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Buying a home in Decatur, Tennessee

The typical owner-occupied home in Decatur is worth about $220,900, 23% below the Tennessee median of $286,700 and 34% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,050 a year in property taxes, about 0.48% of their home's value, lower than the Tennessee rate of 0.50%. The median household earns $42,578 a year, so the median home costs 5.2 times the median income (4.1 times for Tennessee). 58% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 38% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Decatur at a glance

Decatur Tennessee U.S.
Median home value $220,900 $286,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,050 $1,442 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.48% 0.50% 0.94%
Median household income $42,578 $69,595 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 58% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 38% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,393 $1,566 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 21.6% 19.6% 21.0%
Median rent $847 $1,189 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 24.5% 29.5% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1979 1987 1980
Vacant homes 7.6% 10.2% 10.1%
Population 1,898 7,066,383 334,922,499

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 $220,900 with 20% down costs about $1,369 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,737, 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 $58,680 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 39% of the median Decatur household income of $42,578; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $160,000.

The median rent here is $847 a month, so owning the median home costs about $522 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$44,180
Loan amount$176,720
Principal and interest$1,189
Property taxes (0.48% a year)$88
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$92
PMI$0
Total per month$1,369

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$7,732
Loan amount$216,899
Principal and interest$1,459
Property taxes (0.48% a year)$88
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$92
FHA mortgage insurance$98
Total per month$1,737

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Questions about home buying in Decatur

What is the median home value in Decatur?

About $220,900 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 $1,050 a year, which is about 0.48% 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 $1,369 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $58,680 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