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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

DeKalb County

Tennessee · 20,080 residents · 304 sq mi
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The short version

DeKalb County is home to 20,080 people in Tennessee. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. At a median age of 43.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $157,500. 72% of homes are owner-occupied. Median rent is $645 a month.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 43.1
US median: 38.8
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 26%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

20,080
+15%since 2000
from 17,423 in 2000
1990 – 2025
43.1
+14%since 2000
from 37.7 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
304 sq mi
Population, 19902024
14K16K18K20K22K19902000201020202024DeKalb County
202421K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.7%(1,153)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(1,229)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.4%(1,282)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.2%(1,242)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.4%(1,094)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411%(2,201)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.4%(2,297)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.8%(2,567)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6415.1%(3,038)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7411.8%(2,379)
US avg: 10%
75 to 846.1%(1,225)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.9%(373)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$44,389
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,359 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$25,135
+46%since 2000
from $17,217 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
27.3%
+10.3 ptssince 2009
from 17.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
19.8%
+2.7 ptssince 2000
from 17.0% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade26.7%
US avg: 10%
Information9.7%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade7.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance6.7%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical5.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing4%
US avg: 2.5%
Other services3.6%
US avg: 6.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.8%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction2.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration2%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services1.1%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$157,500
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $83,200 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$645
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $389 in 2000
US average: $1,124
71.7%
−3.2 ptssince 2000
from 74.9% in 2000
28.3% rent
2.54 people
−5%since 2009
from 2.68 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
3.5
+26%since 2009
from 2.8 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-Hispanic93.8%(16,338)
Black1.4%(249)
Hispanic / Latino3.6%(633)
Asian0.1%(24)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic87.3%(17,526)
Black1.2%(234)
Hispanic / Latino7.2%(1,449)
Asian0.4%(76)
Other2.1%(418)
24
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican7.5%(1,514)
Guatemalan0.3%(61)
Peruvian0.2%(32)
Spaniard0.1%(18)
Colombian0.1%(13)
Asian origin
Chinese0.2%(45)
Japanese0.1%(27)
Ancestry
American16.1%(3,243)
English9.3%(1,870)
Irish8.8%(1,778)
German6%(1,215)
Italian1.8%(357)
Scotch-Irish1.5%(295)
Scottish1.3%(270)
French1.2%(243)
Polish0.7%(138)
Hungarian0.7%(134)
Dutch0.6%(124)
British0.5%(100)
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.4%(87)
Russian0.4%(85)
Welsh0.4%(81)
Norwegian0.3%(57)
Romanian0.1%(22)
Portuguese0.1%(19)
Czech0.1%(16)
Finnish0.1%(16)
Greek0%(9)
Slovak0%(5)
Danish0%(3)
Section 05

Education

18.9%
+7.7 ptssince 2000
from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
79.5%
+14.9 ptssince 2000
from 64.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
6.4%
+1.6 ptssince 2000
from 4.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

28.7 min
+58%since 2000
from 18.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
84.3%
+2.8 ptssince 2009
from 81.5% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
6.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

4.9%
−4.7 ptssince 2011
from 9.6% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
52.2%
−5.7 ptssince 2011
from 57.9% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
57.5%
US average: 73.3%
33.3%
+7.8 ptssince 2009
from 25.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

50.5%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 49.5% in 2009
49.5%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 50.5% in 2009
5.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
9.9%
−5.9 ptssince 2013
from 15.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
81.6%
US average: 91.9%
87.6%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married25.6%(2,186)
Married60.1%(5,127)
Widowed3.5%(299)
Divorced10.7%(912)
Women 15+
Never married21.2%(1,824)
Married53.7%(4,622)
Widowed9.9%(855)
Divorced15.2%(1,304)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

9.9%
−5.9 ptssince 2013
from 15.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
48.5%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
15.2%
US average: 13.7%
21.6%
US average: 17.6%
25.8%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.4%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
61.6%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
42.5%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)14.6%(183)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)13.7%(172)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era44.1%(553)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War12%(150)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.5%(31)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 1,254 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 County, Tennessee?

DeKalb County, Tennessee has about 20,080 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in DeKalb County, Tennessee?

The typical household in DeKalb County, Tennessee earns about $44,389 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is DeKalb County, Tennessee expensive?

In DeKalb County, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $157,500, and the typical rent is about $645 a month.

How educated are people in DeKalb County, Tennessee?

About 18.9% of adults age 25 and over in DeKalb County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in DeKalb County, Tennessee?

About 19.8% of people in DeKalb County, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.

Has DeKalb County, Tennessee grown since 1990?

Yes, DeKalb County, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 5,720 residents, a change of about 40 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 →