The unhurried lifestyle and moderate climate of Dehradun make it the ideal retirement town it is. Some parts of the town still retain a distinctive British character, while a lot of it has outgrown its colonial origins. The town is also a centre for renowned public schools and educational institutions.

In recent times, widespread environmental degradation due to limestone quarrying around the town has caused concern amongst local inhabitants and conservationist. After a lengthy process of protests and litigation, the Supreme Court imposed a ban on limestone quarrying, and efforts at re-forestation of the denuded hill slopes around Dehradun have begun