Population 102,387 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Decatur
Household size in Decatur
| Period | Decatur | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.50 | 2.74 | 2.70 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.65 | 2.83 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.71 | 2.81 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.71 | 2.79 | 2.73 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.20 | +0.05 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Decatur average 2.71 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is smaller than in the Atlanta area overall, where it has 2.79 people. Household size has climbed from 2.50 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0 | 35.5 | 36.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.8 | 36.5 | 36.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.4 | 37.5 | 38.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.7 | 38.2 | 38.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.7 | +2.7 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
At 40.7, the median age in Decatur is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is older than in the wider Atlanta area, where the median age is 38.2. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.0, in line with the national trend.
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 | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.2% | 13.3% | 13.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.9% | 13.6% | 13.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 12.5% | 13.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.1% | 12.7% | 13.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are more common in Decatur than nationally: 14.1%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.9% | 32.1% | 32.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 41.0% | 35.5% | 35.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.6% | 36.7% | 36.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.5% | 33.9% | 34.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | +1.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in Decatur rent their homes (37.5%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in the Atlanta area as a whole (33.9%). Among homeowners, 30.7% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged down 1.4 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 | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 11.9% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 11.4% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 8.6% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.5% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 16.5% of the housing in Decatur, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has risen 5.0 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1988 | 1985 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1989 | 1987 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1990 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1993 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Decatur are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1982, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in the Atlanta area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1993. The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the west has the oldest housing.
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 | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $988 | $1,050 | $910 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $997 | $1,116 | $977 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,101 | $1,293 | $1,112 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,720 | $1,799 | $1,520 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$733 | +$749 | +$609 | +$606 |
Rent in Decatur runs $1,720 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $733 a month from 2006–10, a 74% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 34.3% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the north; the most affordable are in the southeast.
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 | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.7% | 34.5% | 28.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 39.8% | 35.2% | 28.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.9% | 38.2% | 31.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.8% | 42.0% | 35.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Decatur: 46.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.1 points, mirroring the country.
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 | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.6% | 87.2% | 84.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.8% | 88.0% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.7% | 89.4% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.1% | 90.9% | 89.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +3.6 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Decatur is above the national rate: 93.1% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 3.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Decatur has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Georgia 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 | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 9.0% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 10.7% | 10.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.2% | 5.2% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −3.8 pts | −3.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Decatur: 6.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 5.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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 | 2.71 | 40.7 | 14.1% | 37.5% | 16.5% | 1982 | $1,720 | 46.8% | 93.1% | 6.8% |
| Belvedere Park | 2.82 | 38.8 | 10.1% | 39.3% | 20.0% | 1962 | $1,599 | 39.8% | 90.5% | 4.6% |
| Candler-McAfee | 2.65 | 42.8 | 10.7% | 34.4% | 21.8% | 1965 | $1,608 | 30.3% | 88.0% | 11.4% |
| Avondale Estates | 2.54 | 41.2 | 5.3% | 35.3% | 12.7% | 1977 | $1,342 | 70.0% | 97.1% | 3.1% |
| Panthersville | 2.24 | 39.6 | 12.9% | 52.9% | 26.7% | 1979 | $1,431 | 24.1% | 83.2% | 8.4% |
| Scottdale | 2.79 | 32.3 | 8.5% | 47.4% | 16.7% | 1987 | $1,461 | 44.3% | 91.6% | 8.7% |
| Pine Lake | 2.69 | 33.1 | 20.5% | 60.0% | 26.4% | 1976 | $1,563 | 36.5% | 92.8% | 8.9% |
| Clarkston | 3.90 | 25.3 | 19.8% | 71.8% | 13.9% | 1978 | $1,456 | 24.2% | 76.4% | 8.5% |
| North Decatur | 2.22 | 39.9 | 5.1% | 45.2% | 14.7% | 1978 | $2,008 | 72.8% | 96.3% | 5.7% |
| Redan | 2.96 | 37.7 | 16.1% | 35.7% | 9.9% | 1989 | $1,644 | 27.5% | 90.8% | 8.2% |
| Druid Hills | 2.05 | 35.8 | 4.9% | 44.4% | 15.6% | 1975 | $1,988 | 77.5% | 97.2% | 8.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Trenton, NJ · Tyler, TX · Tustin, CA · Sumter, SC · Surprise, AZ · Suffolk, VA · Stockton, CA · Suwanee, GA · Tempe, AZ · Stone Mountain, GA
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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