The Town FilesDecatur, Mississippi
Town in Newton County · population 1,945 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $128,900
- Household income
- $50,128
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 44
- Median age
- 21.7
Decatur is a town of 1,945 people in Newton County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $128,900, close to the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks more of a college town than 95% of Mississippi towns, better transit than 76% of Mississippi towns, hipper than 75% of Mississippi towns.
How Decatur ranks
Percentile among Mississippi towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Mississippi towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Decatur is worth $128,900, close to the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $50,128, which is more affordable than 66% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $835 a month. 58.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Decatur | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $128,900 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $835 | $820 |
| Median household income | $50,128 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 58.1% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Decatur
| People | Decatur | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 21.7 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.4% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 17.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.7% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.2% | — |
| Work from home | 2.0% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.1% | 83.3% |
Weather in Decatur
July highs average 93.2°F and January lows 33.0°F. About 58.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.4 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 86 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 64 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
44 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Decatur since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 15 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on November 22, 1992 about 8.6 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 42 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 22, 2005.
Severe weather in Newton County since 1996
Newton County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4899: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3640: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 12, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4727: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes. |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
| August 28, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3569: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Newton County
Newton County had 5,127 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,490 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Decatur itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in Decatur
4 public schools with 1,615 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEWTON COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 823 | 12.1 |
| NEWTON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL | 6-12 | 792 | 14.7 |
| NEWTON COUNTY VOC COMPLEX | PK-12 | — | — |
| EAST CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL | 3-12 | — | — |
Towns near Decatur
- Newton, MS7.5 mi · 3,195 people · home $88,800
- Conehatta, MS9.4 mi · 1,376 people · home $119,200
- Union, MS9.5 mi · 2,042 people · home $138,400
- Collinsville, MS16.0 mi · 1,984 people · home $170,800
- Tucker, MS19.3 mi · 642 people · home $69,700
- Nellieburg, MS19.5 mi · 1,316 people · home $137,500
- Forest, MS21.9 mi · 5,430 people · home $141,100
- Hillsboro, MS21.9 mi · 1,072 people · home $74,500
Decatur questions
Is Decatur, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Decatur scores better for retirees than 63% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 25%. 9.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 21.7).
How much does a house cost in Decatur?
The median owner-occupied home in Decatur is valued at $128,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,128, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $835 a month.
What is the weather like in Decatur?
July highs average 93.2°F and January lows 33.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 58.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.4 inches of snow.
Does Decatur get tornadoes?
44 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Decatur since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on November 22, 1992. The typical Mississippi town has had 31.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)