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Buying a home in Decatur, Michigan

The typical owner-occupied home in Decatur is worth about $137,500, 41% below the Michigan median of $231,600 and 59% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,353 a year in property taxes, about 1.71% of their home's value, higher than the Michigan rate of 1.25%. The median household earns $61,806 a year, so the median home costs 2.2 times the median income (3.2 times for Michigan). 77% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 52% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Decatur at a glance

Decatur Michigan U.S.
Median home value $137,500 $231,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,353 $2,904 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.71% 1.25% 0.94%
Median household income $61,806 $72,875 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 77% 73% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 52% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,185 $1,569 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.3% 19.3% 21.0%
Median rent $785 $1,129 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 19.0% 30.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1953 1972 1980
Vacant homes 9.7% 11.8% 10.1%
Population 1,835 10,077,761 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Decatur

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Decatur home of $137,500 with 20% down costs about $993 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,222, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $42,566 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 19% of the median Decatur household income of $61,806; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $200,000.

The median rent here is $785 a month, so owning the median home costs about $208 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$27,500
Loan amount$110,000
Principal and interest$740
Property taxes (1.71% a year)$196
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$57
PMI$0
Total per month$993

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$4,812
Loan amount$135,010
Principal and interest$908
Property taxes (1.71% a year)$196
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$57
FHA mortgage insurance$61
Total per month$1,222

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Questions about home buying in Decatur

What is the median home value in Decatur?

About $137,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Decatur?

Homeowners pay a median $2,353 a year, which is about 1.71% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Decatur?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $993 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $42,566 a year.

More about Decatur

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data