Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Decatur | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $228,392 | $158,589 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 16.6% | 7.1% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $864 | $962 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.1% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Decatur is about 44% higher than in Alabama. Rent is about 10% lower than the Alabama average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Decatur, up about 16.6% and 5.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Decatur rose about 43.7% between 2015 and 2023, from $601 to $864. Over the same span, rent in Alabama rose about 34.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 3.8 yearly household incomes in Decatur.
Buying the median-priced home in Decatur costs roughly 22.0 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Decatur. The price-to-rent ratio in Alabama is about 13.7.
| Metric | Decatur | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $228,392 | $158,589 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $59,614 | $62,318 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 3.8 | 2.5 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Decatur rose about 165.8%, while median household income rose about 52.3% between 2009 and 2023 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Decatur | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 57.4% | 59.5% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 35.5% | 25.6% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 7.0% | 15.0% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 13.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2013 | 2010 | 2011 |
Decatur has a homeownership rate of 57.4%, lower than the Alabama average of 59.5%. Its housing vacancy rate is 7.0%, compared with 15.0% in Alabama.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Decatur | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.40 people | 2.50 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1978 | 1985 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Decatur was built around 1978. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.8 rooms, staying for about 13.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Decatur, Alabama.
What is the median home price in Decatur, Alabama?
The median home price in Decatur, Alabama is $228,392, higher than the Alabama average of $158,589.
What is the average home price in Decatur, Alabama?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Decatur, Alabama?
The median gross rent in Decatur, Alabama is $864 per month, lower than the Alabama average of $962.
What was the median gross rent in Decatur in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Decatur, Alabama was $691 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Decatur, Alabama?
The price-to-rent ratio in Decatur, Alabama is about 22.0, meaning it would take roughly 22.0 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Decatur.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Decatur, Alabama?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Decatur, up about 16.6% and 5.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Decatur, Alabama?
57.4% of households in Decatur, Alabama own their home, lower than the Alabama average of 59.5%.
What is the vacancy rate in Decatur, Alabama?
The housing vacancy rate in Decatur, Alabama is 7.0%, lower than the Alabama average of 15.0%.