Population 41,504 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in DeKalb
Household size in DeKalb
| Period | DeKalb | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.46 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.61 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.39 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in DeKalb are small: just 2.39 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.46, in line with the national trend.
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
| Period | DeKalb | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.3 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.7 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.5 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 31.7 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
DeKalb is young: half of its residents are under 31.7, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 29.3, as it has nationally. Only five of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people are 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
| Period | DeKalb | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.6% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.1% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in six households in DeKalb (17.1%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 6.8 points, even as the national share fell. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 32 have a higher share of single-parent households.
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
Renters in DeKalb
| Period | DeKalb | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 56.3% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 57.1% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 60.2% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 58.2% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in DeKalb: 58.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 42.0% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share is up 1.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only three of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people 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
| Period | DeKalb | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.6% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in DeKalb: 7.6% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Chicago area.
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
| Period | DeKalb | 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 | 1974 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in DeKalb run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1974 against 1980. Even so, homes here are newer than in the Chicago area overall, where the median home dates to 1970. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the east.
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
| Period | DeKalb | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $871 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $888 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $987 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,124 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$252 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in DeKalb pays $1,124 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $252 a month since 2006–10, up 29%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 36.7% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the west.
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
Bachelor's degrees in DeKalb
| Period | DeKalb | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.1% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.9% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.1% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.7% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in DeKalb (33.7%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Chicago area overall (40.9%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has edged down 1.5 points, even as the national share rose.
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
| Period | DeKalb | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.7% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.8% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.2% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.2% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in DeKalb have finished high school as nationally: 88.2%, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged down 1.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
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
| Period | DeKalb | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.0% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in DeKalb: 11.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 15 have higher unemployment. Unemployment is up 0.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb | 2.39 | 31.7 | 17.1% | 58.2% | 7.6% | 1974 | $1,124 | 33.7% | 88.2% | 11.0% |
| Cortland | 2.69 | 33.7 | 13.9% | 20.0% | 7.0% | 1991 | $1,483 | 29.5% | 92.7% | 6.0% |
| Elva | 2.83 | 36.0 | 6.4% | 17.8% | 9.0% | 1967 | $1,242 | 27.5% | 89.0% | 6.3% |
| Sycamore | 2.56 | 37.5 | 8.9% | 27.3% | 5.9% | 1988 | $1,244 | 46.7% | 96.2% | 3.1% |
| Malta | 2.92 | 34.2 | 12.9% | 25.9% | 6.4% | 1964 | $901 | 27.5% | 88.7% | 1.9% |
| Clare | 2.73 | 52.1 | 10.9% | 22.5% | 3.9% | 1952 | $1,391 | 30.5% | 92.0% | 2.8% |
| Maple Park | 2.72 | 41.1 | 6.9% | 18.9% | 5.7% | 1983 | $1,678 | 33.7% | 95.8% | 5.0% |
| Richardson | 2.65 | 47.7 | 4.6% | 12.5% | 8.7% | 1982 | $1,365 | 37.2% | 94.9% | 3.2% |
| Virgil | 2.60 | 42.9 | 6.1% | 17.4% | 7.5% | 1976 | $1,472 | 32.0% | 95.7% | 3.3% |
| Troxel | 2.55 | 51.2 | 2.5% | 9.1% | 6.4% | 1962 | $1,429 | 27.1% | 94.5% | 7.6% |
| Creston | 2.23 | 40.3 | 9.7% | 46.7% | 8.2% | 1963 | $981 | 30.0% | 88.7% | 6.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: West Hollywood, CA · Thibodaux, LA · DePere, WI · Streamwood, IL · Upper Darby, PA · El Dorado Hills, CA · Chelsea, MA · Cedar Falls, IA · Warminster, PA · Canonsburg, PA
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. 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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