Living in Decatur (Alabama)

Decatur (Alabama) is a large place in Alabama, United States, home to 55,437 people. Of the 29 household profiles on Nestlyzer, its strongest are low-income households (top 3%, #229 of 9,771), movers on a budget (top 4%, #403 of 12,111), first-time home buyers (top 13%, #967 of 8,006).

Residents55,437

Density– per km²

Area– km²

Hub airport118 km (Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International)

Nearest city of 100k+36 km

Within 30 km157,500 people

Lake shore1 km (Lake Wheeler)

Climate typeHumid subtropical (Cfa)

Terrain around itabout 170 m, height range 60 m

Nearest large lakeWheeler Lake, 1.1 km

Nearest major riverTennessee, 8.5 km

Main railway line2.0 km

Distance to Washington, D.C.1,008 km

Within 10 km58,627 people

Winter daylight9 h 50 min, sunset 23:41

See Decatur (Alabama) on the map

Open in Nestlyzer

Good to know about Decatur (Alabama)

Wheeler Lake is 1.1 km away.
On the shortest day the sun is up for 9 h 50 min and sets around 23:41; in late June it sets around 3:04.

How Decatur (Alabama) ranks

Scores run 0 to 100 against every municipality in United States. Ranks count only the places that pass each profile's minimums, so the totals differ by profile. Local data: official statistics on affordability, green space, education and family, health and elderly, jobs and economy, lifestyle and amenities, mobility and connectivity and safety and community (local or regional figures, sources on every place page) plus population and geography.

Profile	Score	In United States	In Alabama
Young family	39	#8,604 of 11,898	#78 of 206	Map
Low-income household	64	#229 of 9,771	#3 of 168	Map
Low-income family	47	#3,618 of 8,006	#41 of 123	Map
Single parent	45	#3,856 of 6,237	#42 of 95	Map
Pensioner couple	60	#4,577 of 9,474	#23 of 150	Map
Single pensioner	49	#7,403 of 9,474	#50 of 150	Map
Early retiree	57	#6,348 of 10,762	#24 of 184	Map
Single professional	37	#3,768 of 4,537	#26 of 56	Map
Young professional	37	#3,829 of 4,444	#33 of 58	Map
DINKS		not ranked: below the minimum for regional access	–	Map
Remote worker	65	#1,027 of 7,271	#5 of 119	Map
Commuter	55	#4,937 of 6,227	#55 of 84	Map
Car-free household		not ranked: below the minimum for regional access	–	Map
Student		not ranked: below the minimum for campus	–	Map
First-home buyer	60	#967 of 8,006	#19 of 123	Map
Budget-constrained mover	61	#403 of 12,111	#2 of 215	Map
Urban lifestyle seeker		not ranked: below the minimum for regional access	–	Map
Expat professional	38	#5,309 of 7,271	#44 of 119	Map
Healthcare-first mover	32	#8,456 of 9,474	#81 of 150	Map
Nature-focused household	48	#9,710 of 18,063	#131 of 350	Map
Cross-border commuter		not ranked: must-have: a border within 45 km where pay is higher on the other side	–	Map
Outdoor and mountain lover	41	#3,053 of 16,523	#18 of 311	Map
Rural value seeker	51	#6,762 of 18,063	#143 of 350	Map
High-net-worth mover	43	#9,895 of 16,523	#57 of 311	Map
Lottery winner	49	#6,615 of 21,167	#45 of 422	Map
Climate-resilient relocation	64	#5,259 of 12,111	#20 of 215	Map
Coastal living	70	#1,625 of 6,413	#7 of 79	Map
Business owner	45	#6,905 of 12,111	#77 of 215	Map
Digital native	43	#3,057 of 4,750	#17 of 60	Map

Strengths and trade-offs

Sea or lake shore100
Services nearby (people within 10 km: shops, doctors, cafes, transport)100
Climate exposure (estimate: coastal and river flooding, heat; 100 = low)92
University-town character (universities relative to the people nearby)92
Universities in town (universities and universities of applied sciences within 10 km)88
Climate (mild and sunny: climate class and winter daylight)77
Affordability72
Freight access (motorway, rail, port)70
Foundation62
Jobs and economy57
Flat land (terrain relief)47
Mobility and connectivity43
One-day truck radius (residents within 300 km, across borders)40
Home market (residents of the same country within 150 km)39
Health and elderly39
Green space38
Lifestyle and amenities38
Mountains and water (terrain relief, lakes and the sea nearby)37
Market reach (residents within 100 km, across borders)33
Education and family28
Safety and community25
City scale (people within 10 km: big-city life, transit, scenes)24
Port access (major sea or inland port)0
Chemical park nearby (sites with pipeline links)0
National border nearby (straight line)0
Financial centre (banking and capital markets) within commuting distance0
Commodity-trading or gold hub within commuting distance0
Crypto hub within commuting distance0
Wealth-management centre within commuting distance0

Nearby

Data: Eurostat GISCO LAU 2024; locations EDJNet LAU centres; airports OurAirports; coastline Natural Earth. Updated 2026-10-31. Rankings are decision aids, not advice.