Jobs, pay and daily life in Decatur, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Decatur is a city in Alabama with 57,361 residents. The median household earns $61,563 a year and the median rent is $896 a month, which is 17.5% of the median household income. It is part of the Decatur, AL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 61,240 jobs.
How Decatur compares. Among the 80 largest places in Alabama, Decatur is #10 by population, #22 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #57 for college degrees (#1 = most), #52 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Morgan County, is #11 of 67 counties for average pay ($59,944).
Decatur has 57,361 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.1% of the population of Alabama. It covers 55 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,051 people per square mile. The median age is 39.7, about the same as the state median (39.7 against 39.3).
The median gross rent is $896 a month (rent plus utilities), 11% below the state median ($896 against $1,007). Over a year that is 17.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $210,200, which is 3.4 times the median household income ($61,563); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 63.3% of households own their home, 10% below the state average (63.3% against 70.2%).
The Decatur, AL metropolitan area has 61,240 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,280 a year, 9% below the national median ($46,280 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (10,210 jobs, median $46,390); transportation and material moving (6,360 jobs, median $41,610); office and administrative support (5,780 jobs, median $43,510). The area is most specialised in production (3.0 times) and transportation and material moving (1.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($46,390) and office and administrative support ($43,510). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Morgan County was 3.1%. 58.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Morgan County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 80.3% drive alone, 0.5% use public transit, 1.2% walk, 6.6% work from home. 10.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 27% below the state average (10.7% against 14.7%).
22.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 21% below the state share (22.4% against 28.4%). 8.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 113% above the state share (8.5% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 13.1%, 16% below the state rate (13.1% against 15.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 39°F (4.0°C). About 1,397 mm (55 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (151 mm) and Oct the driest (93 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Hartselle (10 miles, rent 10% lower); Athens (14 miles, similar rent); Madison (16 miles, rent 62% higher); Huntsville (20 miles, rent 31% higher). Rent differences are against Decatur; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Alabama (395) →State guide: AlabamaCountry guideMorgan CountyAlabama rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 395 federal postings open in Alabama (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Alabama →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,830 | 3.30 | $43,120 | $28,800 | $52,400 | -3% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,580 | 1.03 | $31,550 | $23,310 | $45,960 | -11% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,420 | 1.75 | $59,390 | $41,920 | $80,170 | +1% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,280 | 0.84 | $25,720 | $21,630 | $29,810 | -18% |
| Cashiers | 1,260 | 1.03 | $28,880 | $21,410 | $35,690 | -12% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,260 | 1.87 | $43,900 | $29,770 | $59,810 | -8% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,200 | 1.07 | $32,120 | $29,470 | $44,650 | -14% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,140 | 0.67 | $27,430 | $22,110 | $34,140 | -23% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,090 | 0.93 | $36,160 | $27,760 | $50,870 | -10% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,080 | 1.25 | $30,410 | $26,720 | $37,090 | -17% |
| Registered Nurses | 960 | 0.72 | $68,320 | $51,170 | $91,740 | -30% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 950 | 3.57 | $84,270 | $51,820 | $131,990 | +13% |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 950 | 5.47 | $76,990 | $46,770 | $104,380 | +19% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 920 | 3.65 | $28,480 | $23,560 | $34,660 | -8% |
| General and Operations Managers | 850 | 0.61 | $117,380 | $54,080 | $255,630 | +11% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 710 | 0.69 | $41,070 | $30,690 | $55,810 | -8% |
| Construction Laborers | 690 | 1.60 | $37,680 | $22,750 | $54,250 | -20% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 670 | 0.75 | $27,010 | $16,210 | $36,060 | -23% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 660 | 1.49 | $47,090 | $28,900 | $77,300 | -3% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 620 | 1.26 | $71,110 | $40,250 | $137,570 | -1% |
These figures are for the whole Decatur, AL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,280 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.1% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 21.8% |
| Education and health care | 14.5% |
| Retail trade | 12.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 11.5% |
| Construction | 10.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.7% |
| Other services | 4.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.5% |
| Public administration | 3.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.8% |
| Information | 1.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Decatur lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Limestone County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan County | 124,471 | $8,389 million | $67,396 | 52,617 | 3,362 | $59,944 | +1.7% | 3.1% | 62,008 |
| Limestone County | 111,233 | $6,971 million | $62,669 | 34,080 | 2,050 | $62,717 | +4.9% | 3.0% | 59,309 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 13,573 | 30.2% | $84,199 | 3.14 |
| Retail trade | 5,620 | 12.5% | $36,771 | 1.07 |
| Health care and social assistance | 4,428 | 9.8% | $47,104 | 0.59 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,406 | 9.8% | $21,081 | 0.92 |
| Construction | 3,790 | 8.4% | $73,671 | 1.37 |
| Administrative and waste services | 3,314 | 7.4% | $33,549 | 1.07 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,162 | 4.8% | $68,802 | 1.04 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,646 | 3.7% | $76,652 | 0.45 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,526 | 3.4% | $66,411 | 0.68 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,321 | 2.9% | $78,150 | 0.62 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,147 | 2.5% | $50,113 | 0.72 |
| Management of companies | 604 | 1.3% | $114,363 | 0.68 |
| Real estate and rental | 475 | 1.1% | $53,074 | 0.58 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 337 | 0.7% | $19,768 | 0.38 |
| Information | 301 | 0.7% | $76,417 | 0.31 |
| Educational services | 125 | 0.3% | $30,521 | 0.11 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 98 | 0.2% | $74,248 | 0.49 |
| Utilities | 80 | 0.2% | $158,710 | 0.40 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 65 | 0.1% | $51,500 | 0.15 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 80.3% |
| Public transit | 0.5% |
| Walk | 1.2% |
| Work from home | 6.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 10.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,563 |
| Income per person | $34,685 |
| Median gross rent per month | $896 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.5% |
| Median home value | $210,200 |
| Homeowners | 63.3% |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 87.2 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $46,280 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 84.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 22.4% |
| Born abroad | 8.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 58.9% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.0 | 39 | 119 |
| Feb | 6.2 | 43 | 135 |
| Mar | 10.9 | 52 | 125 |
| Apr | 15.7 | 60 | 125 |
| May | 20.4 | 69 | 117 |
| Jun | 24.8 | 77 | 103 |
| Jul | 26.6 | 80 | 121 |
| Aug | 26.5 | 80 | 104 |
| Sep | 23.2 | 74 | 99 |
| Oct | 16.8 | 62 | 93 |
| Nov | 10.2 | 50 | 105 |
| Dec | 5.9 | 43 | 151 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartselle | AL | 10 mi | 15,847 | $76,290 | $804 |
| Athens | AL | 14 mi | 29,002 | $69,922 | $899 |
| Madison | AL | 16 mi | 60,106 | $134,655 | $1,453 |
| Huntsville | AL | 20 mi | 222,791 | $74,714 | $1,171 |
| Cullman | AL | 29 mi | 19,319 | $61,224 | $925 |
| Meridianville | AL | 31 mi | 11,150 | $97,434 | $1,348 |
| Muscle Shoals | AL | 38 mi | 16,951 | $75,894 | $1,029 |
| Tuscumbia | AL | 42 mi | 9,115 | $59,143 | $748 |
| Florence | AL | 42 mi | 41,701 | $52,174 | $820 |
| Sheffield | AL | 42 mi | 9,340 | $39,733 | $829 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
57,361 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$896 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.5% of the median household income.
$61,563 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.1% (BLS county, Morgan County (latest month 2026M09)).
Alabama. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.