What to know before you move: cost, market timing, who it fits.
If you're considering a move to Decatur, GA, the most important variables are the local housing market, the cost structure (taxes, insurance, utilities), and how well the city fits your day-to-day life. This page summarizes the housing market read; pair it with the cost of living page for the full picture.
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.
Prices have come off recent highs (-12.2% from peak). Buyers may have more room to negotiate; sellers should price realistically.
Reasons people move here
- The data is the data: Decatur has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 1-criteria momentum score on this page.
- Data is sourced from public datasets (Zillow, US Census) with full citations on the methodology page.
Things to know first
- Prices actively falling: down 5.8% in the last 12 months — buyer sentiment has flipped. Sellers competing on price.
- 12% off recent peak — buyers are getting through-the-cycle pricing, not the peak.
- Flat or shrinking population: -0.5% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
More about Decatur
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.