[OldDocKat]

Originally Posted by Susihoff

Want to retire in Alabama. Know nothing about it. Opp came up on city data. Can anyone tell me what it is like and if there is shopping,Dr's, and hospital close to there.

I live in Dothan, which us the hub for services, such as physicians and medical services. Enterprise is a nice town a shout distance away, yet close enough to retain medical services in Dothan; it has more a small town feeling, mixed with a suburban atmosphere. Opp is further away, it is much less expensive to live there. For those who wish to be alone, Opp has some properties on the outskirts of town, which are far less costly than what you will find in Enterprise, or Dothan. The trade-off is social amenities, and services close by.

There are also a few small towns surrounding Dothan. My preference would be Enterprise, if one wanted close access to Dothan, yet live in a smaller town. Andalusia is nicer than Opp, yet for services, it is too far from Dothan for constant commuting, yet to see a specialist in Dothan, or Mobile is quite reasonable, and being closer to Mobile, Andalusia would be closer to a greater variety of medical specialists. Andalusia is quite a bit nicer place to live compared to Opp, yet for anyone who likes semi-rural life, a few acres. and quiet, Opp has the advantage of being less expensive, yet it also has less job opportunity, or part-time work. Shopping is also better in Andalusia.

I have been receiving regular medical care for some years now, and the medical services in Dothan are quite adequate. Dothan has the same city issues; the run down downtown, and undesirable neighborhoods close to downtown. It has the same urban decay found in bigger cities, less because Dothan is a small city. Enterprise is less so and has always felt to me, more like suburbia, compared Dothan, yet it does have its own municipal facilities. Enterprise is close enough to Dothan, where one could maintain primary care physicians, as well banking institutions, financial and legal services. Enterprise better avoids big city problems and is rated, by those who rate towns, highly, as a good place to retire.