# Decatur metropolitan area, Alabama > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Decatur_metropolitan_area,_Alabama > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Decatur_metropolitan_area,_Alabama.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decatur_metropolitan_area%2C_Alabama > Source revision: 1350553522 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) For metropolitan areas with similar names, see [Decatur metropolitan area](/source/Decatur_metropolitan_area_(disambiguation)). The **Decatur, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area** is a moderately urban region of [North-Central](/source/North_Alabama) [Alabama](/source/Alabama). The 2020 Census put the population of the metropolitan area at 152,740, of which one-third resides within the boundaries of its core city, [Decatur, Alabama](/source/Decatur,_Alabama),[1] It is also considered to be part of the [North](/source/North_Alabama), [Northwest](/source/Northwest_Alabama), and North-Central regions of Alabama. The metropolitan area is the combined area of the City of Decatur and the surrounding areas in suburban, rural, and more developed parts of [Morgan](/source/Morgan_County,_Alabama) and [Lawrence Counties](/source/Lawrence_County,_Alabama). The Decatur Metropolitan Area is a part of the [Huntsville-Decatur CSA](/source/Huntsville-Decatur,_AL_Combined_Statistical_Area), With [Huntsville](/source/Huntsville,_Alabama) and [Madison](/source/Madison,_Alabama) being other Principal cities in the CSA. ## Cities and towns ### Principal cities - [Decatur](/source/Decatur,_Alabama) - [Hartselle](/source/Hartselle,_Alabama) - [Moulton](/source/Moulton,_Alabama) - [Huntsville](/source/Huntsville,_Alabama) (Has its own [MSA](/source/Huntsville_metropolitan_area), but has lands in Morgan County) ### Other cities and towns - [Courtland](/source/Courtland,_Alabama) - [Eva](/source/Eva,_Alabama) - [Falkville](/source/Falkville,_Alabama) - [Hillsboro](/source/Hillsboro,_Alabama) - [North Courtland](/source/North_Courtland,_Alabama) - [Priceville](/source/Priceville,_Alabama) - [Somerville](/source/Somerville,_Alabama) - [Town Creek](/source/Town_Creek,_Alabama) - [Trinity](/source/Trinity,_Alabama) ### Unincorporated communities - [Burningtree Mountain](/source/Burningtree_Mountain,_Alabama) - [Caddo](/source/Caddo,_Alabama) - [Cotaco](/source/Cotaco,_Alabama) - [Danville](/source/Danville,_Alabama) - Five Points - Flint - Florette - Hatton - [Hulaco](/source/Hulaco,_Alabama) - [Lacey's Spring](/source/Lacey's_Spring,_Alabama) - Landersville - Mallard Creek - [Morgan City](/source/Morgan_City,_Alabama) - [Moulton Heights](/source/Moulton_Heights,_Alabama) - Mount Hope - [Neel](/source/Neel,_Alabama) - [Oakville](/source/Oakville,_Alabama) - [Pittsburg](/source/Pittsburg,_Alabama) - Punkin Center - Red Bank - [Ryan Crossroads](/source/Ryan_Crossroads,_Alabama) - Speake - [Tanner](/source/Tanner,_Alabama) - Valhermoso Springs - Wheeler - Wren ## Transportation ### Major highways - **[Interstate 65](/source/Interstate_65)** *([Lacon](/source/Lacon,_Alabama) to [Decatur](/source/Decatur,_Alabama) ([Limestone County](/source/Limestone_County,_Alabama)))* - enters the area at the southern [Morgan County](/source/Morgan_County,_Alabama) line between [Morgan](/source/Morgan_County,_Alabama) and [Cullman Counties](/source/Cullman_County,_Alabama), near Lacon. Bends around a mountain where it passes over US 31. It continues north towards Hartselle where it enters the city limits for about 3 miles. Leaving Hartselle, **I-65** travels towards Decatur where small portions of the city limits leak over into rural [Priceville](/source/Priceville,_Alabama). **I-65** soon is lifted onto a 3.5-mile (5.6-kilometre) bridge (over the [Tennessee River](/source/Tennessee_River)), linking Morgan County and Limestone County. After entering Limestone County, an interchange with [I-565](/source/I-565), [Alt US 72](/source/U.S._Highway_72_Alternate), and [Alabama 20](/source/State_Route_20_(Alabama)) give routes to [Huntsville](/source/Huntsville,_Alabama) (to the east), and Decatur (to the west). - **[U.S. Highway 31](/source/U.S._Highway_31_(Alabama))** *([Lacon](/source/Lacon,_Alabama) to [Decatur](/source/Decatur,_Alabama) ([Limestone County](/source/Limestone_County,_Alabama)))* - from the southern [Morgan County](/source/Morgan_County,_Alabama) line between [Morgan](/source/Morgan_County,_Alabama) and [Cullman Counties](/source/Cullman_County,_Alabama), near Lacon. The route continues north, passing under [I-65](/source/I-65), towards Hartselle. After traversing through Hartselle, **US 31** briefly enters unincorporated land, but quickly enters the Decatur city limits. As the highway passes through Decatur, it gives access to places such as: [Decatur High School](/source/Decatur_High_School_(Alabama)) / [Ogle Stadium](/source/Ogle_Stadium), [Cooks Natural Science Museum](/source/Cooks_Natural_Science_Museum), and views of the downtown area. **US 31** leaves the metro area after passing over the [Captain William J. Hudson "Steamboat Bill" Memorial Bridges](/source/Captain_William_J._Hudson_%22Steamboat_Bill%22_Memorial_Bridges) into [Limestone County](/source/Limestone_County,_Alabama) where the Decatur city limits end. (near the [Calhoun Community College](/source/Calhoun_Community_College)) - **[U.S. Highway 72 Alternate](/source/U.S._Highway_72_Alternate)** *([Decatur](/source/Decatur,_Alabama) ([Limestone County](/source/Limestone_County,_Alabama)) to [Trinity](/source/Trinity,_Alabama))* - enters the metro area in the [Limestone County](/source/Limestone_County,_Alabama) portion of Decatur at the interchange with [I-65](/source/I-65) and [I-565](/source/I-565). (I-565 terminates here). Crosses the [Tennessee River](/source/Tennessee_River) on the [Captain William J. Hudson "Steamboat Bill" Memorial Bridges](/source/Captain_William_J._Hudson_%22Steamboat_Bill%22_Memorial_Bridges), combined with [US 31](/source/U.S._Route_31_in_Alabama) and [State Route 20](/source/State_Route_20_(Alabama)), into urban northern Decatur. **Alt 72** bends west and continues into the industrial portion of Decatur. The [Port of Decatur](/source/Port_of_Decatur), and such notable industries as [The United Launch Alliance](/source/United_Launch_Alliance), [Solutia](/source/Solutia), [Vulcan Materials](/source/Vulcan_Materials), and [3M](/source/3M) have operations along this route. The United Launch Alliance is especially important, since all satellite launch vehicles used by [NASA](/source/NASA), are produced at this single location. **Alt 72** eventually leaves the metro area as it exits [Lawrence County](/source/Lawrence_County,_Alabama), and enters [Colbert County](/source/Colbert_County,_Alabama) of [The Shoals](/source/The_Shoals). - **[U.S. Highway 231](/source/U.S._Highway_231)** *([Lacey's Spring](/source/Lacey's_Spring,_Alabama) to southern [Morgan County](/source/Morgan_County,_Alabama))* - enters the metro area from southern [Huntsville](/source/Huntsville,_Alabama). Crossing the [Tennessee River](/source/Tennessee_River), connecting [Madison](/source/Madison_County,_Alabama) and northeastern [Morgan Counties](/source/Morgan_County,_Alabama). **US 231** continues south, passing through [Morgan City](/source/Morgan_City,_Alabama), towards the [Gadsden area](/source/Gadsden,_Alabama). - **[State Route 20](/source/State_Route_20_(Alabama))** *([Decatur](/source/Decatur,_Alabama) ([Limestone County](/source/Limestone_County,_Alabama)) to western [Lawrence County](/source/Lawrence_County,_Alabama))* - enters the metro area in the [Limestone County](/source/Limestone_County,_Alabama) portion of Decatur at the interchange with [I-65](/source/I-65) and [I-565](/source/I-565). (I-565 terminates here). Crosses the [Tennessee River](/source/Tennessee_River) on the [Captain William J. Hudson "Steamboat Bill" Memorial Bridges](/source/Captain_William_J._Hudson_%22Steamboat_Bill%22_Memorial_Bridges), combined with [US 31](/source/U.S._Route_31_in_Alabama) and [U.S. Highway 72 Alternate](/source/U.S._Highway_72_Alternate), into urban northern Decatur. **Alabama 20** bends west and continues into the industrial portion of Decatur. The [Port of Decatur](/source/Port_of_Decatur), and such notable industries as [The United Launch Alliance](/source/United_Launch_Alliance), [Solutia](/source/Solutia), [Vulcan Materials](/source/Vulcan_Materials), and [3M](/source/3M) have operations along this route. The United Launch Alliance is especially important, since all satellite launch vehicles used by [NASA](/source/NASA), are produced at this single location. **Alabama 20** eventually leaves the metro area as it exits [Lawrence County](/source/Lawrence_County,_Alabama), and enters [Colbert County](/source/Colbert_County,_Alabama) of [The Shoals](/source/The_Shoals). - **[State Route 24](/source/State_Route_24_(Alabama))** - **[State Route 33](/source/State_Route_33_(Alabama))** - **[State Route 36](/source/State_Route_36_(Alabama))** - **[State Route 67](/source/State_Route_67_(Alabama))** *([Hulaco](/source/Hulaco,_Alabama) to [US 72 Alt.](/source/U.S._Route_72_Alternate)/[SR 20](/source/State_Route_20_(Alabama)) ([Decatur](/source/Decatur,_Alabama)))* - enters the area at [Hulaco](/source/Hulaco,_Alabama) and continues to [Somerville](/source/Somerville,_Alabama). Passes by the old [Morgan County](/source/Morgan_County,_Alabama) Courthouse. Travels through [Priceville](/source/Priceville,_Alabama) (past the [Racking Horse World Celebration Arena](/source/Racking_Horse_World_Celebration_Arena)), and enters Decatur at an interchange with [I-65](/source/I-65). As SR 67 crosses 6th Avenue ([US 31](/source/U.S._Route_31_in_Alabama)) it becomes known as the [Beltline](/source/Beltline_(Decatur)), a bypass that was constructed to alleviate traffic problems on the swollen 6th Avenue. The highway continues on a north-northwesterly curve and terminates at [US 72 Alt.](/source/U.S._Route_72_Alternate)/[SR 20](/source/State_Route_20_(Alabama)) inside [Decatur](/source/Decatur,_Alabama). ## See also - [List of Metropolitan areas of Alabama](/source/List_of_Metropolitan_areas_of_Alabama) ## References 1. ["Explore Census Data"](https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=1600000US0120104&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1). *data.census.gov*. Retrieved 2022-11-04. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Decatur metropolitan area, Alabama](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decatur_metropolitan_area%2C_Alabama) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decatur_metropolitan_area%2C_Alabama?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.