Decatur, Tennessee | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Location of Decatur in Meigs County, Tennessee. | |
| Coordinates:35°31′8″N84°47′36″W / 35.51889°N 84.79333°W /35.51889; -84.79333 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Meigs |
| Founded | 1836 |
| Incorporated | 1838[1] |
| Named after | Stephen Decatur |
| Area | |
• Total | 3.80 sq mi (9.83 km2) |
| • Land | 3.80 sq mi (9.83 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 778 ft (237 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 1,563 |
| • Density | 411.75/sq mi (158.99/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 37322 |
| Area code | 423 |
| FIPS code | 47-19880[5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1306311[3] |
| Website | www |
Decatur (/dɪˈkeɪtər/dih-KAY-tər) is a town inMeigs County,Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,563 at the 2020 census. It is thecounty seat ofMeigs County.[6]
Decatur was founded in May 1836 as a county seat for Meigs County, which had been formed that same year. The initial 50 acres (0.20 km2) for the town were donated by James Lillard and Leonard Brooks. Decatur is named afterCommodore Stephen Decatur Jr., an early 19th-century American naval officer renowned for his exploits in theFirst Barbary War, theSecond Barbary War, and theWar of 1812.[7]
Decatur is located at35°31′8″N84°47′36″W / 35.51889°N 84.79333°W /35.51889; -84.79333 (35.518871, -84.793201).[8] The town is situated at the western base of No Pone Ridge, an elongate ridge characteristic of theAppalachian Ridge-and-Valley Province. Just west of Decatur, theTennessee River flows around a blunt peninsula known as Armstrong Bend. This section of the river is part ofChickamauga Lake.
Decatur is situated around the junction ofTennessee State Route 30, which connects the town toAthens to the east andDayton to the west, and Tennessee State Route 58, which connects Decatur toKingston to the north andChattanooga to the south.Interstate 75 passes approximately 15 miles (24 km) east of Decatur.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2), all of it land.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 99 | — | |
| 1880 | 175 | 76.8% | |
| 1890 | 313 | 78.9% | |
| 1910 | 165 | — | |
| 1920 | 142 | −13.9% | |
| 1930 | 158 | 11.3% | |
| 1940 | 205 | 29.7% | |
| 1950 | 235 | 14.6% | |
| 1960 | 681 | 189.8% | |
| 1970 | 698 | 2.5% | |
| 1980 | 1,069 | 53.2% | |
| 1990 | 1,361 | 27.3% | |
| 2000 | 1,395 | 2.5% | |
| 2010 | 1,598 | 14.6% | |
| 2020 | 1,563 | −2.2% | |
| Sources:[9][10][4] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 1,429 | 91.43% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 30 | 1.92% |
| Native American | 11 | 0.7% |
| Asian | 4 | 0.26% |
| Other/Mixed | 69 | 4.41% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 20 | 1.28% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 1,563 people, 586 households, and 416 families residing in the town.
As of thecensus[5] of 2000, there were 1,395 people, 560 households, and 366 families residing in the town. The population density was 545.1 inhabitants per square mile (210.5/km2). There were 598 housing units at an average density of 233.7 units per square mile (90.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.14%White, 0.93%African American, 0.14%Native American, 0.29%Asian, 0.07% fromother races, and 0.43% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.29% of the population.
There were 560 households, out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% weremarried couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $29,402, and the median income for a family was $38,375. Males had a median income of $29,327 versus $22,647 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $18,784. About 12.9% of families and 15.1% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.8% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.
Municipalities and communities ofMeigs County, Tennessee,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Town |  | |
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Authority control databases: Geographic |
|---|