Decatur vs Lake
Decatur, Mississippi versus Lake, Mississippi: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lake edges out Decatur on overall objective livability (51 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Decatur | Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $44k | $56k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $45k |
| Home Value | $104k | $82k |
| Monthly Rent | $723 | $775 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $256 | $121 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.88% | — |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 7.06% | 7.06% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.40% | 7.33% |
| Unemployment | 10.8% | 0.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 46°F | 46°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 59.8 in | 59.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.4 in | 0.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 256 days | 256 days |
| Summer Humidity | 71°F | 71°F |
| Comfortable Days | 75 days | 77 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 77.9 | 70.3 |
| Air Quality | 41 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 35.8 | 35.8 |
| Violent Crime | 0/100k | 75/100k |
| Property Crime | 0/100k | 131/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 2,325 | 512 |
| Median Age | 21.9 | 33.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.54 | 0.52 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.87 | 0.84 |
| Political Leaning | R+39 | R+39 |
| White (%) | 51.9% | 55.1% |
| Black (%) | 43.4% | 41.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.9% | 0.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 3.9/20 | 5.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 157 mi | 171 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 74.6% | 83.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 39.06 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
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 Lake more affordable?
- Lake has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Decatur's $45k and Lake's $45k. Median rent is $723 in Decatur versus $775 in Lake.
- Is Decatur or Lake safer?
- Decatur has the lower violent crime rate. Decatur reports 0/100k and Lake reports 75/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Decatur or Lake?
- The median home value is $104k in Decatur and $82k in Lake, so homes are more affordable in Lake.