Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Earle vs Decatur

236 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (3× in Decatur) and growth since 2010 (+28.6 pts in Decatur).

×
Earle, ARHomes around $70KArkansas · 1,520 people
×
Decatur, AROne of the safest townsArkansas · 1,567 people
Swap order
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

EarleHomes around $70K
Housing$70K typical home69% below the AR typical home Health100% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 2%of AR districts All about Earle →
DecaturOne of the safest towns
SafetySafer than 18%of U.S. towns we grade SchoolsBetter than 29%of AR districts Housing$280K typical home23% above the AR typical home All about Decatur →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Property tax bill3×
Tax bills are bigger in Decatur
Decatur $832Earle $277
Growth since 2010+28.6 pts
Decatur has grown faster since 2010
Decatur +4.4%Earle -24.2%
Home values+79%
Homes cost more in Decatur
Decatur $157,600Earle $87,900
Street grid2.5×
Earle has the more walkable street grid
Earle 51.3Decatur 20.4
Jobs per worker2.5×
Decatur is more of a job hub
Decatur 0.65Earle 0.26
Average commute10 min
Decatur has the shorter commute
Earle 31 minDecatur 21 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,200 more a month in Decatur

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Earle$390/mo
Typical home $70K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.32% · or rent about $583/mo · Housing →
Decatur$1,590/mo
Typical home $280K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.53% · or rent about $813/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,200 a month, about $14,400 a year, between Decatur and Earle.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Arkansas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
CEarleSafer than 31% of U.S. towns C−DecaturSafer than 18% of U.S. towns
Schools
D−EarleBetter than 2% of districts in the state CDecaturBetter than 29% of districts in the state
Health
D−EarleHealthier than under 1% of U.S. towns C+DecaturHealthier than 42% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
EarleDecatur
Snow a year2″13″
January low32°F29°F
July high92°F93°F
Growing season (days)231d204d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)80th48th
Outdoors & history
EarleDecatur
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land0%0%
National Register places32
Archive photos6—
Famous people born here61
Community
EarleDecatur
Library hours a week21 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

236 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

EarleARDecaturAR
Earle ↔ Decatur236 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

EarleDecatur
People
Population 1,520Lowest 1,567Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -24.2%Lowest AR: +3.3% +4.4%Highest AR: +3.3%
Median age 32.5±14Lowest 16% below AR 36.4±3.7Highest 5% below AR
Decatur and Earle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 29%±6.9Highest AR: 23.1% 23.4%±5.7Lowest AR: 23.1%
Earle and Decatur are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.1%±6Highest AR: 17.6% 13%±3.9Lowest AR: 17.6%
Earle and Decatur are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.6%Highest AR: 25.7% 9%Lowest AR: 25.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.2%±6.2Highest AR: 5.1% 5.1%±4.5Lowest AR: 5.1%
Earle and Decatur are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $32,197±$19kLowest 47% below AR $45,179±$9kHighest 26% below AR
Decatur and Earle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $87,900±$33kLowest 53% below AR $157,600±$13kHighest 16% below AR
Rentmedian gross, monthly $583±$164Lowest 38% below AR $813±$145Highest 14% below AR
Decatur and Earle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $277Lowest 73% below AR $832Highest 20% below AR
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 45.7%±21.3Highest AR: 44.8% 25.7%±11.5Lowest AR: 44.8%
Earle and Decatur are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 36.2%Highest AR: 16% 11.8%Lowest AR: 16%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 35.9%Lowest AR: 66.4% 38.6%Highest AR: 66.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1970Lowest 17 yrs older than AR 1994Highest 7 yrs newer than AR
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 37% above AR 21 minLowest 8% below AR
Work from home 9.3%±8.1Highest AR: 8.8% 3%±2.9Lowest AR: 8.8%
Earle and Decatur are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8.1%Highest 3.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.8 miHighest 14.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.26Lowest 0.65Highest
Top workplaceoutside town West Memphis (17%)Bentonville (23%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DecaturFew work in Earle
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.9 miLowest 1.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 51.3Highest 20.4Lowest
Schools
School district EARLE SCHOOL DISTRICTDECATUR SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town Earle High SchoolDecatur High School
Students per teacherat that high school 3.9Lowest 6.2Highest
Arkansas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Earle neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Earle’s Town Square.

Decatur neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Decatur’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Earle and Decatur

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Earle

E
+ Compare
East Camden1,026 people · $110K homes
+ Compare
Ola914 people · $62K homes
K
+ Compare
Kensett1,937 people · $90K homes
+ Compare
Flippin1,334 people · $114K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Arkansas towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Post to Earle

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in