METRO AREA
Decatur Metro
Decatur, AL · 2 counties · 160,326 residents (2025 est.) · 1,270 sq mi
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The short version
Decatur is a metro area of 157,747 people. 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $203,625. 75% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 5%. Median rent is $841 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 42%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
157,747
+8%since 2000
from 145,867 in 2000
160,326 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
1,270 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024158K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.9%(9,376)
5 to 96.3%(9,959)
10 to 146.7%(10,560)
15 to 196.2%(9,744)
20 to 245.9%(9,302)
25 to 3412%(19,004)
35 to 4412.3%(19,455)
45 to 5412.5%(19,749)
55 to 6413.9%(21,890)
65 to 7410.8%(17,002)
75 to 845.5%(8,748)
85 and over1.9%(2,958)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$68,260
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,311 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
45.7%
+21.6 ptssince 2009
from 24.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade20.9%
Information12.4%
Wholesale trade9.9%
Finance & insurance5.3%
Professional, scientific, technical4%
Other services3.9%
Public administration2.9%
Transportation & warehousing2.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.1%
Construction2.1%
Education & health services1.3%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
Manufacturing0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$203,625
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $78,481 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
3.0
+20%since 2009
from 2.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
56
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic81.9%(119,483)
Black11.7%(16,996)
Hispanic / Latino2.8%(4,012)
Asian0.4%(524)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic72.9%(114,920)
Black11.8%(18,681)
Hispanic / Latino9%(14,204)
Asian0.6%(884)
Other5.7%(9,058)
55
+26%since 2009
from 44 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
43
+1%since 2020
from 43 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican5.7%(8,940)
Central American1.6%(2,448)
Guatemalan1.5%(2,324)
Puerto Rican0.4%(670)
South American0.3%(447)
Cuban0.3%(397)
Peruvian0.2%(302)
Spaniard0.1%(231)
Honduran0.1%(72)
Chilean0%(65)
Dominican0%(48)
Ecuadorian0%(48)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese0.2%(283)
Vietnamese0.1%(180)
Korean0.1%(179)
Filipino0%(76)
Japanese0%(61)
Laotian0%(60)
Thai0%(39)
Indonesian0%(14)
Asian Indian0%(3)
Ancestry
American16.6%(26,128)
English12.8%(20,257)
Irish8.5%(13,410)
German6.4%(10,126)
Scottish2.1%(3,345)
Italian1.5%(2,382)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(1,696)
French0.8%(1,194)
Dutch0.6%(891)
British0.5%(768)
Polish0.5%(731)
Arab0.6%(707)
+ 34 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.4%(703)
Subsaharan African0.3%(474)
Norwegian0.3%(462)
Swedish0.3%(424)
French Canadian0.2%(364)
Finnish0.2%(209)
Portuguese0.1%(176)
West Indian0.1%(174)
Greek0.1%(171)
Ukrainian0.1%(164)
Russian0.1%(153)
Czech0.1%(130)
Swiss0.1%(106)
Danish0.1%(90)
Jamaican0.1%(67)
Haitian0%(65)
Slovak0%(59)
Lebanese0%(58)
Hungarian0%(53)
Armenian0%(40)
Nigerian0%(36)
Lithuanian0%(33)
Iranian0%(29)
Canadian0%(26)
Romanian0%(26)
Serbian0%(26)
Belgian0%(23)
Croatian0%(20)
Austrian0%(18)
Australian0%(16)
Israeli0%(13)
Egyptian0%(10)
Brazilian0%(10)
Turkish0%(6)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
85.7%
+11.9 ptssince 2000
from 73.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
65.7%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 62.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
91.6%
+6.8 ptssince 2020
from 84.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married30.6%(19,194)
Married55.5%(34,778)
Widowed3.2%(2,030)
Divorced10.6%(6,648)
Women 15+
Never married23.4%(15,251)
Married51.8%(33,758)
Widowed11.8%(7,720)
Divorced13%(8,473)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
14.3%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 13.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
2.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
67.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 67.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
37.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 37.3% 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)34.3%(3,321)
Gulf War (1990s)22.6%(2,188)
Vietnam era31%(3,001)
Korean War5.6%(544)
World War II0.3%(27)
Share of the 9,676 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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2 component counties
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Decatur, AL?
Decatur, AL has about 157,747 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Decatur, AL?
The typical household in Decatur, AL earns about $68,260 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Decatur, AL expensive?
In Decatur, AL, the median home is worth about $203,625, and the typical rent is about $841 a month.
How educated are people in Decatur, AL?
About 21.6% of adults age 25 and over in Decatur, AL hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Decatur, AL?
About 13.4% of people in Decatur, AL live below the federal poverty line.
Has Decatur, AL grown since 1990?
Yes, Decatur, AL has grown since 1990. The population has added about 26,191 residents, a change of about 20 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024