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Decatur vs Hartford

Decatur, Michigan versus Hartford, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Decatur

Mixed · objective livability46/100

Hartford

Mixed · objective livability44/100

Decatur and Hartford score about the same overall (46 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorDecaturHartford
Affordability
Median Household Income$56k$36k
Cost of Living$43k$43k
Home Value$115k$92k
Monthly Rent$714$818
Monthly Owner Costs$549$609
Property Tax Rate1.82%1.76%
Income Tax4.30%4.30%
Sales Tax6.00%6.00%
Estimated total tax burden10.06%10.80%
Unemployment6.9%10.7%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)25°F26°F
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F72°F
Annual Precipitation41.7 in38.3 in
Annual Snowfall86.6 in86.6 in
Sunny Days208 days208 days
Summer Humidity62°F62°F
Comfortable Days96 days95 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk29.943.1
Air Quality48 AQI49 AQI
School Quality49.040.6
Violent Crime4122/100k1651/100k
Property Crime1971/100k1128/100k
Community
Population1,8862,565
Median Age34.229.5
Racial Diversity0.290.47
Male/Female Ratio1.110.88
Political LeaningR+12R+12
White (%)77.2%60.4%
Black (%)2.7%2.6%
Hispanic (%)10.6%34.0%
Asian (%)0.7%0.0%
Other / Multiracial (%)8.7%3.1%
Getting Around
Commute Time23 min22 min
Walkability5.0/205.3/20
Airport Distance58 mi57 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access88.1%81.4%
Amenities Nearby26.5138.99
Park & Nature AccessGoodModerate

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 Hartford more affordable?
Hartford has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Decatur's $43k and Hartford's $43k. Median rent is $714 in Decatur versus $818 in Hartford.
Is Decatur or Hartford safer?
Hartford has the lower violent crime rate. Decatur reports 4122/100k and Hartford reports 1651/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Decatur or Hartford?
The median home value is $115k in Decatur and $92k in Hartford, so homes are more affordable in Hartford.
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