living and rich local culture add to the perks of choosing southeastern Alabama. Discover more about everything this friendly city has to offer with a local real estate agent who can share more about Dothan’s family activities, job opportunities, and neighborhoods.