United States › Alabama › Decatur CITY
Decatur Alabama · 58,056 residents (2025 est.) · 54.6 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Decatur is a city of 57,361 people in Alabama. 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $210,200. Median rent is $896 a month. There are 1,051 people per square mile. The foreign-born share is 9%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 30%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 53,929 in 2000
58,056 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,051 / sq mi
+4%since 2009
from 1,015 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
48K 51K 53K 56K 59K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Decatur Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $61,563
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,192 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $20,431 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 25.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 14.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.445 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 3.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.3%
Transportation & warehousing 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.3%
Education & health services 1.2%
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$210,200
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $88,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$896
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $429 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 63.8% in 2000
36.7% rent
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.38 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.38 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 40.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 72.6%(39,128)
Hispanic / Latino 5.6%(3,040)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 55.6%(31,912)
Hispanic / Latino 16.5%(9,445)
from 63 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data Ancestry
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data from 23.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 80.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 7.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 86.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 64.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 66.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 88.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 10.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 35.6%(8,207)
Women 15+
Never married 26.4%(6,139)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 20.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 65.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 39.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 26.3%(826)
Gulf War (1990s) 20.4%(640)
Share of the 3,135 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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DECATUR VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Decatur, Alabama? Decatur, Alabama has about 57,361 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Decatur, Alabama? The typical household in Decatur, Alabama earns about $61,563 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Decatur, Alabama expensive? In Decatur, Alabama, the median home is worth about $210,200, and the typical rent is about $896 a month.
How educated are people in Decatur, Alabama? About 22.4% of adults age 25 and over in Decatur, Alabama hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Decatur, Alabama? About 13.1% of people in Decatur, Alabama live below the federal poverty line.
Has Decatur, Alabama grown since 1990? Yes, Decatur, Alabama has grown since 1990. The population has added about 8,565 residents, a change of about 18 percent over that period.
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