Median Income
$129,992
household / year
Median Home Value
$654,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,611
gross / month
Cost of Living
101
national avg = 100

Is Decatur, GA a Good Place to Live?

Decatur is a small city of 24,421 in Georgia, with a median household income of $129,992 and a 3.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is 1% above the national average.

Strengths: Decatur stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Decatur is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Decatur city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 100.9

Decatur's overall cost of living index is 100.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Decatur costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.

Metric Decatur, GA National Avg
Median Home Value $654,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,611 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 64.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $129,992 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Decatur's violent crime rate is 132.7 per 100,000 residents — 65% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
132.7 /100k
Property Crime
2268.6 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Decatur is served primarily by City Schools of Decatur. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Decatur, GA National Avg
School District City Schools of Decatur —
Elementary Schools 7 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 12.2:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 74.6% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 95.9% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Decatur sees average highs of 51.9°F in January and 89.4°F in July, with 53.2 inches of annual precipitation and 0.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricDecatur, GA
Average High — January51.9°F
Average High — July89.4°F
Annual Precipitation53.2"
Annual Snowfall0.5"

Demographics

MetricDecatur, GANational Avg
Population24,421—
Median Age38.738.9
Unemployment Rate3.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time26.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)68.6%59.3%
Black or African American14.6%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino5.4%18.9%
Asian4.3%6.3%
Under 1830.5%22.2%
65 and over13.3%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Avondale Estates, GA 2 mi Druid Hills, GA 2 mi Scottdale, GA 2 mi North Decatur, GA 3 mi Belvedere Park, GA 3 mi

ZIP Codes in Decatur

Decatur, GA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

30030

Decatur vs Other Cities

Decatur, GA vs Avondale Estates, GA Decatur, GA vs Druid Hills, GA Decatur, GA vs Scottdale, GA Decatur, GA vs North Decatur, GA Decatur, GA vs Belvedere Park, GA

Frequently Asked Questions

Decatur's cost of living index is 101, where 100 is the national average. That puts Decatur roughly 1% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $654,400 and median rent is $1,611/month.
Decatur's violent crime rate is 132.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2268.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Decatur are operated by City Schools of Decatur. The district has 7 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.2:1. 74.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Decatur, GA has a population of 24,421, a median household income of $129,992, and an unemployment rate of 3.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Decatur averages 51.9°F in January and 89.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 53.2 inches with about 0.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Decatur, GA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 30030.
The population of Decatur, Georgia is 24,421 with a median age of 38.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Decatur: cost of living index 101 (100 = US average), median home $654,400, median household income $129,992, crime index 64 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Decatur side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.