Population 765,351 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of DeKalb County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in DeKalb County
Household size in DeKalb County
| Period | DeKalb County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.58 | 2.74 | 2.70 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.83 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.67 | 2.81 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.81 | 2.79 | 2.73 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.23 | +0.05 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in DeKalb County average 2.81 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.58, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the west.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in DeKalb County
| Period | DeKalb County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.1 | 35.5 | 36.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.1 | 36.5 | 36.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.0 | 37.5 | 38.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.4 | 38.2 | 38.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +2.7 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
DeKalb County is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.4, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 35.1 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the south.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in DeKalb County
| Period | DeKalb County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 13.3% | 13.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 13.6% | 13.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.8% | 12.5% | 13.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 12.7% | 13.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in DeKalb County than nationally: 13.3%, against 11.6%. The Atlanta area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in DeKalb County
Renters in DeKalb County
| Period | DeKalb County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.4% | 32.1% | 32.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 44.0% | 35.5% | 35.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.4% | 36.7% | 36.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 41.2% | 33.9% | 34.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | +1.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over four in ten households in DeKalb County rent their homes (41.2%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Nearly a third of owners (31.8%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest. Only 15 of Georgia's 159 counties have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in DeKalb County
| Period | DeKalb County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.7% | 11.9% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.6% | 11.4% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 8.6% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.0% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in DeKalb County than nationally: 13.0%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in DeKalb County
| Period | DeKalb County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1988 | 1985 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1989 | 1987 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1990 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1993 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in DeKalb County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1983, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in the Atlanta area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1993. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the west has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in DeKalb County
| Period | DeKalb County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,056 | $1,050 | $910 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,076 | $1,116 | $977 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,247 | $1,293 | $1,112 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,777 | $1,799 | $1,520 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$721 | +$749 | +$609 | +$606 |
The median renter in DeKalb County pays $1,777 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $721 a month from 2006–10, a 68% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 35.3% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in DeKalb County
Bachelor's degrees in DeKalb County
| Period | DeKalb County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.7% | 34.5% | 28.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.0% | 35.2% | 28.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.8% | 38.2% | 31.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.7% | 42.0% | 35.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in DeKalb County: 46.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 8.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only five of Georgia's 159 counties have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in DeKalb County
| Period | DeKalb County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.0% | 87.2% | 84.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.4% | 88.0% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.9% | 89.4% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.1% | 90.9% | 89.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +3.6 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in DeKalb County have finished high school as nationally: 90.1%, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. DeKalb County has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Georgia counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in DeKalb County
| Period | DeKalb County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 9.0% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 10.7% | 10.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 5.2% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −3.8 pts | −3.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in DeKalb County than nationally: unemployment was 6.4%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 5.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
DeKalb County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County | 2.81 | 37.4 | 13.3% | 41.2% | 13.0% | 1983 | $1,777 | 46.7% | 90.1% | 6.4% |
| Fulton County | 2.37 | 38.1 | 11.9% | 45.7% | 9.6% | 1991 | $1,882 | 58.9% | 94.0% | 6.1% |
| Rockdale County | 2.90 | 40.0 | 16.2% | 30.4% | 6.8% | 1992 | $1,578 | 33.5% | 91.0% | 6.2% |
| Walton County | 2.90 | 39.9 | 10.4% | 20.7% | 5.0% | 1995 | $1,475 | 24.1% | 87.4% | 5.5% |
| Douglas County | 2.89 | 38.0 | 16.5% | 33.1% | 8.3% | 1994 | $1,628 | 31.3% | 91.6% | 6.6% |
| Oconee County | 2.91 | 41.4 | 6.6% | 18.7% | 5.4% | 1999 | $1,568 | 57.1% | 96.5% | 2.7% |
| Morgan County | 2.60 | 43.9 | 9.3% | 21.8% | 8.7% | 1992 | $1,317 | 29.7% | 91.6% | 2.3% |
| Carroll County | 2.88 | 36.3 | 14.4% | 28.7% | 9.4% | 1991 | $1,210 | 23.3% | 85.4% | 6.1% |
| Haralson County | 2.74 | 38.7 | 8.9% | 28.4% | 9.6% | 1988 | $953 | 18.7% | 84.5% | 4.4% |
| Cleburne County | 2.59 | 42.2 | 10.1% | 21.5% | 13.4% | 1986 | $747 | 17.3% | 86.4% | 3.1% |
| Wilkes County | 2.34 | 45.8 | 11.2% | 33.9% | 20.9% | 1980 | $780 | 16.8% | 82.5% | 1.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Ventura County, CA · San Mateo County, CA · San Joaquin County, CA · Essex County, MA · Montgomery County, PA · Baltimore County, MD · Fort Bend County, TX · Middlesex County, NJ · Bernalillo County, NM · Worcester County, MA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up DeKalb County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.