Decatur, AL has safety grade D, a population of about 54,344, an overall crime rate near 1,027 per 100k as of 2026. For real estate investors, safety is only half the picture: pair these crime statistics with rental demand and returns to judge whether Decatur, AL is a sound place to buy. See the investment overview for Decatur, AL for median prices, rental yield and Pulse Score, or run the numbers in the ROI analyzer.
Decatur, AL crime snapshot: safety grade D, violent crime rate 4.00 per 1,000 residents, property crime rate 6.00 per 1,000 residents. Compare nearby zip codes, hotspots, and safety recommendations below.
High Risk
per 1000 residents
Decatur, AL has moderate safety concerns with a C+ rating. Residents should remain aware of their surroundings and take appropriate precautions.
With property crimes being more prevalent (55.6% of total incidents), residents should secure their homes and vehicles, install security systems, and maintain good lighting around their properties.
With 558 total incidents, Decatur shows moderate crime activity. The primary concern is property crime.
Decatur demonstrates crime rates well below national averages, showcasing effective community safety initiatives.
Based on the provided crime data for the area represented by GEOID "16000US0120104," a detailed analysis reveals several key trends. The total crime count stands at 558 incidents. Property crime is the most prevalent category, accounting for 310 incidents. Within property crime, larceny/theft offenses are the most frequent, with 269 incidents, followed by burglary/breaking & entering (14 incidents), destruction/damage/vandalism of property (13 incidents), motor vehicle theft (11 incidents), and stolen property offenses (3 incidents). Assault is the second most common main category, with a total of 231 incidents, primarily classified as assault offenses (229 incidents), with an additional 2 incidents also categorized as assault offenses. The "others" category accounts for 9 incidents, comprising counterfeiting/forgery (1 incident), arson (2 incidents), and fraud offenses (6 incidents). Robbery is relatively low, with 6 incidents, all classified as robbery. Sex offenses are the least frequent, with 2 incidents, both classified as sex offenses. To provide a more comprehensive analysis, additional context is needed. The GEOID "16000US0120104" corresponds to a specific census tract. To fully understand the crime situation, we need to identify the city and state this GEOID represents. Assuming this GEOID is located in Alabama, we can estimate the population, median income, crime rate per 100k, safety score, safety grade, violent crime rate, property crime rate, crime map data, and zip codes data. Once the city and state are identified, we can determine the population and median income for that area. The crime rate per 100k can be calculated by dividing the total crime count (558) by the population and multiplying by 100,000. The violent crime rate can be calculated by summing the robbery and assault incidents (6 + 231 = 237) and dividing by the population, then multiplying by 100,000. The property crime rate can be calculated by dividing the property crime incidents (310) by the population and multiplying by 100,000. The safety score and safety grade are subjective measures that typically consider factors such as crime rates, law enforcement presence, and community perceptions. These can be estimated based on the calculated crime rates and compared to national averages. Crime map data would involve plotting the locations of reported crimes on a map, which requires access to a more detailed crime database. Zip codes data would involve identifying the zip codes that overlap with the census tract represented by the GEOID. Based on the data, the primary concern appears to be property crime, particularly larceny/theft. Addressing this issue would likely involve strategies such as increased surveillance, community policing initiatives, and efforts to reduce opportunities for theft. Additionally, addressing assault offenses is important, potentially through conflict resolution programs and targeted interventions.
Explore related real estate, safety, and education data for Decatur, AL.
Crime rates are normalized per 1,000 residents based on reported incidents in FBI UCR and local agency feeds. We split incidents into violent, property, and other categories so you can see where the risk concentrates.
The “Safest Zip Codes” section above ranks nearby zip codes by safety score, while the “High Crime Zip Codes” section highlights areas with elevated reported crime in Decatur, AL.
Crime data is refreshed on a rolling basis as updated reports are published by the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer and partnering agencies.
Combine this crime report with the market overview for Decatur, AL and the school report linked in the “Related analysis” section to assess both safety and investment fundamentals.
PulseReal’s analysis is built on top of these public, authoritative datasets.
Official UCR crime statistics by state and agency from the FBI.
Population, demographics, housing, and income data from the US Census Bureau.
Encyclopedic overview of the city, history, and notable landmarks.
Housing affordability, fair-market rents, and market reports from HUD.
Local unemployment and employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Bureau of Justice Statistics publications on US crime victimization.
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