Decatur ( dih-KAY-tər) is a town in Meigs County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,563 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Meigs County.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Town numbers

ZIP code37322

Area code423

Living in Decatur

Housing in Decatur

$280K▲ 7.2% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Decatur home is worth about $280,000, up 7.2% in a year, 16% below the Tennessee typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Decatur

C⁻

Safety Grade C-

Decatur reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 81% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Decatur 1.8

Tennessee 5

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Decatur 13.2

Tennessee 16.6

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Decatur

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Decatur for work: only 18% work in town. The top destinations are Athens (13%), Chattanooga (12%) and Cleveland (7%). Half commute less than 22 miles.

Athens

13%

Chattanooga

12%

Cleveland

Dayton

18%Work in townlive and work in Decatur 22 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 1,300Jobs based herea job hub

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Decatur →

Health in Decatur

D⁻

Health Grade D−

Healthier than 4% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 19% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Tennessee

1better than TN·13worse

of 26 measures CDC estimates. The other 12 are too close to call.

Conditions 8▼ 4 close Habits 2▼ 2 close Care 1▲ 1▼ 5 close Mind 2▼ 1 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

78.8%More adults treating high blood pressureTN 76.2% · better 13.3%More adults with COPDTN 8.6% · worse

Care nearby

Rhea Medical CenterDayton · 10.7 mi · ER · rural critical access

Meigs County Primary CareDecatur · 0.7 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Decatur · CMS · HRSAHealth in Decatur →

Natural hazards in Decatur

Moderate

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 42% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🏚️ Earthquakes🌪️ Tornadoes

1Does Decatur flood?paid flood claims since 2017 2Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Decatur

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Decatur →

Climate in Decatur

Full climate →

Decatur has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 29°, and about 2 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

51° / 31°Winter

71° / 47°Spring

87° / 66°Summer

72° / 48°Fall

How much snow does Decatur get?About 2 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 31, with the last in spring around Apr 4.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+0.8° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Decatur →

Schools in Decatur

All Decatur schools →

School Grade C

The public schools Decatur’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 73% of Tennessee’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

DistrictMeigs CountySchools2

Meigs Middle School C+Middle · Grades 6–8 · 406 students Meigs County High School CHigh · Grades 9–12 · 527 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within TN. Ratings are from neighbors.