DeKalb County, Georgia Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for DeKalb County, Georgia, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in DeKalb County, Georgia. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in DeKalb County, Georgia. The estimated population of DeKalb County, Georgia is 758,634 people, with a median age of 36.2.

We can look at the total population in DeKalb County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
758,634
+0.44%
+3.07%
2020
755,287
+0.8%
-
2019
749,323
+0.83%
-
2018
743,187
+0.97%
-
2017
736,066
 - -

Population of DeKalb County, Georgia by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
29.1%
29.1%
 0.00%
Black/African American
52.4%
53.3%
 -1.69%
Native
0.1%
0.2%
 -50.00%
Hispanic
8.5%
8.7%
 -2.30%
Asian
6.1%
6%
 +1.67%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.1%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
3.3%
2.2%
 +50.00%
Other
0.4%
0.4%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of DeKalb County, Georgia by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 36.2 +0.84% 35.1 +1.15% 37.3 +0.54%
2020 35.9 +0.28% 34.7 +0.58% 37.1 +0.54%
2019 35.8 +0.56% 34.5 +0.29% 36.9 +0.27%
2018 35.6 +0.28% 34.4 +0.29% 36.8 +0.27%
2017 35.5 - 34.3 - 36.7 -

The median age of DeKalb County, Georgia gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 52,118 -4.27% 49,628 -0.72% 49,918 49,259
10 to 19 44,309 +7.84% 44,102 +3.65% 47,884 45,725
20 to 29 53,249 -3.3% 57,536 -0.61% 51,499 57,172
30 to 39 55,662 +4.58% 60,587 +3.6% 58,259 62,797
40 to 49 49,274 -1.64% 53,664 -0.5% 48,461 53,399
50 to 59 43,693 +5.33% 50,739 -0.26% 46,069 50,609
60 to 69 30,962 +9.02% 39,815 +8.66% 33,812 43,353
70+ 19,682 +20.65% 31,046 +16.19% 24,037 36,381

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of DeKalb County, Georgia is $69,423.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for DeKalb County.

  • Under 25
    $32,882.00
  • 25 to 44
    $72,185.00
  • 45 to 64
    $80,154.00
  • 65 and over
    $54,107.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in DeKalb County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in DeKalb County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of DeKalb County, Georgia is currently $101,277.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

11.29% of households in DeKalb County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of DeKalb County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    15.46%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    20.57%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    17.29%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    12.43%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    15.33%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    7.63%
  • $200,000 or more
    11.29%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in DeKalb County is $39,994.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of DeKalb County by the total population of DeKalb County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in DeKalb County, Georgia, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in DeKalb County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    21.17%
  • Bachelor's degree
    40.99%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    6.66%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    28.37%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.81%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in DeKalb County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of DeKalb County over the age of 16 is 600,899.

Of those people, a total of 69.30% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in DeKalb County is 64.60%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 35,051 32.30% 23.00%
20 to 24 years 46,076 74.10% 11.40%
25 to 29 years 62,595 86.80% 8.70%
30 to 34 years 63,132 87.90% 6.00%
35 to 44 years 109,266 86.10% 5.60%
45 to 54 years 98,909 84.60% 4.80%
55 to 59 years 48,287 77.60% 3.90%
60 to 64 years 41,990 62.60% 5.70%
65 to 74 years 60,906 28.10% 6.60%
75 years and over 34,687 7.70% 2.40%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in DeKalb County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 204,073 70.90% 3.60%
Black or African American 317,847 68.40% 9.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 3,953 76.30% 2.60%
Asian 37,388 65.50% 5.50%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 366 55.20% 0.00%
Other 10,530 71.50% 9.10%
Two or more races 26,742 71.60% 5.60%
Hispanic or Latino 41,303 76.20% 4.60%
Not Hispanic or Latino 186,843 70.20% 3.60%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in DeKalb County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in DeKalb County is 388,413, with median earnings of $42,958.00.

Women in DeKalb County, Georgia earning approximately 83.50% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 388,413 $42,958.00
Male 189,885 $47,095.00
Female 198,528 $39,318.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 44,150 $83,619.00
Business and Financial 31,083 $71,764.00
Computer and Mathematical 19,255 $86,775.00
Architecture and Engineering 6,514 $84,333.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 6,754 $76,394.00
Community and Social Service 7,151 $44,824.00
Legal 7,492 $109,019.00
Educational and Library 26,902 $46,831.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 12,402 $53,341.00
Healthcare Practitioners 21,843 $70,233.00
Healthcare Support 9,601 $26,327.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 5,415 $26,236.00
Law Enforcement 1,728 $51,899.00
Food Preparation and Serving 19,282 $18,935.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 12,192 $21,265.00
Personal Care and Service 9,617 $20,722.00
Sales 37,623 $36,557.00
Office and Administrative Support 40,427 $35,980.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 798 $23,731.00
Construction and Extraction 13,170 $31,161.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 6,763 $38,824.00
Production 16,380 $30,463.00
Transportation and Material Moving 15,022 $35,909.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 22,365 $95,046.00 21,785 $75,967.00
Business and Financial 14,205 $78,515.00 16,878 $64,698.00
Computer and Mathematical 13,608 $90,209.00 5,647 $75,838.00
Architecture and Engineering 4,915 $93,651.00 1,599 $71,058.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 3,010 $74,341.00 3,744 $78,087.00
Community and Social Service 2,179 $42,128.00 4,972 $45,669.00
Legal 3,768 $116,483.00 3,724 $101,583.00
Educational and Library 7,968 $53,702.00 18,934 $44,482.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 6,523 $52,460.00 5,879 $53,856.00
Healthcare Practitioners 4,937 $103,902.00 16,906 $64,963.00
Healthcare Support 1,309 $31,897.00 8,292 $25,214.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 2,911 $31,142.00 2,504 $22,964.00
Law Enforcement 1,271 $52,580.00 457 $48,142.00
Food Preparation and Serving 9,153 $20,861.00 10,129 $16,949.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 7,262 $24,870.00 4,930 $17,803.00
Personal Care and Service 2,553 $20,659.00 7,064 $20,740.00
Sales 17,950 $51,318.00 19,673 $24,971.00
Office and Administrative Support 10,783 $40,607.00 29,644 $34,814.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 219 $17,280.00 579 $23,925.00
Construction and Extraction 12,739 $31,271.00 431 $28,388.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 6,112 $39,472.00 651 $35,593.00
Production 10,181 $33,828.00 6,199 $27,956.00
Transportation and Material Moving 12,101 $38,747.00 2,921 $28,440.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 286,068 households in DeKalb County, with an average household size of 2.61 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 165,519 families in DeKalb County with an average family size of 3.46 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 106,018 13,229 46,272 120,549
Average Household Size 3.41 3.83 3.83 1.3
Total Families 106,018 13,229 46,272 0
Average Household Size 3.37 3.46 3.66 0

Poverty

Of the 165,519 families in DeKalb County, 9.50% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in DeKalb County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 323,092 housing units in DeKalb County, Georgia.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 286,068 88.54%
Vacant 37,024 11.46%

37.47% of the total 323,092 housing units in DeKalb County are rental units. This is approximately 121,069 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 162,485 are occupied by the owner - or 50.29% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in DeKalb County is $1,312.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in DeKalb County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    2,514
  • Less than $500
    4,772
  • $500 to $999
    19,420
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    57,832
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    30,323
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    6,230
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    1,380
  • $3,000 or more
    1,112

Property Value

The median value of a property in DeKalb County is $255,600.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in DeKalb County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    4,558
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    10,628
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    21,653
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    24,698
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    32,571
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    38,585
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    26,382
  • $1,000,000 or more
    3,410

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in DeKalb County. The chart below shows the number of properties in DeKalb County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    10,188
  • 1940 to 1949
    9,415
  • 1950 to 1959
    30,595
  • 1960 to 1969
    45,348
  • 1970 to 1979
    59,197
  • 1980 to 1989
    50,927
  • 1990 to 1999
    46,669
  • 2000 to 2009
    49,687
  • 2010 to 2013
    20,539
  • 2014 or later
    527

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in DeKalb County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    22,694
  • 1 vehicle available
    114,134
  • 2 vehicles available
    105,425
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    43,815

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in DeKalb County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in DeKalb County that commute to work in a particular way.

31.6 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in DeKalb County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    3,054
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    12,443
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    26,789
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    38,623
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    50,475
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    26,337
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    59,828
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    13,571
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    19,078
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    37,840
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    26,152
  • 90 or more minutes
    10,879

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for DeKalb County, Georgia in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in DeKalb County, Georgia

We have data for 25 places in DeKalb County, Georgia. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.