This city needs more than 5 stars - 7/1/2022

This is my 3rd (maybe 4th) year living in dothan, and it is AMAZING!! I hear people say "the traffic is horrible" but it really is not. sure the traffic sometimes is bad but dothan rarely has any traffic jams so if you want bad traffic GO TO ATLANTA! people also say that dothan has dirty malls and bad restaurants, yes the malls are dirty but there are NO bad restaurants other then dennys. Overall, Dothan is a nice and laidback place to live. perfect sized town with a lot of different eating choices, and good school system with surrounding county schools as well, in MY opinion dothan is better than 5 stars!

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Less than ZERO - 5/1/2021

I grew up here. I will sum it up like this: the best decision I ever made was to move away from Dothan 20 years ago and the worst decision I ever made was to move back last year. I'm leaving and never coming back for any reason. There is "nothing" here to see or do. The people are standoffish and indignant. The economy is controlled by the "good ole' boy" old money clan and the "population" is their supply serfs or indentured servants. If your life goal is to be treated by your employer like they are doing you a favor by paying you 10 bucks an hour with no benefits than Dothan maybe for you. The politics, all government and law enforcement are controlled by the aforementioned "good ole boys". Bad restaurants, dirty strip malls and horrible traffic are some of Dothan's high points. If you love yourself and your family DO NOT move to Dothan. It deserves a less than ZERO. It's by far the worst place I've ever lived.

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DO NOT MOVE TO DOTHAN!!! - 4/24/2021

I grew up in this horrible nothing city living here until in my early thirties and I left 20 years ago. I hated this place everyday and was so glad I left, it was the best decision I ever made. For some reason, maybe temporary insanity, I recently purchased a house and moved back. This was the BIGGEST mistake of my life!!! This is nothing but an ignorant, good ole' boy trash town. It's actually gotten worse since I left just bigger with even more dumbasses! Stupid people shouldn't breed! The worthless, stupid shuck and jive group that controls everything here is beyond the worst. If you hire someone to do some work, whether it's an attorney, real estate agent or contractor, they expect you to do the work for them because they are either lazy, incompetent or more than likely both then they act like they have done you some tremendous favor! Not to mention most I've had the displeasure to have been forced to employ are dishonest at best and act offended when you call them out in their BS. Of course, when they realize they painted themselves in a corner they get "mad" / "offended" finding some way to "quit" or they crawfish trying to fix the mess they've created. Compared to all other places I've lived any work you have done here is sub par but they act like they have split the atom, solved the riddle of the Sphinx or built the Parthenon. It's like that in personal relationships here too. On top of that the people here have an air of arrogance about them that makes you want to slap the taste out of their mouths. Here's a piece of wisdom to all the inbreed locals... Ignorance and arrogance don't mix! Dothan has nothing to offer except a whole bunch of restaurants with crap food and crappier service plus disorganized, poorly stocked, dirty stores with employees that either know nothing or pretend you don't exist when you try to get their attention for assistance. The police obviously do not enforce traffic laws causing traffic to be awefull with a bunch of 6 toed morons with better than thou attitudes driving like they always have the right of way. I promise when I leave this time I'll never even drive through this God forsaken wasteland!!! FYI, Southern Hospitality does not exist in Dothan, Alabama, never has... My advice is never, ever consider moving to this intellectual and cultural void. It would be different if the people were at least nice but they are rude, standoffish, paranoid, snobby.... List could go on.... If you can avoid it don't even drive thru it heading to the beach, you'll become dumber just by breathing the backwash air from the homegrown troglodytes! Dothan peaked in the 1980s socially and intellectually, the ones with half a brain from that and previous generations left leaving the "Hills Have Eyes" gene pool behind. I would compare the gene pool here and the general attitude of the locals to those of natives of rural New Jersey. Believe or not the weirdness level, attitude, etc are extremely similar only with a different accent.

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A Great Place to Live - 3/12/2020

We moved here for an early retirement just over a year ago. The people have been extremely friendly, the cost of living and housing is very low, and the weather is fantastic if you don't like cold and snow. Dothan has a lot to do-there's a civic center, farmers market downtown in the summer, mardi gras events, parks, recreation, and the annual Peanut Festival. You're just over an hour away from the beach, but far enough away so hurricanes and cost of living aren't an issue. Everyone has made us feel welcome.

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I really don't deserve this...ARGGHHH! - 10/19/2018

I would have given it a zero stars if that were possible. The five years I have lived in this hole are, without a doubt, the five worst and longest I can remember. There's nothing here but four hundred places to eat and a ton of strip malls and chain stores. We have a couple of decent parks but they are primarily for travel and tournament softball and baseball. Traffic control is virtually non-existent here and most people drive as though they are the only car on the road. Southern hospitality missed this place big time. People are generally standoffish, untrusting and often rude. If you expect the leadership to do anything to improve the area you are sadly mistaken. The local idiots just keep voting the same useless people back into every office. If your contemplating a move here take it from a transplant and rethink your plans. You won't regret it I promise you.

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Backwoods redneck hell - 6/20/2018

I have lived in Dothan my whole life with the exception of a few years where I moved North to help out a family member. This town is run by 'Good ol boys' Either you're part of them, or against them. We have a tiny sorry "water park" that is old, nasty, and run down but the owners who know someone 'important' prevent any other water park from coming to town. Everything in this city works like that. You want a job? Better know someone who's uncles' sisters' ex-boyfriends' neighbors' mom goes to church with.... otherwise you're out of luck. But the job market has been declining for years so that may not even do it. Any job you apply for, you have about 200 people competing.....that is if you can even find a job posting. Most hiring managers hire people they already know. I've gotten every job I've ever had by word of mouth. As far as the schools, prepare for your child to be paddled. Yes you read that correctly. City schools will not let you opt-out if this nor do they legally even have to notify you. Your kid will also have to wear uniforms at city schools. There are very few school events so don't plan on seeing any plays, recitals, or anything extra-curricular... there's just no funding for it. If you enjoy outdoor activities, be prepared for gnats flying into your eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and everywhere else. These tiny fly like pests will swarm at you by the hundreds, and they stick around for MONTHS! It makes even stepping outside absolutely dreadful. I promise you, it is enough to turn any outdoor enthusiast into a couch potato. Speaking of outdoors, we also have pratically every spider, snake, and insect known to man. As far as weather, we pretty much have two seasons, blazing burning hell heat and then cold. It is usually hot from March to about October. During the hottest months, we get up to triple digits. But worse than the heat is the humidity. You will feel wet and sticky most of the year....again with gnats buzzing all around you. In November it usually gets a little cooler. We may have a day or two with very little ice in January or February, but that is rare. It gets a little cold, but nothing drastic and there is no snow. If for some rare reason, there are a few snowflakes, the city pratically shuts down. And I literally mean a few, like not even enough to partially cover the windshield of a car. We also get tornados and hurricanes and all kinds of tropical storms. We had several weeks this summer, before hurricane season, where it rained every single day. I think it was about a month straight. That's typical. When it comes to things to do, there is very little. Everybody pretty much goes out to eat and the younger crowds go to bars. The teenage crowds hang out in parking lots. For families, there are two parks in the city but not much else. The people are all the same. Conservative christian type who drink Saturdy night but show up early for church the next morning. If you are different, you will be shunned. There are no exceptions to this. When you meet somebody new, the first thing you will be asked is 'what high school did you go to' so that person can scan through a list of people you might know, might be related to, may have dated, or someone they think you might go to church with so they can contact that person and get the scoop on your entire life... because trust me, everyone knows. On a positive note, housing is relatively cheap and the Florida coast is less than 2 hours away.

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Stay away from apartments and trailers! - 5/26/2017

It's great living in Dothan if you can afford to live in the right neighborhood. Do not live in Midland City. Do not live downtown Dothan. Do not live in the county. Stay in subdivisions with a lot of middle class hard working people. Every apartment I lived in was vandalized and broken into. The Midland City police didn't even investigate--a three page report--or file it at the court house. Never live there. Security is number one for you and your family. Rent a house in a nice subdivision but talk to neighbors first. I'm moving. There is nothing to do in Dothan. The main thing I really loved about Dothan was Ridgecrest Baptist Church. I'm moving in a week and I'm never coming back except to visit my friends at church.

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I Love Living in Dothan, Alabama - 4/1/2015

I love living in Dothan, Alabama. This is truly Southern hospitality experience at its best. Particularly in the folks that live here for example, when your neighbor insists that you can use anything in his shed at any time to aid you in your yard work...he really means it. Just be sure to put it back in the same condition or better than you got it and you will have a great neighbor for life. This is a community that pulls together to help those who are in need; such as needing money to pay a eshospital bill, neighbors helping neighbors with their needs, whether a babysitter, dog sitter, yard work for the elderly, you name it. Not to mention help for our fallen officers families. By the way we have a great police force here...they usually catch our criminals! We are very proud of the overall work they do in protecting our wonderful community. Actually, I am not from this area nor this state, or a neighboring state. I have lived in many states and three other countries. We moved here in 2007 and this is where I hope to finish my life out. I have lived in beautiful places and not so beautiful ones but to me a home is about the people not your surroundings. Character means a lot to me especially now a days...not stuff. In saying that this small community offers a lot for children and family and it's ever growing and transitioning into a lovely place to live.

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Cost of Living - 7/1/2014

Dothan's COL is very reasonable and attracts many military retirees.

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1st Avenue Flea Market - 1/29/2014

Space Info: 1st Avenue Mini Market outdoor side walk sale. Every first Saturday of each month we have a marvelous time. We have vendors whom participate from surrounding communities. You can find many items such as collectibles, furniture, arts, clothes, jewelry, what knots, tools, e-bikes, and much more stage in a 10,000 sq ft warehouse. see live video, remember a portions of money will go toward building a program which targets seniors and those with disabilities. Directions: 1213 S. Oates St. Dothan Alabama 36301 a cross the street from Dothan High School

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A great place to live and work. - 1/8/2013

The people in Dothan are very friendly and for the past 6 years I've lived and worked here I have almost no complaints. The one thing I did have some trouble adjusting to was that when your traveling from town to town it can quickly shift from country to city. But a GPS and a few days of driving around to learn the roads and all was well. Enjoy Swimming, fishing, hiking, photography and much more (those are just my hobbies) Come on over to Dothan and have a blast!

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Dothan - 4/9/2012

The peanut capital of the world. Located within a few miles of the Georgia and Florida.

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dont come to dothan ever - 11/15/2011

dothan alabama is the worst place in the united states to live,srry but the period on my keyboard isnt working ,I have lived here for four years and its a nightmare,The police here are very crooked and violent,they are well known for writing false police reports on innocent people,alot of dothan police are either on trial for harrassing people ,abusing,and writing false police reports or just corrupting the badge,alot of the officers here have been arrested and fired but not because of any good doing by our police chief ,its only because some innocent person took the inititive to fight back against a crooked system,people here are very ignorant and slow,if you come here it will be like stepping into a world of very uneducated retards,yes my friends even the mayor himself is unable to be reasoned here,if you come here i promise you your civil rights will be violated,the people here have nothing to do but gossip about each other and start trouble,me and my family are trying tomoive from here asap,this is also a very prejudice town,white or black you willalways have problems ,imwarning you dont come here

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Best place to live: - 7/27/2010

Dothan Al is the best & cheapest place to live,we have live in several places but found that Dothan has all of them beat,I were raised around Dothan ,got married several years ago & we moved back here after retirement,very proud we did.

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RUN AWAY - 6/30/2009

Welcome to Hick Ville, Alabama If you want to move to Dothan I want to warn you run as fast as you can. If you want to wait 5 months for the Dothan Police Detectives to get in touch with you about stolen merchandise please come. If you like racial profiling please come here. If you want your Mayor to tax you to death and like 9% tax please come. The companies are ok but if you get a job with PEMCO be ready to work 70-80 a week for 3 weeks and then have one day off then come. They also have no air to keep you cool while you work and if you are a minority be ready to have everybody single you out and call you racial names while their HR Department does nothing. This place is called the “Good Ole Boy Club”. If you want rude, uneducated people to deal with in this town please come. If you like your representatives to represent their own ideas and care nothing for you and what you and your family needs please come to Dothan. If you like to have shallow existences then come. If you like corrupt cops and a corrupt Police Chef with Internal Affairs then please come to Dothan… I am sure that they want your money too. If you get pulled over by Police here and get a ticket to come to court and are white then be ready to have the female black judge take you for everything you have… while she slaps her own kind on the wrist. Welcome to the City of Justice. Still want to come?

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Family Life in Dothan - 11/24/2008

Dothan is a great place to raise a family. Safe, friendly and a generally great spot to raise a family.

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Dothan AL - 11/17/2008

Dothan is a nice small city to live in and raise a family. The crime rate is low and the cost of living is cheap. The big down fall to Dothan is the shopping is not that great and there's not much of a social scene.If you are a noght owl don't bother because the city close down after 10pm. The school system really need to upgrade and improve.(think home school or private) But as for safety, good food, good churches, and friendly people. There's plenty of it.

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Great Place to Settle - 1/13/2008

Dothan is a great place to settle. It is the next "unknown Value" of retirement communities. Low utilities, property taxes, reasonable housing cost, excellent local municipal services, Excellent Health Care, and access to all modern shopping, restaurants, and technology

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Great Place to Live - 12/30/2007

Dothan is a great place for a family. It is quiet yet has enough stuff to keep you from getting bored. The only drawback and I mean the only drawback is a lack of technical industry.

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Vlaues - 11/13/2007

I grew up in Dothan, AL and feel fortunate that I developed a good value system. Did not matter if you were rich or poor. Tried to do the same with my kids, but we live in Atlanta with 5 mllion+ people. Did not have to drive foreign cars or wear designer clothes. Good people. Great weather (Hot in the summer). Good golf courses. Rick B

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