Some Alabama downtowns just feel made for a slow walk and a good coffee, and a new ranking says there’s plenty of them.

World Atlas recently highlighted 10 small towns with the best downtowns in Alabama in a recent travel roundup, pointing to walkable streets, historic storefronts and locally owned shops that give each destination its own sense of place.

The list reflects a growing interest in small-town travel, where downtown districts serve as hubs for dining, shopping and community life.

Standout Alabama downtowns highlighted by World Atlas

A few of the towns on the list stand out for especially distinctive downtown experiences. Here’s what World Atlas had to say.

OZARK, Ala. (WTVY) – Dale County Schools Superintendent Ben Baker has been named Alabama’s Superintendent of the Year.

The honor was announced at the State School Superintendent Association Conference, which celebrates leaders who champion public education and academic progress.

Under Baker’s leadership, Dale County Schools scored a 95 on the state report card, the highest score recorded by a county school in state history.

Baker was recognized by State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey. He said the award reflects the work of his staff.

“I recognize that it has a lot to do with the good people that work for Dale County Schools, that work hard every day to try to create opportunities for our students,” Baker said. “Superintendents across our state really work hard to provide the best opportunities for our students, and I’m excited to have this platform because I’m going to use this platform to share the great things going on in Dale County, and also the great things going on in the state of Alabama.”

Baker was one of nine finalists up for the award.

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(WALA) – Alabama is performing better than most states when it comes to managing food assistance dollars – but the problem is getting worse.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its fiscal year 2025 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payment error rates today, measuring how accurately states determine who qualifies for SNAP and how much they should receive. The national payment error rate for fiscal year 2025 is 10.62 percent.

Alabama’s error rate came in at 9.52 percent—up from 8.32 percent in 2024. That breaks down to 8.82 percent in overpayments and 0.70 percent in underpayments.

Florida’s situation is more dire. The state sits at 12.97 percent, more than double the federal threshold of six percent that Congress set as acceptable. Florida’s errors include 11.54 percent in overpayments and 1.43 percent in underpayments.

Nationally, these 2025 errors add up to 10.1 billion dollars in improper payments. That includes both overpayments to ineligible recipients and underpayments to those who qualify.

The Trump administration is now enforcing real consequences for states that exceed the six percent threshold. States with error rates at or above that benchmark will be forced to cover portions of their own SNAP benefits, with penalties kicking in for most states starting October 1, 2027.

Both Alabama and Florida are now required to submit corrective action plans to the USDA detailing exactly how they’ll fix the problem. We have reached out to the Alabama and Florida agencies responsible for distributing SNAP benefits for comment but have not yet heard back.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement: “These payment error rates are further proof that state accountability is severely lacking in SNAP. USDA has taken historic action to help interested states curb SNAP waste, and I hope other states, regardless of political leadership, prioritize needy families and the American taxpayer over politics.”

The FY 2025 payment error rate is the first year that could be used to calculate those state penalties-making this the baseline for what’s coming next fiscal year.