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Decatur, IL

Frequently asked questions

Decatur, IL

Decatur is the largest city in and the county seat of Macon County, Illinois, United States. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 70,522. It is the seventeenth-most populous city in Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home to Millikin University and Richland Community College.

The USGS Domestic GeoNames resource has two listings for Decatur: "The City of Decatur", which is a Civil-class designation, and "Decatur", which is a Populated Place designation. The two listings have slightly different coordinate centroids; the "City of Decatur" centroid is located at 39.8556417°N 88.9337090°W, while the "Decatur" centroid is at 39.8403147°N 88.9548001°W. Decatur is 150 miles southwest of Chicago, 40 miles east of Springfield, the state capital, and 110 miles northeast of St. Louis.

According to the 2010 census, consisted of 42.22 square miles (109.35 km²) of land and 4.69 square miles (12.15 km²) of water, amounting to a total area of 46.91 square miles (121.50 km²), consisting of 90% land and 10% water. Lakes include Lake Decatur, an 11 km² reservoir formed in 1923 by the damming of the Sangamon River.

The Decatur Metropolitan Statistical Area (population 109,900) includes surrounding towns of Argenta, Boody, Blue Mound, Elwin, Forsyth, Harristown, Long Creek, Macon, Maroa, Mount Zion, Niantic, Oakley, Oreana, and Warrensburg.

The city is named after the War of 1812 naval hero Stephen Decatur. The Potawatomi Trail of Death passed through the city in 1838. Post No. 1 of the Grand Army of the Republic was founded by Civil War veterans in Decatur on April 6, 1866.

Decatur was the first home in Illinois of Abraham Lincoln, who settled just west of Decatur with his family in 1830. At the age of 21, Lincoln gave his first political speech in Decatur about the importance of Sangamon River navigation, which caught the attention of Illinois political leaders. As a lawyer on the 8th Judicial Circuit, Lincoln made frequent stops in Decatur and argued five cases in the log courthouse that stood on the corner of Main & Main Streets. The original courthouse is now on the grounds of the Macon County Historical Museum on North Fork Road. John Hanks, first cousin of Abraham Lincoln, lived in Decatur.

Decatur places a strong emphasis on health and wellness, with numerous facilities and initiatives supporting the well-being of its residents. Bodyworks Massage Therapy specializes in therapeutic and sports massages, as well as myofascial release and trigger point therapy. Soothe offers in-home massage services, bringing professional therapists directly to clients’ homes. Massage Envy is a well-known chain with numerous locations across Illinois. They offer a variety of massage services, including Swedish, deep tissue, trigger point, and sports massages. Athletico Physical Therapy provides orthopedic rehabilitation, sports medicine, work rehabilitation, and women’s health services. ATI Physical Therapy is known for its comprehensive care, including manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, aquatic therapy, and hand therapy. NovaCare Rehabilitation offers a wide range of physical therapy services such as orthopedics, sports medicine, neurological rehabilitation, and pediatric therapy.

Top sites in Decatur, IL are Scovill Zoo, Children's Museum of Illinois, and Decatur Park District.

Population: 68,763 (2024). ZIP codes: 62521–62523, 62526. Area codes: 217, 447. Elevation: 677 ft (206 m). Area: 47.79 sq mi (123.78 km²).

FAQs

What is Decatur, IL famous for?

In 1922 the city became a centre of soybean production when the first major commercial production plant was opened there. With the establishment of other soybean processing plants, the city became known as the “Soybean Capital of the World.” Decatur is an important commercial, agricultural, and distribution center, with large corn (maize) and soybean processing plants and varied industries.

Is Decatur, IL a good place to live?

Out of 100,000 people, violent crimes occur in every 697 people, and property crimes occur in every 1,206 properties. The total crime is 4.2% lower in Decatur than the rest of Illinois and 18.9% lower than the rest of the country. As such, Decatur IL is a safe place to live.

What is the race population in Decatur, IL?

Decatur is a city located in Macon County Illinois. Decatur has a 2024 population of 67,477. It is also the county seat of Macon County. Decatur is currently declining at a rate of -1.19% annually and its population has decreased by -4.58% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 70,717 in 2020. White: 68.27% Black or African American: 24.04% Two or more races: 5.32% Asian: 1.3%.

Sources

City of Decatur

Wikipedia

World Population Review

Federalcos

Britannica

Bodyworks Massage Therapy

Soothe

Massage Envy

Athletico Physical Therapy

ATI Physical Therapy

NovaCare Rehabilitation

Scovill Zoo

Children's Museum of Illinois

Decatur Park District

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