Decatur, Georgia Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

Decatur, the county seat of DeKalb County, is the oldest city in the county. Decatur was designated county seat on December 10, 1823, and named after Stephen Decatur, a U.S. Naval hero.

In historic Decatur, the Old Courthouse on the Square, is a restored 1898 courthouse that also houses the 1500 volume archives, a museum on DeKalb County and Civil War exhibits.

Also located in Decatur is the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University. This museum showcases wonders of the ancient civilizations to the art and architecture of the twentieth century.

The city hosts a number of special events including the Decatur Film Festival, the Decatur Arts Festival and the Heritage Festival.

Decatur is the home of several colleges, including Agnes Scott College, Columbia Theological Seminary and the south campus of Georgia Perimeter College.

Population: 18,147. Estimated population in July 2024: 17,884 (-1.4% change)
Males: 7,694 (42.4%), Females: 10,453 (57.6%)

DeKalb County

Zip codes: 30030, 30032, 30033, 30034, 30035.

Demographics

Median resident age: 36.0 years
Median household income: $47,395
Median house value: $220,400

Population by Race

Races in Decatur:

• White Non-Hispanic (64.7%)
• Black (30.5%)
• Hispanic (1.7%)
• Two or more races (1.4%)
• American Indian (0.7%)
• Other race (0.6%)

Ancestries: English (13.8%), German (11.3%), Irish (10.6%), Scotch-Irish (5.1%), United States (4.8%), French (4.4%).

Elevation: 1048 feet

Land area: 4.2 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Decatur

• High school or higher: 87.8%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 56.0%
• Graduate or professional degree: 27.0%
• Unemployed: 5.8%
• Mean travel time to work: 26.2 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Decatur city

• Never married: 36.7%
• Now married: 41.6%
• Separated: 2.4%
• Widowed: 8.2%
• Divorced: 11.1%

6.6% Foreign born (2.1% Europe, 1.7% Asia, 1.3% Africa, 1.1% Latin America).

Population change in the 1990s: +760 (+4.4%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers in Decatur:

• DECATUR HOSPITAL (450 NORTH CANDLER STREET)
• DEKALB MEDICAL CENTER (2701 N DECATUR RD)
• GEORGIA REGIONAL HOSP ATLANTA (3073 PANTHERSVILLE ROAD)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Decatur:

• THE WILLIAM B HARTSFIELD ATLANTA INTL (about 13 miles; ATLANTA, GA; Abbreviation: ATL)
• DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE (about 17 miles; MARIETTA, GA; Abbreviation: MGE)
• ATHENS/BEN EPPS (about 69 miles; ATHENS, GA; Abbreviation: AHN)

Other public-use airports nearest to Decatur:

• DEKALB-PEACHTREE (about 7 miles; ATLANTA, GA; Abbreviation: PDK)
• FULTON COUNTY AIRPORT-BROWN FIELD (about 16 miles; ATLANTA, GA; Abbreviation: FTY)
• BERRY HILL (about 19 miles; STOCKBRIDGE, GA; Abbreviation: 4A0)

Amtrak station near Decatur:

• 7 miles: ATLANTA (1688 PEACHTREE ST. NW). Services: ticket office, partially wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, vending machines, paid short-term parking, paid long-term parking, taxi stand, public transit connection.

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/Universities in Decatur:

• GEORGIA PERIMETER COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 8,213; Location: 3251 PANTHERSVILLE RD; Public; Website: www.gpc.peachnet.edu)
• DEVRY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (Full-time enrollment: 2,486; Location: 250 N ARCADIA AVE; Private, for-profit; Website: www.atl.devry.edu)
• KELLER GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT INC (Full-time enrollment: 513; Location: 250 N ARCADIA AVE; Private, for-profit; Website: WWW.KELLER.EDU; Offers Master’s degree)
• COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY (Full-time enrollment: 274; Location: 701 COLUMBIA DR; Private, not-for-profit; Website: WWW.CTSNET.EDU; Offers Doctor’s degree)
• GUPTON JONES COLLEGE OF FUNERAL SERVICE (Full-time enrollment: 261; Location: 5141 SNAPFINGER WOODS DR; Private, not-for-profit)
• ATLANTA SCHOOL OF BIBLICAL STUDIES (Location: 4468 COVINGTON HWY; Private, not-for-profit; Offers Doctor’s degree)
• EARL PAULK INSTITUTE (Location: 4522 FLAT SHOALS PKY; Private, not-for-profit)
• DE KALB MEDICAL CENTER SCHOOL OF RADIOLOGIC TECHN (Location: 2701 N DECATUR RD; Private, not-for-profit)
• LANE SCHOOL OF ART (Location: 235 E PONCE DE LEON AVE; Private, for-profit)

Other colleges/universities with over 2000 students near Decatur:

• EMORY UNIVERSITY (about 3 miles; ATLANTA, GA; Full-time enrollment: 10,839)
• GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY (about 7 miles; ATLANTA, GA; Full-time enrollment: 17,302)
• GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY-MAIN CAMPUS (about 7 miles; ATLANTA, GA; Full-time enrollment: 13,841)
• CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY (about 9 miles; ATLANTA, GA; Full-time enrollment: 4,652)
• MOREHOUSE COLLEGE (about 9 miles; ATLANTA, GA; Full-time enrollment: 2,867)
• MORRIS BROWN COLLEGE (about 9 miles; Atlanta, GA; Full-time enrollment: 2,708)
• ATLANTA TECHNICAL COLLEGE (about 9 miles; ATLANTA, GA; Full-time enrollment: 2,207)

Schools

Public high schools in Decatur:

• MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,669; Location: 3991 SNAPFINGER ROAD; Grades: 09 – 12)
• SOUTHWEST DEKALB HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,616; Location: 2863 KELLEY CHAPEL ROAD; Grades: 09 – 12)
• COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,411; Location: 2106 COLUMBIA DRIVE; Grades: 09 – 12)
• TOWERS HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,206; Location: 3919 BROOKCREST CIRCLE; Grades: 09 – 12)
• DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 772; Location: 310 NORTH MCDONOUGH STREET; Grades: 09 – 12)

Private high schools in Decatur:

• GREEN FORESR CHRISTIAN ACA.- C (Students: 622; Location: 3250 RAINBOW DRIVE; Grades: PK – 12)
• CATHEDRAL ACADEMY (Students: 299; Location: 4650 FLAT SHOALS PARKWAY; Grades: PK – 12)
• GREEN PASTURES CHRISTIAN SCHOO (Students: 287; Location: 5455 FLAT SHOALS PKWY; Grades: PK – 12)
• SOARING EAGLES CHRISTIAN ACAD (Students: 56; Location: 2962 EMBER DRIVE STE 112; Grades: PK – 12)

Biggest public primary/middle schools in Decatur:

• CEDAR GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,449; Location: 2300 WILDCAT ROAD; Grades: 06 – 08)
• MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,434; Location: 5200 COVINGTON HWY.; Grades: 06 – 08)
• COLUMBIA MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,373; Location: 3001 COLUMBIA DRIVE; Grades: 06 – 08)
• MILLER GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,291; Location: 2215 MILLER ROAD; Grades: 06 – 08)
• MCNAIR MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,272; Location: 2190 WALLINGFORD DRIVE; Grades: 06 – 08)
• SHAMROCK MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,263; Location: 3100 MOUNT OLIVE DRIVE; Grades: 06 – 08)
• NARVIE HARRIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 963; Location: 3981 MCGILL DRIVE; Grades: PK – 05)
• CHAPEL HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 939; Location: 3535 DOGWOOD FARM ROAD; Grades: 06 – 08)
• FAIRINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 931; Location: 5505 PHILIP BRADLEY DRIVE; Grades: PK – 05)
• CHAPEL HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 756; Location: 3536 RADCLIFF BOULEVARD; Grades: PK – 05)

Biggest private primary/middle schools in Decatur:

• ST THOMAS MORE SCHOOL (Students: 461; Location: 630 W PONCE; Grades: KG – 8)
• ARBOR MONTESSORI (Students: 299; Location: 2998 LAVISTA RD; Grades: PK – 8)
• FRIENDS SCHOOL OF ATLANTA (Students: 193; Location: 121 SAMS STREET; Grades: PK – 8)
• THE WALDORF SCHOOL OF ATLANTA (Students: 190; Location: 711 S COLUMBIA DR; Grades: PK – 8)
• MONTESSORI SCH. AT EMORY (THE) (Students: 164; Location: 1677 SCOTT BLVD; Grades: PK – 6)
• DECATUR FIRST METHODIST WEEKDA (Students: 146; Location: 312 SYCAMORE STREET; Grades: PK – KG)
• CAMBRIDGE ACADEMY (Students: 141; Location: 2780 FLAT SHOALS ROAD; Grades: PK – 7)
• DECATUR PRESBYTERIAN KINDERGAR (Students: 129; Location: 205 SYCAMORE ST; Grades: PK – KG)
• LIGHT OF THE WORLD CHRISTIAN A (Students: 120; Location: 2135 SHAMROCK DRIVE; Grades: PK – 7)
• SS PETER & PAUL ELEM SCHOOL (Students: 111; Location: 2560 TILSON ROAD; Grades: KG – 8)

Libraries

Library in Decatur:

• DEKALB COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM (Operating income: $12,020,566; Location: 215 SYCAMORE STREET; 838,544 books; 29,862 audio materials; 28,046 video materials; 2,246 serial subscriptions)