Decatur, IL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Decatur, IL Summary

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 Illinois, 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 78, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Decatur is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Decatur ranks as the #7 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Decatur ranks as the #46 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Decatur is $102,006.

  • The median income in Decatur is $50,809.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
78
Decatur's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Decatur, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Decatur has an overall cost of living index of 78, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Decatur has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than Illinois's index of 97.

The standard of living in Decatur ranks as #7 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Decatur ranks as the #329 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Decatur, check out:

7 out of 336
In Illinois
46 out of 6,489
In America

Decatur Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

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 83.

  • The Groceries index in Decatur is 95.

  • The Health index in Decatur is 81.

  • The Housing index in Decatur is 54.

  • The Transportation index in Decatur is 94.

  • The Utilities index in Decatur is 89.

Living Expense Decatur Illinois National Average
Overall 78 97 100
Services 83 95 100
Groceries 95 99 100
Health 81 93 100
Housing 54 95 100
Transportation 94 102 100
Utilities 89 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Decatur Cost of Living Vs. IL

Decatur, IL Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, 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 $102,006.

  • The Median Rent in Decatur is $796.

  • The Median Income in Decatur is $50,809.

  • The Home Value To Income in Decatur is 2.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Decatur is 0.19x.

Statistic Decatur Illinois United States
Median Home Value $102,006 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $796 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $50,809 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.0x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.18x 0.21x
$102,006
Median Home Value
$796
Median Rent
$50,809
Median Income

Decatur, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Decatur Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Decatur Illinois
Shampoo $1.22 $1.28
Movie $14.03 $12.13
Bowling $15.58 $18
Haircut $35.5 $24.26
Beauty Salon $44.28 $45.56

Detailed Decatur Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Decatur Illinois
Ground Beef $5.86 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.38 $1.57
Milk $4.69 $4.67
Potatoes $5.11 $4.93
Pizza $13.74 $12.09
Beer $10.08 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.85 $3.7

Detailed Decatur Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Decatur Illinois
Optometrist $117.14 $125.68
Doctor $149.89 $135.78
Dentist $110.0 $113.29

Detailed Decatur Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Decatur Illinois
Gasoline $4.03 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.1 $59.92

Detailed Decatur Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Decatur Illinois
All Electricity $126.6 $193.99
Phone $198.23 $192.25

Decatur SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
4
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
8.5
Safety
6
Amenities
9
Education
7
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Decatur

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:

  • Springfield, IL has a cost of living index of 87, 1.1x Decatur.

  • Champaign, IL has a cost of living index of 95, 1.2x Decatur.

  • Bloomington, IL has a cost of living index of 98, 1.3x Decatur.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Decatur
Springfield, IL 113,714 87 1.1x
Champaign, IL 88,822 95 1.2x
Bloomington, IL 78,703 98 1.3x
Normal, IL 52,908 101 1.3x
Urbana, IL 38,447 91 1.2x
Chatham, IL 14,740 98 1.3x
Mahomet, IL 9,755 104 1.3x
Savoy, IL 8,807 105 1.3x
Monticello, IL 6,332 99 1.3x
Mount Zion, IL 6,076 84 1.1x

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