Living a Biking Lifestyle in Auburn-Opelika, Alabama

Auburn-Opelika is a metropolitan area in Alabama which comprises Auburn and Opelika as well as several other incorporated and unincorporated communities.. The latter has about 26,000 residents while Auburn has 56,000. This is a college town - Auburn University is located here with its 24,000 students. Auburn is considered a very bicycle-friendly small town; it has received an award for being a bike friendly town from the League of American Bicyclists. The Auburn Bike Committee posts a list of bike rides and events. This pleasant town with many cultural, shopping, and recreational resources is one of the fastest growing towns in the country. Photo of downtown courtesy of Wikipedia and Saverivers.

Where to Retire in Auburn-Opelika and Home Prices

There are several active adult communities in Auburn-Opelika (see link at left). 
Zillow.com showed the median home value in Auburn to be $279,613, in mid-2021, while the figure was $197,911 in Opelika.

What Is Special about Auburn-Opelika

The presence of Auburn University is a major plus for Auburn-Opelika. There are many parks with bike and walking trails. Auburn is the home to the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art as well as the Tellfair Peet Theatre. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail has one of its finest venues in the Auburn-Opelika area.  Lake Martin is a huge lake that is nearby; it is one of the most popular lakes in Alabama and a place where many retire or have second homes.

What Is Not Special about Auburn-Opelika

Auburn and Opelika can be very hot and humid in the summer (Opelika is an Indian word that means swamp).  The cost of living is expensive for Alabama and the south in general.

Climate and Physical Environment

Auburn-Opelika is located in east central Alabama. The average July high temperature is 90 and the average January high is 55 (the average low is 34). The wettest month is March (6").

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

The presence of a huge university like Auburn adds much to the cultural mix, including many restaurants.  Auburn is the home to the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, which hosts a collection of primarily 19th and 20th century American and European art.  There is the Auburn Community Orchestra as well as the Telfair Peet Theatre.  The Auburn Area Community Theater (AACT), performs three productions a year. 

Crime

Crime appears to be at the average U.S. level.

Medical Facilities

East Alabama Medical Center is in Opelika.

Transportation

Although there is an airport in Auburn, the major commercial airports are about 2 hours away in Birmingham and Atlanta.

Valuable Links

Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau

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