Population 100,703 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in DeKalb County
Household size in DeKalb County
| Period | DeKalb County | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.56 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.63 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.52 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
The average household in DeKalb County has 2.52 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.56, in line with the national trend. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
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 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.2 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.6 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.8 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.4 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
DeKalb County is young: half of its residents are under 35.4, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has climbed from 34.2 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other Illinois county is younger.
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 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.1% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.9% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in DeKalb County (12.9%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 4.3 points, even as the national share fell. DeKalb County has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Illinois counties.
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 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.3% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.4% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.0% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.6% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in DeKalb County rent their homes (38.6%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 36.4% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 1.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of Illinois' 102 counties, only four 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 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.0% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in DeKalb County: 6.0% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 0.7 points, in line with the national trend. Few Illinois counties have a lower vacancy rate: only eight of 102.
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 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in DeKalb County was built around 1978, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the Chicago area overall, where the median home dates to 1970. The median year built has moved up from 1975 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
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 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $867 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $924 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,028 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,183 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$316 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in DeKalb County pays $1,183 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $316 a month since 2006–10, up 36%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.4% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northeast 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 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.9% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.2% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.2% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.1% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in DeKalb County (33.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the wider Chicago area (40.9%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.2 points, mirroring the country.
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 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.3% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.6% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.6% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.6% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in DeKalb County have finished high school (91.6%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.3 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in DeKalb County: 7.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Few Illinois counties have higher unemployment: only nine of 102. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 | 2.52 | 35.4 | 12.9% | 38.6% | 6.0% | 1978 | $1,183 | 33.1% | 91.6% | 7.1% |
| Kane County | 2.88 | 39.6 | 11.3% | 24.0% | 4.4% | 1981 | $1,711 | 37.9% | 87.3% | 4.7% |
| Ogle County | 2.48 | 42.7 | 9.6% | 24.6% | 9.1% | 1973 | $946 | 24.3% | 91.2% | 4.7% |
| DuPage County | 2.69 | 41.3 | 8.0% | 26.9% | 5.6% | 1978 | $1,826 | 52.0% | 92.9% | 4.9% |
| Lee County | 2.38 | 43.7 | 10.7% | 26.4% | 11.5% | 1963 | $912 | 19.7% | 91.8% | 5.2% |
| Cook County | 2.58 | 39.4 | 12.3% | 42.3% | 8.4% | 1961 | $1,567 | 41.7% | 88.1% | 7.4% |
| Carroll County | 2.18 | 46.7 | 8.1% | 22.8% | 18.7% | 1959 | $836 | 18.3% | 89.0% | 2.8% |
| Clinton County | 2.39 | 43.0 | 11.7% | 25.5% | 9.4% | 1959 | $930 | 23.2% | 93.6% | 3.5% |
| Berrien County | 2.41 | 43.3 | 12.2% | 27.2% | 13.1% | 1967 | $1,052 | 30.8% | 92.3% | 6.2% |
| Cass County | 2.41 | 45.2 | 9.8% | 18.4% | 14.6% | 1971 | $959 | 21.1% | 89.4% | 5.2% |
| Linn County | 2.44 | 39.6 | 11.3% | 26.5% | 8.3% | 1980 | $1,057 | 34.2% | 94.8% | 3.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Sutter County, CA · Madison County, KY · Adams County, PA · Limestone County, AL · Sumter County, SC · Lenawee County, MI · Lauderdale County, AL · LaSalle County, IL · Laramie County, WY · Madison County, MS
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.
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