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DeKalb County, GA: population growth, jobs and income

DeKalb County gained 1,810 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+0.2%).

DeKalb County had an estimated 774,394 residents in 2025, up 1.3% (9,809 more people) since 2020. That is slower than Georgia as a whole (+5.3%), and the 106th fastest growth of 159 counties in Georgia.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the DeKalb County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for DeKalb County, ranked against Georgia and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$1,692/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes13.2%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months7692025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 8,187 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 298,747 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +5.7% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 3.6% in 2025, 0.1 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 1,321 new homes in 2025, or 1.7 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $80,644 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +23.8% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 1,489th.

Part of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area.

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DeKalb County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
2025774,394+1,810
2024772,584+4,160
2023768,424+3,672
2022764,752+5,044
2021759,708−4,877
2020764,585–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in DeKalb County

DeKalb County grew by 9,809 people since 2020 even though 43,273 more residents moved to other U.S. counties than came from them: births outnumbered deaths by 21,144, and net international migration added 32,545.

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths+4,296+21,144
International migrationfrom and to other countries+5,775+32,545
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−8,187−43,273
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−74−607
Total change+1,810+9,809

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn GeorgiaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth106th of 1591,489th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents154th of 1592,885th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth97th of 1581,129th of 3,092
Median household income27th of 159555th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate89th of 1591,014th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents119th of 1561,684th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for DeKalb County, GA as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, DeKalb County's population change (+1.3%) was ahead of 1 of its 5 neighbouring counties and behind 4.

3 of its 5 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than DeKalb County's $80,644 (2020–24).

DeKalb County, GA and its 5 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
DeKalb County, GA This county774,394+1.3%−10.61.7$80,644
Fulton County, GA1,098,791+2.7%−2.88.8$95,292
Gwinnett County, GA1,018,099+6.2%−7.33.9$87,890
Rockdale County, GA98,416+5.2%6.93.4$77,247
Clayton County, GA297,471−0.6%−6.82.7$59,806
Henry County, GA264,922+9.5%14.16.3$83,146

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 159 Georgia counties · Every state

Questions

Is DeKalb County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 1.3% between 2020 and 2025, about 9,809 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Georgia as a whole changed +5.3% over the same years. That ranks 106th of 159 counties in Georgia for population growth.

How many people moved to DeKalb County?

On net, none in 2025: about 8,187 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in DeKalb County?

It averaged 3.6% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of DeKalb County?

About 774,394 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in DeKalb County?

Private employers there had 298,747 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +5.7% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Georgia

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Georgia county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

DeKalb County data alerts

Email me when DeKalb County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for DeKalb County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.