|
| What Fair Hope is like for active adults |
Fairhope, Alabama is one of the most unusual (and nicest) retirement communities anywhere. It was founded by 28 settlers from Iowa in November, 1894 as a utopian single tax colony by the "Fairhope Industrial Association". Their purpose in founding a new colony was to establish and conduct a cooperative model community, free from all forms of private monopoly.
The Fairhope Single-Tax Corporation still operates, with 1800 leaseholds covering more than 4000 acres in and around the current city of Fairhope. The community owns the land and leaseholders pay a tax of between $500 to $1000 in lieu of property taxes. Fairhope has made some movement from utopian experiment to retirement community... artist's/intellectual's colony… boutique resort… and affluent suburb of Mobile. In fact, some local residents refer to Fairhope as "Carmel-by-the-Bay" alluding to California’s Carmel-by-the-Sea on the Monterey Peninsula.
This beautiful retirement community for active adults 55+ has Spanish moss hanging from the trees. Many homes have a view of the beautiful bay. A 1,450-foot town pier serves as a local gathering spot. One of the first communities in Alabama to put a horticulturist on the city payroll, Fairhope is lush with trees, plantings, and flowers. Thomas Hospital in Fairhope is a local source of pride with 56 staff doctors, including specialists in all major disciplines.
Fairhope is a desirable retirement community with many different kinds of housing available. According to City-Data the average selling price of a Fairhope home in 2008's 1st quarter was in the low $200's.
|
| |
|
|
| What is special about this community |
| • Flowers and plantings
• Charming ambience and cooperative heritage
• Arts & Crafts Festival (named as Event of the Year by the State of AL)
• University of South Alabama branch campus
• Mild climate |
| |
|
| |
|
|
| What is not special about this community |
| • Could be too cute for some
• Hot, humid summers |
| |
|
|
| What kinds of people like living here |
| Fairhope is a growing, vital community, having expanded 35% during the 1990’s. Most people tend to be retirees, but since it is a suburb of Mobile, there are also plenty of people of all ages. There are many artists who live here. |
| |
|
| | |
|
| Physical environment |
| Fairhope is on a coastal plain separated by a bay from Mobile. Many homes have a view of the bay. With a horticulturalist on staff, the community and its flowers and Spanish moss could not be more beautiful. |
| |
|
|
| Cultural environment |
| Fairhope is blessed with many significant events throughout the year. There is the popular Alabama Coastal BirdFest, the Arts & Crafts Festival, the Fairhope Music Festival, just to name a few. The Eastern Shore Art Center is a vital resource with changing monthly exhibits. The Adult Recreation Center ($10 a year) has 1200 members and a daily roster of activities that range from exercise classes to bridge. The center’s Big Band dances attract folks from far away. |
| |
|
|
| Medical facilities |
| Thomas Hospital is here in Fair Hope, others are nearby in Mobile |
| |
|
|
| Transportation |
| There are 2 airports in Mobile, Trent Lott International is 44 miles away in Pascagoula. For more information about how to retire in Alabama
. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
Active Adult Communities in Fair Hope |
|
| |
|
|
| Fair Hope Active Communities |
| Facts about FAIR HOPE | | State | : AL | | Environment | : Suburban,Coastal, | | City Population | : 10,000-25,000 | | Median age of Population | : 45-64 | | Avg Jan Temperature | : 41-60 | | Median HH Income | : 0-20,000 | | Average Home Price (MLS) | : $300,001-$500,000 | | Annual Property Tax on a $200,000 house | : Less than 2000 | | Total Crime Index | : <80 (Very low) | | Cost of Living Index | : 101-110 (slightly above average) | | Culture Index | : 111-120 (high) | | State Sales Tax | : | | State Income Tax | : | | Name of the Guide | : |
| | Can you add to or correct these Facts? Or do you have a photo of this community we could use? If so, please click on |
|
Vote on the Ratings for Fair Hope |
|
Total Ratings |
Overall Retirement Ratings
1. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Expense:
Inexpensive to Luxury
2. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Taxes:
Inexpensive to Expensive
3. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Culture:
None to Cosmopolitan
4. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Recreation:
None to Summer camp
5. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Transportation:
Boondocks to World Hub
6. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Security:
Dangerous to Ft. Knox
7. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Medical Facilities:
None to Excellent
8. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Political Situation:
Conservative to Liberal
9. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Environmental:
Oblivious to Ultra-Green
10. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Please note that all contributions to Topretirements may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you don't want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then don't submit it here. By submitting content and/or photographs here you agree to give Topretirements.com the rights to use them in any manner without cost or attribution.You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Project:Copyrights for details). DO NOT SUBMIT COPYRIGHTED WORK WITHOUT PERMISSION!
|
|
|
