Decatur, IL

Decatur is a city located in Macon County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,812 at the 2010 census. Decatur is the county seat of Macon County.

The city was founded in 1825 and named for General James Decatur, a hero of the War of 1812. The first settler in Decatur was Levi Coffin who built a cabin on what is now known as Cemetery Hill. In 1827, Decatur became the county seat when it replaced Jacksonville.

Decatur's economy is based on retail sales and services, with a significant portion coming from its numerous businesses within the health care industry. Other major employers include KPMG LLP and Abbott Laboratories. A number of large companies have regional headquarters in Decatur including Caterpillar Inc., Honeywell International Inc., and Sears Holdings Corporation.

The city has experienced steady growth over the past few decades due to its strong economy and quality of life factors such as low crime rates and excellent schools. Many new homes have been built in recent years as well as renovations to existing homes; this has helped to keep prices stable while making Decatur an increasingly desirable place to live.

Decatur offers residents many amenities not found elsewhere in Macon County including an extensive park system with more than 100 acres of parkland, world-renowned Stetson University (formerly DeKalb College), several golf courses (including one ranked among America's Top 100), numerous restaurants and shops, two public libraries (one branch open 24 hours per day), three hospitals (including DeKalb Regional Medical Center), three banks (including one locally owned bank), two ice rinks/arenas, two symphony orchestras/choruses, two ballet companies/schools, five theaters (two with professional seating), six museums (four open year-round) including the Illinois Military Museum & Veterans Memorial Hall which houses one of the largest collections of Civil War artifacts in North America; plus many other attractions unique to Decaturs' rich history and culture