Lenoir City 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
Lenoir City
Decatur
Opportunity
71 · Top 20%
vs66 · Top 30%
Growth
65 · Top 24%
vs73 · Top 13%
Climate
77 · Top 23%
vs77 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs95 · Top 19%
Access
87 · Bottom 33%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 22%
vs48 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Lenoir City | Decatur | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,110 | 57,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,259 | $61,563 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,936 | $34,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,288/sq mi | 1,051/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $252,400 | $210,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $932 | $896 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.7% | 63.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.3% | 22.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.0% | 13.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 80 | 271 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.2 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -85.0% | 67.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 59.7" | 49.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.0 | 39.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 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
Lenoir City
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Decatur
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lenoir City
69
Your Score
69
Area Score
Decatur
72
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lenoir City, TN · Decatur, AL · How this is calculated: methodology