City profile · Georgia · Census ACS 2023

Decatur, GA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Decatur - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

24,470
Residents
$140,480
Median income
$655,900
Median home
$1,820
Median rent (state)

Decatur - the verdict

Nationally, Decatur sits in the 92nd percentile for household income and the 24th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

92nd
percentile, household income
91st
percentile, home value
76th
percentile, median rent
24th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Decatur, GA

Decatur is a small city in Georgia, home to 24,470 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Decatur brings in $140,480 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.3%. Decatur's housing stock carries a median value of $655,900, and the median resident age is 39.6 years. 77.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 63.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 388 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 1286% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2401.3 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Georgia run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Georgia at 96.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,820 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Georgia run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Decatur workers runs 17.2 minutes, with 50.8% driving alone and 34.5% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 94.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

24,470 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Georgia

Median Household Income

$140,480 /yr

Poverty 2.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Georgia average

How does Decatur compare to other US cities?

Here's how Decatur stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 92% higher than other cities
Home value 91% pricier than other cities
Median rent 76% pricier than other cities
Safety 24% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Georgia, Decatur ranks #99 of 165 Georgia cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Decatur's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Georgia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

92ndIncome percentile
24thSafety percentile

92nd percentile nationally for median household income · 24th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Decatur's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Decatur's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 44 Avg. percentile National median
Decatur's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Decatur's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$655,900 9th percentile more affordable than 9% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Decatur $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Decatur, GA Decatur, GA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Decatur, GA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Decatur, GA median $140,480/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Decatur, GA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Decatur, GA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 77.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
24,470
Median Income
$140,480
Median Home Value
$655,900
Median Age
39.6
Poverty Rate
2.3%
Labor force participation
63.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
77.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2401.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
132.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2268.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
41
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
24,000 residents24,500 residents25,000 residents25,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 24,917 residents 25,276 residents ▲ +1.4%
Decatur's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
388
housing units authorized
Single-Family
18
detached homes
Multifamily
370
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
15.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 28
2020 40
2021 75
2022 100
2023 25
2024 388

Permit volume increased 1286% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
17.2 minutes
Drive Alone
50.8%
Carpool
2.9%
Public Transit
4.2%
Walk
5.5%
Work from Home
34.5%
Other
2.1%

Based on 11,321 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Georgia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$125
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Georgia state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Georgia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Decatur sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,820/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
94.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Georgia

Sugar Hill
25,285 people
Griffin
23,650 people
Cartersville
23,617 people
Acworth
22,370 people
Perry
22,243 people
Carrollton
27,058 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Decatur's 24,470 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Saginaw, TX
24,467 people
Zion, IL
24,466 people
Soledad, CA
24,476 people
Fairfax, VA
24,478 people
Faribault, MN
24,458 people
World Golf, FL
24,485 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Decatur's $140,480 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Cooper Landing, AK
$140,500 median income
Crossgate, KY
$140,500 median income
Weston, FL
$140,501 median income
Laguna Beach, CA
$140,508 median income
Buccaneer Bay, NE
$140,517 median income
Lake Oswego, OR
$140,441 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Decatur, GA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Decatur, GA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 67.8% 12.8% 13.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.7% White 67.8% Black or African American 12.8% Asian 5.5% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.6% Two or more races 13.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Decatur compares to nearby Georgia cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Decatur (this city) 24,470 $140,480
Sugar Hill 25,285 $99,479
Griffin 23,650 $44,021
Cartersville 23,617 $78,640
Census ACS 5-year FIPS GA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Decatur, GA?

What is the population of Decatur, GA? +

Decatur, GA counts 24,470 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Decatur, GA? +

In Decatur, the typical household earns $140,480 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Decatur? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Decatur; the closest available measure is the Georgia state average, a cost of living index of 96.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Georgia vary by metro area.

Is Decatur, GA safe? +

Decatur has a total crime rate of 2401.3 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Decatur, GA? +

Decatur's median home value sits at $655,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.