Decatur vs Florence
Decatur, Alabama versus Florence, Alabama: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Decatur and Florence score about the same overall (46 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Decatur | Florence |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $55k | $47k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $42k |
| Home Value | $170k | $169k |
| Monthly Rent | $801 | $757 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.39% | 0.46% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.29% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.27% | 9.70% |
| Unemployment | 5.1% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.0 in | 57.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.1 in | 0.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 229 days | 261 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 72 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 73.4 | 67.3 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 52.9 | 49.7 |
| Violent Crime | 2526/100k | 2314/100k |
| Property Crime | 2623/100k | 2676/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 57,525 | 40,781 |
| Median Age | 40.4 | 34.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.54 | 0.43 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 0.84 |
| Political Leaning | R+50 | R+45 |
| White (%) | 59.0% | 70.9% |
| Black (%) | 22.7% | 18.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 14.5% | 4.9% |
| Asian (%) | 0.5% | 1.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 8.2/20 | 7.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 72 mi | 102 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 81.2% | 82.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 15.30 | 27.71 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Decatur or Florence more affordable?
- Florence has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Decatur's $45k and Florence's $42k. Median rent is $801 in Decatur versus $757 in Florence.
- Is Decatur or Florence safer?
- Florence has the lower violent crime rate. Decatur reports 2526/100k and Florence reports 2314/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Decatur or Florence?
- The median home value is $170k in Decatur and $169k in Florence, so homes are more affordable in Florence.