DeKalb County · Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta · population 24,482
Where Decatur stands
Home values down 5.8% in the last year.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.
Rent trajectory · last 5 years
Zillow ZORI · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 13.2 price-to-rent ratio, buying generally beats renting in Decatur on a long-enough horizon. The headline math is that one year of mortgage payments approximates 13.2 years of rent — well below the 15+ threshold where ownership starts to dominate.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Decatur has held up across the cycle: home values at $282,893 with +1.8% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.
Decatur is down 5.8% over the last 12 months and the trend isn't flattening. Falling knife rule applies: you don't catch one with your hands, you wait for it to hit the floor and stop moving.
About Decatur
Decatur is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, with an estimated population of 24,482. It anchors the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta metro area. The median home value in Decatur is $282,893 as of 2026-04, down 5.8% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +1.8% annual growth, and the market currently sits about 12% below its 5-year peak. Rents in Decatur average $1,784 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+1.1%). The composite momentum score is 40 of 100 (Cooling). Buyers may find more room to negotiate; sellers should price realistically.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
Playbook
You have leverage. Negotiate price, ask for closing-cost credits, and don't waive inspection. Walk-away power is real in a Cooling market — use it.
Price aggressively (at or below recent sold comps) or be prepared to wait. Concessions — rate buydowns, closing costs, repair credits — are how deals close right now.
Cap rates are more attractive than they were 12 months ago but the appreciation tailwind is gone. Confirm tenant demand, vacancy rates, and exit liquidity before committing capital.
Local safety & alerts
No active National Weather Service alerts for DeKalb County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. DeKalb County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Neighborhoods of Decatur
23 tracked · ranked by median home valueCities like Decatur
Run the numbers for Decatur
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Current weather
Find rentals & listings
Open current Decatur listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local economy & environment
Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.
Cities similar to Decatur
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.