Population 63,646 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Decatur
Household size in Decatur
| Period | Decatur | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.46 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.53 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.49 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.49 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Decatur run small, averaging 2.49 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. That is in line with the rest of Alabama. Households are largest in the center and smallest in the north.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Decatur
| Period | Decatur | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.9 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.6 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.1 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.6 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.7 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Decatur are younger than 39.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 37.9 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Decatur
| Period | Decatur | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.0% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.1% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Decatur (13.1%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Alabama. The single-parent share is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Decatur
Renters in Decatur
| Period | Decatur | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.7% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.8% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.4% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Decatur is about as common as it is nationally: 35.4% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Alabama overall (29.8%). Among homeowners, 45.2% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Decatur
| Period | Decatur | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.9% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Decatur as nationally: 8.4%, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in Alabama overall (13.5%).
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Decatur
| Period | Decatur | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Decatur are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1977, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in Alabama as a whole, where the median home dates to 1986. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the north.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Decatur
| Period | Decatur | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $633 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $660 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $749 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $972 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$339 | +$375 | +$606 |
The median renter in Decatur pays $972 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $339 a month from 2006–10, a 54% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.3% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the east and lowest in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Decatur
Bachelor's degrees in Decatur
| Period | Decatur | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.1% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.5% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.4% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.7% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Decatur: 21.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Decatur
| Period | Decatur | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.3% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.1% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.2% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Decatur never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 3.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Decatur has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Alabama cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Decatur
| Period | Decatur | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Decatur is close to the national rate: 4.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Decatur compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | 2.49 | 39.6 | 13.1% | 35.4% | 8.4% | 1977 | $972 | 21.7% | 83.2% | 4.8% |
| Priceville | 2.86 | 41.8 | 8.5% | 11.1% | 13.6% | 1997 | $751 | 38.6% | 95.4% | 0.0% |
| Trinity | 2.53 | 43.2 | 9.7% | 16.7% | 12.6% | 1991 | $837 | 14.8% | 84.2% | 1.4% |
| Mooresville | 2.22 | 41.2 | 12.3% | 48.9% | 9.9% | 2013 | $1,413 | 54.8% | 89.9% | 1.7% |
| Oak Ridge | 1.94 | 62.8 | 1.2% | 33.7% | 9.1% | 1994 | $1,578 | 16.5% | 80.9% | 0.1% |
| Belle Mina | 2.27 | 41.9 | 12.1% | 48.2% | 9.4% | 2013 | $1,467 | 53.9% | 90.1% | 1.6% |
| Hartselle | 2.72 | 40.6 | 9.6% | 21.1% | 10.1% | 1986 | $900 | 27.2% | 88.8% | 2.2% |
| Fish Pond | 2.43 | 42.9 | 2.4% | 16.6% | 10.0% | 1986 | $704 | 13.3% | 81.6% | 0.1% |
| Flower Hill | 2.40 | 50.8 | 3.6% | 16.4% | 9.2% | 1995 | $735 | 23.9% | 80.7% | 1.7% |
| Hillsboro | 2.57 | 42.8 | 7.8% | 15.9% | 12.0% | 1992 | $803 | 13.2% | 80.3% | 0.4% |
| Danville | 2.56 | 38.9 | 6.6% | 13.1% | 17.4% | 1991 | $1,274 | 14.6% | 81.8% | 0.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Hot Springs, AR · Orland Park, IL · Little Elm, TX · Lebanon, PA · San Clemente, CA · Eden Prairie, MN · Coon Rapids, MN · Belleville, IL · Bay City, MI · Towson, MD
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Decatur. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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