Dothan, AL
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
affordable
Price to income
2.88×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Alabama
- 3.03×-0.15
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×-0.55
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
comfortable
Rent to income
20.1%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Alabama
- 20.8%-0.7
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%-3.2
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
deal-by-deal
Cap rate proxy
4.53%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Alabama
- 4.37%+0.16
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%+0.18
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.07%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Alabama
- 0.04%+0.03
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%+0.05
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
normal
Permit pipeline
3.63
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs Alabama
- 2.50+1.13
- vs U.S.
- 3.52+0.11
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
very tight labor market
Unemployment
2.3%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Alabama
- 2.3%=
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%-1.6
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+49.1%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+6.7%
Median home value
$163,700
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $762 | $9,144 | 16.1% |
| 2 BR | $950 | $11,400 | 20.1% |
| 3 BR | $1,288 | $15,456 | 27.2% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
2.3%
Median household income
$56,772
What's being built
Total TTM
548
+12.1% YoY
Single-family
400
2–4 unit
22
5+ unit
126
All 3 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston County | 107,040 | $178,000 | $57,531 | 458 | +16.5% |
| Geneva County | 26,647 | $120,200 | $50,951 | 25 | |
| Henry County | 17,282 | $147,800 | $60,135 | 65 | -7.1% |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Dothan | 150,969 | $56,772 | 2.88× | 4.53% | +49.1% | 3.63 | 2.3% |
| Alexandria, LA | 151,721 | $56,492 | — | — | +25.5% | — | 3.7% |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 151,599 | $58,049 | — | — | +64.6% | — | 2.5% |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | 155,173 | $55,355 | — | — | +60.1% | — | 6.9% |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 147,453 | $55,046 | — | — | +47.2% | — | 4.2% |
| Valdosta, GA | 148,203 | $54,581 | — | — | +59.4% | — | 3.6% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+113
+0.07% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Dale County, AL | 488 |
| Houston County, AL | 383 |
| Coffee County, AL | 205 |
| Henry County, AL | 180 |
| Geneva County, AL | 126 |
| Bay County, FL | 82 |
Who lives in Dothan
- Median age
- 41
- Bachelor's+
- 20.9%
- Owner-occupancy
- 68.3%
- Vacancy rate
- 16.3%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 39.8%
- Median household income
- $56,772
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.