Metro area profile · Alabama
Decatur, AL metro area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Decatur metro area, each scored against other metro areas.
- Population, 2025
- 160,326
- +2.5% since 2020
- Households
- 62,667
- Median household income
- $68,116
- +35.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $202,500
- Jobs located here
- 58,542
- Highest market score
- 78
- House cleaning, #21 of 375 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Decatur metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Decatur metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 160,326 people live in the Decatur metro area, in 62,667 households. Population estimates show the Decatur metro area grew 2.5% from 2020 to 2025, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Decatur metro area is $68,116 a year, 16% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 35.1% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Decatur metro area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 144, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (68).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Decatur metro area are for house cleaning businesses (78), property management companies (76) and insurance agencies (75). The Decatur metro area ranks #21 of 375 scored metro areas for house cleaning businesses.
The Decatur metro area takes in 2 counties: Morgan County and Lawrence County. For its number of households, the Decatur metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for gas stations (94% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for martial arts and dance studios (61% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Decatur metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Decatur metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| House cleaning | 78 | #21 of 375 | 10 | 1.6 | $8.8M | 138 | 16 |
| Property management | 76 | #14 of 374 | 7 | 1.1 | Index only | 234 | 10 |
| Insurance agencies | 75 | #59 of 387 | 97 | 15.5 | $1.8M | 145 | 54 |
| Real estate | 74 | #22 of 387 | 119 | 19.0 | Index only | 176 | 50 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 72 | #59 of 385 | 30 | 4.8 | $2.9M | 101 | 30 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 71 | #35 of 387 | 96 | 15.3 | Index only | 174 | 32 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 71 | #52 of 387 | 498 | 79.5 | $450K | 121 | 230 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 71 | #55 of 387 | 54 | 8.6 | $1.6M | 97 | 58 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 69 | #36 of 373 | 15 | 2.4 | Index only | 155 | 3 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 67 | #61 of 387 | 48 | 7.7 | $4.7M | 126 | 19 |
| Spas and skin care | 66 | #53 of 387 | 44 | 7.0 | $1.2M | 139 | 7 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 64 | #66 of 387 | 51 | 8.1 | $818K | 124 | 25 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 64 | #84 of 387 | 320 | 51.1 | $208K | 137 | 174 |
| Auto repair and car care | 64 | #92 of 387 | 228 | 36.4 | $280K | 104 | 77 |
| Auto repair shops | 63 | #93 of 387 | 142 | 22.7 | $450K | 101 | 46 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 63 | #105 of 381 | 17 | 2.7 | $3.8M | 122 | 14 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 62 | #104 of 387 | 302 | 48.2 | $741K | 112 | 77 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 62 | #106 of 387 | 52 | 8.3 | $1.3M | 130 | 41 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 62 | #106 of 386 | 23 | 3.7 | $2.3M | 91 | 6 |
| Pet stores | 61 | #114 of 382 | 11 | 1.8 | $4.8M | 107 | 4 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 60 | #92 of 387 | 12 | 1.9 | $3.5M | 172 | 15 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 60 | #118 of 387 | 48 | 7.7 | $4.7M | 113 | 22 |
| Nail salons | 59 | #110 of 387 | 27 | 4.3 | $2M | 118 | 3 |
| Physical therapy | 58 | #138 of 386 | 22 | 3.5 | $3M | 126 | 19 |
| Laundromats | 56 | #139 of 364 | 7 | 1.1 | $16.1M | 129 | Under 3 |
| Pizza | 55 | #154 of 387 | 35 | 5.6 | $6.4M | 126 | 129 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 54 | #153 of 387 | 250 | 39.9 | $214K | 100 | 31 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 53 | #184 of 387 | 128 | 20.4 | $879K | 100 | 35 |
| Car washes and detailing | 52 | #179 of 387 | 25 | 4.0 | $2.6M | 102 | 12 |
| Gyms | 51 | #185 of 387 | 38 | 6.1 | $1.1M | 84 | 10 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 49 | #199 of 387 | 73 | 11.6 | $3.1M | 101 | 129 |
| Pet businesses | 49 | #202 of 387 | 73 | 11.6 | $727K | 83 | 30 |
| Electricians | 48 | #208 of 383 | 14 | 2.2 | $12.2M | 102 | 46 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 48 | #217 of 387 | 99 | 15.8 | $1.1M | 89 | 35 |
| Dry cleaners | 46 | #163 of 272 | 6 | 1.0 | $18.8M | 120 | Under 3 |
| Hair salons | 46 | #229 of 387 | 140 | 22.3 | $381K | 89 | 19 |
| Chiropractors | 45 | #221 of 386 | 27 | 4.3 | $2.5M | 103 | 17 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 45 | #250 of 386 | 20 | 3.2 | $3.3M | 106 | 11 |
| Funeral homes | 44 | #214 of 377 | 15 | 2.4 | $600K | 88 | 9 |
| Roofing and gutters | 44 | #240 of 381 | 24 | 3.8 | $7.1M | 84 | 13 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 41 | #261 of 387 | 125 | 19.9 | $2.9M | 86 | 38 |
| Convenience stores | 39 | #267 of 387 | 62 | 9.9 | $5.9M | 75 | 15 |
| Grocery stores | 39 | #270 of 387 | 44 | 7.0 | $8.3M | 89 | 23 |
| Child care and preschools | 38 | #278 of 387 | 31 | 4.9 | $837K | 84 | 40 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 37 | #291 of 387 | 48 | 7.7 | $1.4M | 78 | 82 |
| Veterinarians | 35 | #295 of 384 | 25 | 4.0 | $2.1M | 78 | 20 |
| Pest control | 34 | #281 of 345 | 14 | 2.2 | $6.3M | 62 | 12 |
| Gas stations | 34 | #300 of 387 | 133 | 21.2 | $1.6M | 65 | 110 |
| Home repair trades | 33 | #333 of 387 | 90 | 14.4 | $1.9M | 78 | 130 |
| Tire shops | 31 | #313 of 386 | 37 | 5.9 | $1.7M | 69 | 15 |
| Barbershops | 29 | #337 of 387 | 37 | 5.9 | $1.4M | 77 | Under 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 25 | #370 of 387 | 52 | 8.3 | $3.3M | 69 | 71 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.5 | $21.3M | 155 | 4 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.2 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.2 | $41.7M | Too few | 10 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 4 |
Household spending in the Decatur metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $63.9M | $1,020 | 106 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $206.4M | $3,294 | 127 |
| Food away from home | $223.9M | $3,572 | 88 |
| Groceries | $365.6M | $5,834 | 92 |
| Personal care products and services | $53.4M | $852 | 85 |
| Child care and other personal services | $26M | $414 | 71 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $41.7M | $666 | 68 |
| Medical and dental services | $66.7M | $1,064 | 83 |
| Pets | $53.1M | $847 | 93 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $112.5M | $1,796 | 87 |
| Vehicle insurance | $176.7M | $2,820 | 144 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $170.9M | $2,727 | 90 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $88.4M | $1,410 | 100 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $909.8M | $14,518 | 87 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Decatur metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 160,326+2.5% since 2020
- Households
- 62,667
- Median age
- 41.4
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 75%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 1,270 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 124
- Median household income
- $68,116+35.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $87,472
- Median home value
- $202,500
- Jobs located here
- 58,542
- Daytime population
- 149,857Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Decatur metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Decatur metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Decatur metro area 2
- Morgan County, AL124,471 people
- Lawrence County, AL33,276 people
Other markets based in Alabama 12
- Birmingham, AL metro area1,184,613 people
- Huntsville, AL metro area516,951 people
- Mobile, AL metro area412,590 people
- Montgomery, AL metro area386,024 people
- Tuscaloosa, AL metro area278,526 people
- Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL metro area246,989 people
- Auburn-Opelika, AL metro area199,825 people
- Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL metro area153,852 people
- Dothan, AL metro area152,674 people
- Anniston-Oxford, AL metro area116,090 people
- Gadsden, AL metro area103,105 people
- Albertville, AL area99,748 people
Questions
How fast is the Decatur, AL metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Decatur metro area at 160,326 people in 2025, up 2.5% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 62,667 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 35.1%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Decatur, AL metro area spend?
Households in the Decatur metro area spend about $909.8M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $365.6M on groceries and $223.9M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Decatur metro area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 144, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (68).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Decatur, AL metro area?
Of the business types scored in the Decatur metro area, house cleaning businesses (78), property management companies (76) and insurance agencies (75) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For house cleaning businesses, that ranks #21 of 375 scored metro areas.
How does the Decatur, AL metro area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Decatur metro area is $68,116, 16% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 2.5% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $202,500, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for gas stations (94% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for martial arts and dance studios (61% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 52 of the 56 business types have a score in the Decatur metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Decatur metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Decatur metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Decatur metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.