The Town FilesDecatur, Tennessee
Town in Meigs County · population 1,563 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $220,900
- Household income
- $42,578
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 42.4
Decatur is a town of 1,563 people in Meigs County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $220,900, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks quieter than 82% of Tennessee towns.
How Decatur ranks
Percentile among Tennessee towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Tennessee towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Decatur is worth $220,900, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $42,578, which is more affordable than 10% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $847 a month. 57.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Decatur | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $220,900 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $847 | $863 |
| Median household income | $42,578 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 57.7% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Decatur
| People | Decatur | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.4 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.9% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.1% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 34.3% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 3.3% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.3% | 88.2% |
Weather in Decatur
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 27.6°F. About 57.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.4 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 46 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 99 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Decatur since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 2, 1953 about 1.0 miles from the town center and killed 4. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 10 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on January 12, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on March 29, 1997.
Severe weather in Meigs County since 1996
Meigs County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 27, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4742: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| May 17, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4712: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
Jobs and pay in Meigs County
Meigs County had 1,933 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,796 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Decatur itself the ACS puts it at 23.1%.
Public schools in Decatur
4 public schools with 1,786 students, about 14.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meigs County High School | 9-12 | 554 | 15.4 |
| Meigs North Elementary | PK-5 | 446 | 14.4 |
| Meigs South Elementary | PK-5 | 406 | 14.0 |
| Meigs Middle School | 6-8 | 380 | 14.1 |
Towns near Decatur
- Riceville, TN11.0 mi · 688 people · home $286,500
- Spring City, TN11.6 mi · 1,949 people · home $166,700
- Athens, TN11.7 mi · 14,084 people · home $225,000
- Dayton, TN12.3 mi · 7,065 people · home $214,900
- Niota, TN13.7 mi · 772 people · home $156,300
- Calhoun, TN16.0 mi · 536 people · home $179,700
- Graysville, TN16.9 mi · 1,471 people · home $104,700
- Charleston, TN16.9 mi · 664 people · home $217,400
Decatur questions
Is Decatur, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Decatur scores better for retirees than 35% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 82%. 22.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.4).
How much does a house cost in Decatur?
The median owner-occupied home in Decatur is valued at $220,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,578, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is $847 a month.
What is the weather like in Decatur?
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 27.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.6 inches of precipitation a year and 2.4 inches of snow.
Does Decatur get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Decatur since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 2, 1953. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.
- 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)