Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Decatur gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $236K for a typical one, or 3.6 years of the Decatur area’s $65K median household income. It grades B overall, ranked 298th of 585 in Indiana. The low prices come with trade-offs. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 83% of the country. 34% of working residents work locally in Decatur, above both Indiana’s towns (11%) and U.S. towns (8%). Its National Register listings include Adams County Courthouse and Charles Dugan House.
Where Decatur beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Indiana), ordered by how far Decatur is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 231 in 1850, 9,913 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1873 and 3 maps from 1962 on.
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Decatur, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Decatur.
1.5 miles of trail in 18 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Kekionga Park, at 54 acres.
| Decatur | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.9% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hanna Nuttman Park | 0.5 mi | 46 |
| 2. Kekionga Park | 0.2 mi | 54 |
| 3. Homestead Park | — | 18 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
42% of adults have obesity in Decatur. Decatur beats the Indiana average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 15% of adults have diabetes in Decatur.
| Decatur | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 39% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 14% |
| What stands out | Decatur | IN |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 22.9% | 15.4% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.1% | 8.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.2% | 6.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Decatur has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 19° and about 28 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
About one in 3 of Decatur’s working residents works in town. The median household income in Decatur is $59,000. The top destinations are Fort Wayne (20%), Berne (5%) and Bluffton (4%).
| Decatur | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,000 | $71,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Decatur's reported crime rate is well below Indiana's. Decatur’s property crime rate is 3.9 per 1,000 residents. 19 violent crimes were reported in 2025.
| Decatur | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.9 per 1,000 residents | 8.6 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.9 per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Home values rose 46% in five years, to about $236K, against 29% across Indiana.
Typical home values rose 7.1% in the year to September 2026.
| Decatur | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $820 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 77% | 76% | 73% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 51% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 76 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Decatur.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
None within 15 miles of Decatur; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Decatur residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Indiana.
5 places in Decatur on the National Register of Historic Places.
10 notable people were born in Decatur.
City in Indiana, United States
Decatur is a city in Root and Washington townships, Adams County, Indiana, United States. It is the county seat (and the largest community) of Adams County. Decatur is home to Adams Memorial Hospital, which was designated as one of the "Top 100" Critical Access Hospitals in the United States. The population of Decatur was 9,913 at the 2020 census, up from 9,405 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Decatur grades B overall, better than 60% of U.S. towns and #298 of 585 in Indiana. It grades C− for health and B for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a C−.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
10 notable people were born here, including David Smith and Richard McKinney.
