62522 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
62522
62526
Opportunity
21 · Bottom 3%
vs19 · Bottom 2%
Growth
13 · Bottom 3%
vs13 · Bottom 3%
Climate
67 · Bottom 40%
vs67 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 37%
vs69 · Top 37%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs95 · Top 22%
Access
84 · Bottom 27%
vs82 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 8%
vs29 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | 62522 | 62526 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,185 | 30,483 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $50,669 | $49,062 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,234 | $31,798 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 634/sq mi | 462/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $113,600 | $95,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $794 | $833 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.5% | 60.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.6% | 6.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.6% | 20.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.9% | 18.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -25.0% | -25.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.4" | 36.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 18.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.8 | 42.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.98 | 20.02 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.0% | 83.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
62522
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, tornado.
62526
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, tornado.
Full profiles: 62522 — Decatur, IL · 62526 — Decatur, IL · How this is calculated: methodology