Decatur's population grows by 93 residents
The estimated population of Decatur grew from 68,670 in July 2023 to 68,763 in July 2024 (0.001% increase) according to data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. Hopefully, this one-year increase will be the first of many increases that ultimately reverses Decatur’s long-term population decline. The population decreased 2.5% between the April 1, 2020 census when the population was 70,522, and July 1, 2024, a loss of 1,759 residents. The city’s population has declined 9.6% since 2010 when there were 76,122 residents (https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/decaturcityillinois).
Decatur has several notable differences in areas such as education, economy, income, and housing compared to IL and the U.S. (using U.S. Census Bureau data from 2019-2023). In regards to education, the percent of persons 25 and older with a high school degree or higher is similar in Decatur (91.8%) compared to IL (90.3%), and the U.S. (89.4%). However, the percent of Decatur residents 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher is smaller (21.3%) compared to IL (37.2%) and U.S. (35.0%).
As it pertains to the economy and income, the percentage of the population 16 and older in the labor force is lower in Decatur (55.5%) compared to IL (64.9%) and the U.S. (63.0%). The percentage of females in the population 16 and older in the labor force is also lower in Decatur (51.7%) compared to IL (60.6%) and the U.S. (58.7%). Simultaneously, median household income is lower in Decatur ($50,809) compared to IL ($81,702) and the U.S. ($78,538). The 19.1% poverty rate in Decatur is greater than the national (11.1%) and state (11.6%) averages.
In Decatur, both housing values and the number of owner-occupied housing units are lower than national and state averages. The median value of owner-occupied housing units was $303,400 in the U.S., $250,500 in IL, and $97,300 in Decatur. Owner-occupied housing unit rates are 65.0% in the U.S., 66.8% in IL, and 62.3% in Decatur.
Two of Decatur’s strategic priorities are community revitalization and workforce development, and implementation of strategies in these areas will help narrow the above gaps. However, the pace and magnitude of the city’s initiatives are not adequate. As one example, between January-April 2024, the city demolished 52 dilapidated properties. Between January-April 2025, the city demolished 0 dilapidated properties. Thus, more needs to be done by the city council to help our citizens and improve our city in the years ahead.