Hartselle and Decatur receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Hartselle
Decatur
Opportunity
72 · Top 18%
vs66 · Top 30%
Growth
57 · Top 37%
vs73 · Top 13%
Climate
77 · Top 24%
vs77 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 42%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs95 · Top 19%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 28%
vs48 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Hartselle | Decatur | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,847 | 57,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,290 | $61,563 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,419 | $34,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 950/sq mi | 1,051/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $203,800 | $210,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $804 | $896 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.9% | 63.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.9% | 22.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 13.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 44 | 271 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.3% | 67.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.5" | 49.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.5 | 39.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.16 | 15.70 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 34.9% | 59.9% | 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
Hartselle
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Decatur
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Hartselle, AL · Decatur, AL · How this is calculated: methodology