Decatur offers rural privacy and acreage in the Catskill foothills
With state-protected wild land and acres of hilly pastures, Decatur is a rural community in the foothills of upstate New York’s Catskill Mountains, where the neighbors are spread far apart and the homes are usually on several acres. “It’s a nice community, but it’s not an actual town with stores,” says Linda Kiesow, who has been a licensed real estate salesperson with Country Boy Realty for 40 years and lives in neighboring Roseboom. “It’s a nice, scenic place to live.” Decatur is located within 25 miles of busy areas like Cooperstown, Cobleskill and Oneonta, so health care, shopping and restaurants are 30 minutes away.
Century-old farmhouses on several acres of hilly countryside
Decatur’s homes are spread far apart along the area’s forests and farmland, and many have views of the surrounding mountains. Farmhouses from the 1800s and newer ranch-style and manufactured homes are common, and these usually include several acres of land, providing privacy from neighbors. “There's some new construction, but not a lot,” Kiesow says. “We don’t have suburbia here.” Buyers can also find undeveloped properties that might have a seasonal hunting cabin on them or have been used as primitive campsites. “We’ve got limited inventory right now,” Kiesow says. The median home sale price is around $320,000, lower than the national median.
Worcester Central School serves the area
Kids can attend Worcester Central School, which earns an overall rating of C from Niche and teaches pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Worcester Central School has been named a school of distinction by CFES Brilliant Pathways, an organization whose name stands for College for Every Student and whose mission is to help underserved and rural schools develop college and career readiness programs.
State parks provide access to hunting, hiking and swimming
State Lands in Decatur include Maple Valley State Forest and Decatur State Forest, which are wild areas that are open for hunting and camping. Nearby, Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park has hiking trails that can be used for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter, and it also has fishing ponds and a playground. “It's kind of a hidden gem that nobody knows about, so it's never crowded,” Kiesow says. Glimmerglass State Park, located 17 miles away, is a popular hangout on Otsego Lake that has a swimming beach, boating access and hiking trails. In Worcester, the Wieting Theater shows second-run and cult-classic movies. The town also hosts regular events, including the annual Strawberry Festival in June, which features strawberry shortcake, food trucks and live music.
A car-reliant area with country roads and nearby interstate access
Decatur is a car-reliant area where residents get around on quiet back roads, some of which are dirt or gravel. “Some of them are seasonal, meaning they’re not even plowed in the winter,” Kiesow says. Worcester and Interstate 88 are around 4 miles south. Many of the area’s houses of worship are in Worcester, including St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and Second Baptist Church. Cooperstown and Cobleskill are both around 18 miles away and are home to Bassett Medical Center and Cobleskill Regional Hospital, respectively. Oneonta is a 25-mile drive, and Albany International Airport is 59 miles away.
Restaurants in Worcester and Cobleskill, and shopping in Oneonta
Worcester has the closest restaurants and a Dollar General. Ardy’s Country Kitchen serves burgers, sandwiches and ice cream in a casual atmosphere, and Jack’s Pub offers classic bar food. Nearby, Cobleskill is home to more locally owned eateries, fast-food restaurants and Walmart, while Oneonta is the regional shopping hub. Grocery stores here include Hannaford and Aldi, and there are also national retailers like T.J. Maxx, The Home Depot and Dick’s Sporting Goods.
![Annie Franklin]()
Written By
Annie Franklin
