Forget Florida, Retire To Alabama's Highly-Rated Border Destination With Swimming, Parks, And Affordable Living

What if you're looking to retire to someplace warm, with nice swimming holes, parks, and an affordable cost of living? The first and most obvious thought is the Sunshine State. Well, forget Florida, and consider Houston County, a highly-rated border destination that sits just north of Florida's panhandle.

The 578 square mile saucepan-shaped county sits on the southeast corner of the "Yellowhammer State" near the Choctawhatchee river, with Georgia to the east. Part of the Wiregrass Region, Houston County is home to 110,000 Alabamians, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, about a fifth of whom are retirement age. The area has, for the most part, clung to its agrarian roots. Corn, cotton, and peanuts prop up the local economy, alongside cows and pigs. It's also the sort of place that doesn't take itself too seriously, claiming to be the home of the world's smallest city block. The love of diminutive things will also cross over to your budget.

Houston County won't demolish fixed-income budgets, key to making retirees' lives easier. The area's cost of living is nearly 20% below the national average, according to data compiled by Best Places. Two adults living without children can get by with $57,000 in pre-tax income, according to Living Wage Institute's Living Wage Calculator. Those savings translate into median home prices as per the U.S. Census Bureau – which are well below the national figure, as reported by the municipality grading site Niche. Healthcare accessibility and quality within the county are average enough to avoid worrying about, based on data from U.S. News & World Report. However, safety remains an issue, with crime rates above the national per capita average, according to Niche. 

Dothan serves as the cultural heart of Houston County and, as its only city, will be the epicenter of your post-work life there. Its myriad institutions help enrich a visit, whether it lasts several days or the remaining decades of your life. The local art and historic institutions provide a revealing glimpse of life in the area, with the Wiregrass Museum of Art showcasing local artists' work. The area's painful but important history of segregation and Jim Crow caste system is encapsulated in the George Washington Carver Museum, which uses its namesake and his extraordinary agricultural legacy to explore African American history more broadly. And though Dothan is the "Peanut Capital Of The World," don't confuse Dr. Carver's role — he didn't actually invent peanut butter. 

The county also offers plenty of outdoor attractions such as Westgate Recreation Center. Its mix of trails, sports facilities, and playgrounds creates an all-in-one destination for curated outdoor fun in a city setting. For a more natural, outdoor environment, hightail east to the border with Georgia, where you'll find Omussee Creek Park. Its sports facilities, such as basketball courts and hiking trails, makes it a blend of nature and civilization. The same combination can be found in Eastgate Park. What was once a horse farm is now a publicly available bucolic countryside, with old oak trees, walking trails, and the now-ubiquitous pickleball courts, just in case too much rurality sneaks into the picture. No wonder folks want to retire to Alabama, one of four states in the East South Central Region.

Houston County has a knack for water-based recreation, too, despite its obvious lack of oceanfront or major lakes. The big kahuna in this space is Water World, a seasonal outdoor waterpark with giant slides and a wave pool. Perhaps not the most obvious retirement destination, but a total magnet for the grandkids. Dothan's indoor municipal aquatic center is open throughout winter and lets retirees and visitors cool off during an oppressive summer's heat (more on that later). 

Niche gives Houston County high ratings in several categories, from naming it the sixth best county in Alabama for retirees to the ninth healthiest, out of 67. There are arguably only two major downsides: travel infrastructure and the weather.

Retirement destinations should, by definition, be a tad out of the way. Houston County meets this obligation. Its nearest major transit hub, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, is about 200 miles away. While being off the beaten path may be appealing, retirees may worry whether their kids and grandkids would bother making the trip. Fortunately, there are enough attractions nearby to draw them in. Enterprise, Alabama's "City of Progress," offers quirky history and a charming downtown and is only 30 miles west. Just be sure to time your trip well.

If heat's an issue, you may want to avoid choosing Houston County for a longer stay. Summer reaches into the high 80s and stays there for five months, which can do a number on elderly folks with certain chronic health issues. The county's so-so walkability, as calculated by Walkscore, also means you'll spend a lot of time in the car. While there's no wrong time to simply visit Houston County, you'd be remiss to bypass the country's only National Peanut Festival, held in early November in Dothan. The 10-day event draws 200,000 visitors with all the usual attractions, from rides to live shows. And peanuts. Lots of peanuts. The city's obsession goes beyond an annual event. A jaunt through its streets reveals a litany of peanut-themed public art, with murals and over 70 statues dotting the landscape. All of which doesn't bode well for retirees with peanut allergies.