DeKalb County, Tennessee
Located in Tennessee, DeKalb County has a population of 20,959 residents and a median age of 41.9 years, making it the #1,825 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 18.6%. The median home value is $235,500, and the median household income is $53,153, which is 29% below the national median.
Demographics
DeKalb County has a population of 20,959, making it the #1,825 most populous county in the US. The median age is 41.9 years, which is 7.7% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in DeKalb County is $53,153, ranking #2,587 out of 3,222 counties — 29.3% below the national median. The poverty rate is 18.6% and unemployment stands at 5.6%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in DeKalb County is $235,500 (-16.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $839/mo and the homeownership rate is 72.6%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In DeKalb County, 20.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 38.2% below the national average, ranking #1,858 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in DeKalb County is 71.7 years. 26.6% of adults report poor or fair health and 13.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
25.3% of adults in DeKalb County smoke , 41.7% are obese , and 16.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 67.4 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 15.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 19.0 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
22.0% of children in DeKalb County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 32.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in DeKalb County is 57.4%. The mean commute time is 32.7 min, which is 18.4% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, DeKalb County voted Republican with a margin of 62.7%. The vote was 18.2% Dem / 80.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 4.9 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About DeKalb County, Tennessee
DeKalb County, Tennessee has a total population of 20,959, making it the 1,825th most populous county in the United States. The median age in DeKalb County is 41.9 years, which is 7.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in DeKalb County is $53,153, which ranks #2,587 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 29.3% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 18.6%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.6%.
The median home value in DeKalb County is $235,500, 16.5% below the national median. Renters in DeKalb County pay a median gross rent of $839 per month. The homeownership rate is 72.6%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In DeKalb County, 20.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 38.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 32.7 min.
DeKalb County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 87.0% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.7%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
All data for DeKalb County, Tennessee comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.