Dothan is the center of Alabama's Wiregrass region, 20 miles from both the Georgia and Florida borders. The southeastern Alabama city is evolving to accommodate its growing population and new businesses, even as it maintains its agricultural roots; about half of the U.S. peanuts are produced and processed within a 100-mile radius of Dothan, earning the city the title "Peanut Capital of the World." Peanut farming aside, Southeast Health Medical Center on the east end of town is one of the city's largest employers.
Dothan provides rural and suburban living for its 71,000-plus residents, with various museums, recreation centers and natural areas. "To see the city grow and become more lively with a diversity of activities — not just retail and dining, but arts, music and boutiques, makes me smile," says Dothan native and lifelong resident Ann Cotton, Executive Director of Dothan's Cultural Arts Center. "There is literally something for everyone that wants to be involved or have something to do in this town, and that's what makes Dothan, Dothan. Everyone wants us to be a big city, but I like that we're still half and half. We can know people, know who our neighbors are and know what's going on in our community. When a problem does arise, once people are made aware of it, we all pitch in and do what we can to make it better."
Dothan, Alabama offers country living with a small town feel, yet with many big city amenities.
Large, open fields can be found along the country roads of Dothan.
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Historic homes and new builds scatter the city
Homes here date from the late 1800s until now. Most historic houses are near downtown, while new builds are popping up in developing subdivisions throughout the city. In 2024, the median housing price for homes in Dothan was $239,850, which is lower than the national median. Many of the city's oldest properties need renovation and can be found for less than $50,000, though those that have been well-maintained can be over $300,000. Townhouses, ranch-style and manufactured homes can be found for less than $100,000, while sprawling mansions on the city's west side and outskirts can go for over $1 million. The city has several half-acre lots that list at $60,000 or less.
Mature neighborhoods with traditional style homes are found with tree lined streets and gated entrances in Dothan.
Rows of spacious homes in mature neighborhoods make Dothan a beautiful place to live.
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Dining in the Historic District and local productions at the Opera House
Dothan's Main Street Commercial Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It features locally owned restaurants, coffee shops, bars and boutiques, serving as the city's social hub. Plus, it has large murals on nearly every corner. Along Ross Clark Circle are shopping centers with grocery stores, restaurants and retailers. Wiregrass Commons Mall features chain retailers and department stores, like Belk and Dillard's, near the corner of Montgomery Highway and Ross Clark Circle.
The Dothan Civic Center and Opera House host live musicians, dances, festivals and trade shows. The Wiregrass Museum of Art features contemporary galleries with rotating exhibits and hosts frequent special events and art classes. Just south of downtown, the Cultural Arts Center houses the Southeast Alabama Community Theatre, which stages productions by local talent. The cultural center also hosts youth and adult classes, camps and visual and performing arts workshops. The downtown George Washington Carver Museum honors the namesake inventor, known as "The Peanut Man"; the citywide Peanuts Around Town art trail is dotted with 5-foot-tall peanut sculptures; and at the fairgrounds each November, the annual 10-day National Peanut Festival has live concerts and a parade.
The Dothan Civic Center hosts performances of all types year round.
The George Washington Carver Interpretive Museum has a rich history that dates back to 2000 when Dothan’s Greyhound Bus Station, built in the 1940's, was converted into the museum we know and love today.
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The future of Dothan
The city is funding several development projects for the downtown area, most notably the $30 million Wiregrass Innovation Center. Through a partnership with Huntsville's HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, the center will focus on genomics research and education in collaboration with local peanut farmers, as well as the recruitment of agriculture tech start-up companies — serving as an incubation lab for entrepreneurs and innovators while bringing high-wage, high-skilled jobs to the area. The development is being built next to the Wiregrass Museum of Art and is estimated to be completed in 2025.
Downtown Dothan offers plenty of business, dining, and shopping options for local residents and tourists.
The Wiregrass Museum of Art, located in Dothan, inspires a lifelong appreciation for the visual arts by providing innovative educational programs that engage diverse audiences through the collection and exhibition of quality works.
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Dothan City Schools offers a Technology Center
Dothan City Schools scores an overall B on Niche and serves just over 8,000 students. Dothan High includes the on-campus Dothan Technology Center, where students can apply to various career and technical education programs, ranging from agriscience and culinary arts to television and video production. Post-secondary institutions in Dothan include Wallace Community College, which offers academic, health science and career technical programs, and a campus branch of Troy University, which has over 60 undergraduate and graduate programs.
Designed with adult learners in mind, TROY University in Dothan offers high-quality programs and exceptional facilities, all conveniently located near home and work.
Dothan High School's mission is to accept students on an individual basis and to consider their aptitudes, interests, and needs.
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Trails at Beaver Creek and family-friendly fun at Water World
According to the Trust for Public Land, about 19% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. Miles of hiking and biking trails weave throughout the city, including the Forever Wild Trails at Beaver Creek. On the city's southeast side, the 200-acre Eastgate Park includes 2 miles of trails with a dog park and fishing ponds. Dothan has several recreation centers, from the Andrew Belle Community Center to the Rose Hill Senior Adult Center. Westgate Park, located in the city's west end, is a major city attraction. It's home to Water World, a waterpark with a large wave pool and several waterslides. The 135-acre Landmark Park is part of the Wiregrass Birding Trail in the city's northeast corner. It is home to the Alabama Museum of Agriculture and its living history farm; the 50-acre Dothan Area Botanical Gardens are just north.
The Westgate Recreation Center offers fields, courts, and activities for all ages in Dothan.
Water World is located at the Westgate Recreation Center and offers slides and a wave pool and fun for all ages in Dothan.
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Hopping on U.S. 84
U.S. Route 84 is the city's main thoroughfare, cutting directly through downtown and known locally as Main Street. Ross Clark Circle is the main bypass that circles the city center. U.S. 231 runs along the western edge of Ross Clark Circle and leads northwest to Montgomery or south to Panama City, while U.S. 431 leads north to Columbus, Ga. Dothan residents are largely car-dependent, and most drive to work. Dial-A-Ride bus service is offered through the Wiregrass Transit Authority, and Greyhound buses stop in the city. Dothan Regional Airport, a small airport in the city's northwest corner, is served by Delta Connection and provides daily non-stop service to and from Atlanta.
Ross Clark Circle in Dothan offers big-box retail stores and chain restaurants for a big city feel in a small town.
The intersection of US Hwy 84 and Ross Clark Circle is the busiest area of Dothan offering shopping and dining options.
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Hot summers and crime in Dothan
While inland from the gulf, Dothan can still experience high winds, flooding and power outages from large hurricanes and other coastal storms. According to Risk Factor, Dothan has a severe wind factor based on the likelihood of severe storms. Homebuyers in Special Flood Hazard areas are required to purchase flood insurance, and all local homeowners are encouraged to have an emergency preparedness plan in the event of severe weather. The summers in Dothan are hot, and temperatures exceeded 90 degrees for 83 days in 2024.
Dothan's violent crime rate started to exceed state and national averages toward the end of 2021, according to the FBI Crime Data Explorer, continuing to be higher through 2024. Property crime rates have been higher than national and state rates since 2022.
Hi I'm JoAnn and I'm all about my community, and real estate with my heart and soul. As a retail manager traveling wherever duty called for 28 years, I have lived all over Alabama. But my hometown is right here in Andalusia. Every visit home, I vowed to one day move back and pursue my dreams in real estate. After my two children graduated from college I was all too glad to leave the corporate world behind and finally settle back to my roots. Today, I have made real estate my passion and introducing families to their new home is my main purpose. Real estate is a relationship-based business, and I strive to create relationships built on trust and confidence. Buying and selling can be over whelming and stressful. To ensure a successful experience, I will utilize my talent for guiding people through unfamiliar and emotional processes, as well as my skill and experience in understanding and explaining contracts, negotiations, working with attorneys, and remaining calm under pressure. Homes.com is an excellent start and I encourage you to give me a call or email me.
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