The city has a low cost of living and a few minor entertainment amenities and a good parks and recreation system but on the whole there isn’t a lot to do. With over 74 90-degrees-plus days each year, Dothan is the hottest place in Alabama by far. For a Southern city, Dothan is relatively far away from big cities and big-city amenities, but it does have an unusually strong health care presence: the largest employer at 2200 employees is the Southeast Alabama Medical Center and a second hospital employs 1200, very large for such a town.

The surrounding area is flat to gently rolling with pine forests and agricultural land spaces. The climate is decidedly humid subtropical with a strong Gulf influence; however, the town is too far from the Gulf for cooling breezes. Summers are long and hot, while winters are mild and wet and only subject to occasional freezes.