DeKalb, Illinois Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
DeKalb, IL Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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D
Income Well below average
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B
Education Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | DeKalb | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,488 | 12,692,444 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1554.6 | 219.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.05% | -0.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 23.5 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 11,009 | 5,035,584 | 130,235,071 |
Population in DeKalb declined by 6.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 27,488 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in DeKalb is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 48.7% of residents. That is 27.5 points above Illinois as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 13,390 48.7% +27.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,568 16.6% -5.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 3,224 11.7% -8.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,105 7.7% -9.3 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Illinois, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.0% of the people living in DeKalb and men 50.0%.
- Women 50.0% Illinois 50.6%
- Men 50.0% Illinois 49.4%
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Economy
DeKalb has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | DeKalb | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,624 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 1.34% | 4.46% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 10.9% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in DeKalb is about 49% lower than in Illinois.
Housing
| Metric | DeKalb | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $110,648 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,029 | $1,274 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 36.0% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in DeKalb is about 9.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,029 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in DeKalb spend about 31 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 128 hours, about 5.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | DeKalb | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.4 | 23.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 30.8 | 47.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 128 | 197 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,980 | $6,104 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,219 | 7,977 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,941 | 1,547 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in DeKalb is 15 minutes, shorter than the 24 minutes in Illinois.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
DeKalb has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | DeKalb | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.5% | 34.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.16 | 2.46 | 2.53 |
Health
DeKalb has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | DeKalb | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.9 | 77.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.8% | 15.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 15.9% | 19.2% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about DeKalb, Illinois.
How many people live in DeKalb, Illinois?
About 27,488 people live in DeKalb, Illinois, in 11,009 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 23.5, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 14 years.
How densely populated is DeKalb, Illinois?
Averaged over its land area, DeKalb, Illinois has 1,555 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 18 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is DeKalb, Illinois an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 2.6 times the median household income ($110,648 against $42,624), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,029 a month takes about 29% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in DeKalb, Illinois?
Unemployment in DeKalb, Illinois is 10.9%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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