Decatur receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bristol
Decatur
Opportunity
60 · Top 42%
vs66 · Top 30%
Growth
67 · Top 21%
vs73 · Top 13%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs77 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 33%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 17%
vs95 · Top 19%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 30%
vs48 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Bristol | Decatur | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,636 | 57,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,162 | $61,563 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,687 | $34,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 845/sq mi | 1,051/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $194,500 | $210,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $842 | $896 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.4% | 63.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.6% | 22.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.6% | 13.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 141 | 271 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.1 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -19.4% | 67.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.0" | 49.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 39.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 25 | 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
Bristol
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Decatur
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Bristol, TN · Decatur, AL · How this is calculated: methodology