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CITY · 2010 ACS

DeKalb

Illinois · 43,862 residents · 17.3 sq mi
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The short version

DeKalb is a city of 43,862 people in Illinois. This skews young, with a median age of 23.6. Owners hold 43% of the housing stock. The poverty rate is 26.3%, above the 13.8% national rate. Households here earn about 28% less than in Illinois as a whole. About 35% of adults have finished a four-year degree.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 23.6
US median: 37.2
More educated
35% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

43,862
+12%since 2000
from 39,018 in 2000
1990 – 2025
23.6
+2%since 2000
from 23.1 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
17.3 sq mi
Population, 19902024
34K37K40K43K46K19902000201020202024DeKalb
202440K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 56%(2,651)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 94.8%(2,115)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 144.1%(1,804)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 1912.4%(5,448)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2427.5%(12,063)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3414.4%(6,298)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 448.2%(3,615)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 548.3%(3,628)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 646.7%(2,959)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 743.5%(1,529)
US avg: 7%
75 to 842.6%(1,149)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over1.4%(603)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$40,228
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,153 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
$18,840
+16%since 2000
from $16,261 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
23.4%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 22.3% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
26.3%
+5.1 ptssince 2000
from 21.3% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
0.465
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Information16.8%
US avg: 11.5%
Retail trade9.1%
US avg: 10.9%
Other services4.9%
US avg: 7%
Wholesale trade3.7%
US avg: 7.2%
Public administration3.7%
US avg: 4.9%
Finance & insurance3.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical3.2%
US avg: 4.2%
Arts, entertainment, food2%
US avg: 2.4%
Transportation & warehousing1.8%
US avg: 3.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.4%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$180,900
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $126,400 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
$781
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $565 in 2000
US average: $853
43.1%
+1.2 ptssince 2000
from 41.9% in 2000
56.9% rent
6.2%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 5.3% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.41 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.50 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
34.3%
+2.9 ptssince 2009
from 31.4% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
60.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 60.5% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
4.5
−7%since 2009
from 4.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic75.6%(29,479)
Black9%(3,508)
Hispanic / Latino9%(3,527)
Asian4.6%(1,796)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic68.9%(30,238)
Black12.5%(5,494)
Hispanic / Latino12.5%(5,504)
Asian4%(1,769)
Other1.7%(731)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican10.2%(4,471)
Puerto Rican0.8%(351)
Honduran0.6%(246)
Peruvian0.3%(138)
Dominican0.1%(63)
Cuban0.1%(40)
Colombian0.1%(40)
Nicaraguan0.1%(28)
Spaniard0.1%(27)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ancestry
German24.9%(10,975)
Irish15.9%(6,984)
Polish7.9%(3,454)
English7.4%(3,261)
Italian6.5%(2,846)
Swedish5.4%(2,365)
Norwegian3.4%(1,513)
American2.3%(1,002)
French2%(885)
Scotch-Irish1.7%(732)
Dutch1.6%(724)
Scottish1.5%(642)
+ 36 more ancestry groups with data
Russian1.1%(476)
Danish1%(456)
Lithuanian1%(440)
Czech0.8%(367)
Greek0.6%(277)
British0.5%(215)
Welsh0.5%(207)
Finnish0.4%(197)
Belgian0.4%(195)
Ukrainian0.4%(191)
Swiss0.4%(189)
Austrian0.4%(188)
Iranian0.4%(173)
Serbian0.3%(142)
Slovak0.3%(134)
Hungarian0.3%(132)
Canadian0.3%(118)
Croatian0.2%(86)
Arab0.2%(68)
Bulgarian0.2%(68)
West Indian0.1%(60)
Romanian0.1%(58)
Nigerian0.1%(50)
Lebanese0.1%(44)
Armenian0.1%(40)
Haitian0.1%(31)
Portuguese0.1%(28)
Slovene0.1%(24)
Latvian0%(16)
Jamaican0%(14)
Syrian0%(13)
Turkish0%(13)
Section 05

Education

35.0%
−3.0 ptssince 2000
from 38.0% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
90.5%
+2.9 ptssince 2000
from 87.6% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
14.4%
−3.8 ptssince 2000
from 18.2% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

20.4 min
+25%since 2000
from 16.3 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
72.8%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 71.6% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
9.6%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
4.2%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
3.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
8.2%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
1.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
7.7%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

17.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
34.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 34.3% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

50.8%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 50.2% in 2009
49.2%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
10.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
5.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married59.1%(9,815)
Married31.1%(5,166)
Widowed1.9%(313)
Divorced8%(1,325)
Women 15+
Never married56.5%(10,014)
Married25.4%(4,498)
Widowed6.9%(1,222)
Divorced11.2%(1,990)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

7.2%
−2.4 ptssince 2013
from 9.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
52.3%
−3.5 ptssince 2020
from 55.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.1%
−2.0 ptssince 2020
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
10.9%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 9.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
28.1%
+4.7 ptssince 2020
from 23.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 1.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
63.7%
−5.2 ptssince 2020
from 68.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
38.3%
+6.0 ptssince 2020
from 32.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)40.5%(554)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)20.6%(282)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era18.5%(253)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.9%(54)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.4%(19)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,369 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in DeKalb, Illinois?

DeKalb, Illinois has about 43,862 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in DeKalb, Illinois?

The typical household in DeKalb, Illinois earns about $40,228 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is DeKalb, Illinois expensive?

In DeKalb, Illinois, the median home is worth about $180,900, and the typical rent is about $781 a month.

How educated are people in DeKalb, Illinois?

About 35.0% of adults age 25 and over in DeKalb, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in DeKalb, Illinois?

About 26.3% of people in DeKalb, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.

Has DeKalb, Illinois grown since 1990?

Yes, DeKalb, Illinois has grown since 1990. The population has added about 8,937 residents, a change of about 26 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →