What it's like to live in Dothan
Dothan is a smaller city in Alabama with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Dothan deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, and hot summers.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- High poverty rate
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Dothan compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Dothan
Based on Dothan's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,920
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $38,400 a year
- 44% of Dothan renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$38,800
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $19,400
- Homes cost 3.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 32% below US
$960/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $960 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $194,000. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $194,000 · 44% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 35% below US
2.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 2.8%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 143% above US
801 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2538/100k · Dothan Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 22% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 5% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 42°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 23% below US
28% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
21 public schools inside the boundary
There are 21 public schools inside the boundary and 6 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Jimmy Carter National Historical Park (81 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Dothan's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($960/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Dothan
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