Living in Decatur, IL
Small city in Illinois
Decatur is a small city in Illinois, home to about 70,000 people, with 159,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly houses.
Is Decatur a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $139k and rents for $1,380 a month
- Mild summers: highs around 84°F
- Dog-friendly: 3 dog parks within 9 mi
- Low natural disaster risk: 3 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Fewer graduates: 21% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
- Smaller job market: about 159,000 people live within 31 mi
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Decatur ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Decatur: common questions
What is the cost of living in Decatur?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $139k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,380 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 88, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Decatur?
Illinois collects about $2,002 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.21% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Decatur safe?
Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.4× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Decatur?
Decatur has cold winters: winter days average around 37°F and summer days around 84°F, with roughly 14″ of snow a year.
Does Decatur get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, cold waves and earthquakes: 3 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.09 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Decatur?
The nearest major airport is STL, about 108 mi away.
How Decatur scores
Each bar compares Decatur with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Decatur right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.