Cost of living in Decatur research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Decatur is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Alabama, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Decatur is 90, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Decatur is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Decatur ranks as the #48 cheapest in Alabama out of 119.
Decatur ranks as the #1,206 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Decatur is $221,939.
The median income in Decatur is $59,831.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Decatur has an overall cost of living index of 90, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Alabama, Decatur has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Alabama's index of 90.
The standard of living in Decatur ranks as #48 most affordable out of the 119 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Decatur ranks as the #71 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.
For more reading on life in Decatur, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Decatur. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Decatur is 93.
The Groceries index in Decatur is 97.
The Health index in Decatur is 83.
The Housing index in Decatur is 76.
The Transportation index in Decatur is 89.
The Utilities index in Decatur is 98.
| Living Expense | Decatur | Alabama | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 90 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 93 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 97 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 83 | 86 | 100 | |
| Housing | 76 | 74 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 89 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 98 | 102 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Alabama, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Decatur is $221,939.
The Median Rent in Decatur is $861.
The Median Income in Decatur is $59,831.
The Home Value To Income in Decatur is 3.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Decatur is 0.17x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Decatur. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Huntsville, AL has a cost of living index of 99, 1.1x Decatur.
Madison, AL has a cost of living index of 107, 1.2x Decatur.
Florence, AL has a cost of living index of 85, 0.9x Decatur.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Decatur |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL | 218,814 | 99 | 1.1x |
| Madison, AL | 58,335 | 107 | 1.2x |
| Florence, AL | 41,231 | 85 | 0.9x |
| Athens, AL | 27,474 | 91 | 1.0x |
| Albertville, AL | 22,584 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Cullman, AL | 18,894 | 89 | 1.0x |
| Muscle Shoals, AL | 16,670 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Hartselle, AL | 15,586 | 88 | 1.0x |
| Pulaski, TN | 8,305 | 86 | 1.0x |
| Fayetteville, TN | 7,037 | 89 | 1.0x |