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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Decatur, AL

Population: 57,525 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

D
46/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$988.6M
Per Capita
$17,185
Total Revenue
$2.2B
Total Debt
$74.2M

Spending Breakdown

Other
30.8%$304.3M
Utilities
19.6%$193.4M
Parks & Recreation
15.2%$150.2M
Housing & Community Development
14.8%$146.6M
Hospitals
10.1%$99.5M
Public Welfare
6.0%$58.8M
Fire Protection
1.5%$14.6M
Sewerage
1.0%$9.4M
Highways & Roads
0.6%$5.5M
Health
0.4%$3.8M
Education
0.3%$2.5M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Property Tax
2.3%$49.2M
Sales Tax
2.6%$56.1M
Income Tax
3.6%$78.3M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$2.2B
Charges & Fees
7.5%$161.3M
Other
11.7%$252.4M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$254/person
Highways & Roads$95/person
Parks & Recreation$2,612/person
Education$43/person
Health$66/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)60/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)69/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$74.2M
Long-Term Debt$10.7M
Debt Per Capita$1,290
Cash & Securities$4.9M

Compare Cities

See how Decatur stacks up against another city.

vs Huntsville, ALvs Birmingham, ALvs Montgomery, AL
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Alabama

Huntsville, AL

Pop. 215K

C
Total Spending
$3.4B
Per Capita
$16,033

Birmingham, AL

Pop. 200K

C
Total Spending
$6.2B
Per Capita
$30,790

Montgomery, AL

Pop. 200K

C
Total Spending
$946.6M
Per Capita
$4,738

Mobile, AL

Pop. 186K

C
Total Spending
$2.9B
Per Capita
$15,777

Compare Decatur With

Huntsville, AL

Spending: $16,033/person · Grade: C

Birmingham, AL

Spending: $30,790/person · Grade: C

Montgomery, AL

Spending: $4,738/person · Grade: C

Mobile, AL

Spending: $15,777/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Decatur, AL spends $17,185 per resident, based on total expenditures of $988.6M for a population of 57,525. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (46/100).

Decatur, AL has total expenditures of $988.6M and total revenue of $2.2B. The city carries $74.2M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Decatur, AL employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Decatur, AL has a Fiscal Health Score of D (46/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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