DeKalb County, Alabama Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

DeKalb County, Alabama has a population of 72,269, the 20th most populous county in Alabama. The median household income is $51,204 and the median home value is $152,700. The poverty rate is 22.4%.

DeKalb County Quick Facts

Population 72,269

Median Household Income $51,20490% MOE ±$2,508

Median Home Value $152,70090% MOE ±$5,889

Poverty Rate 22.4%90% MOE ±1.9 pts

Unemployment Rate 4.1%90% MOE ±1.2 pts

Median Age 39.5 years90% MOE ±0.4 years

Homeownership Rate 78.3%90% MOE ±1.7 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.0x

Bachelor's Degree+ 14.1%90% MOE ±1.5 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 79.2%

Cities/Places 17

Population 72,269 20th of 67

Median Income $51,204 20% lower than state

Poverty Rate 22.4%

Unemployment 4.1%

How DeKalb County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	71,310	72,269	+1.3%
Median household income	$49,770	$51,204	No clear change (+2.9%)
Median home value¹	$130,578	$152,700	+16.9%
Median gross rent	$773	$693	-10.3%

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

DeKalb

$51,204

$63,999

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

DeKalb

$152,700

$209,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 24.3%

$25K-$50K 24.6%

$50K-$100K 30.3%

$100K+ 20.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.6%

$10K-$15K

5.9%

$15K-$20K

6.5%

$20K-$25K

6.4%

$25K-$30K

5.8%

$30K-$35K

5.8%

$35K-$40K

4.5%

$40K-$45K

4.6%

$45K-$50K

3.9%

$50K-$60K

8.9%

$60K-$75K

9.0%

$75K-$100K

12.4%

$100K-$125K

8.9%

$125K-$150K

4.8%

$150K-$200K

4.2%

$200K+

2.9%

Employment

4.1% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

55.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 78.3%

Renter 21.7%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $693/mo 16.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

24.0%

18-34

20.5%

35-54

24.9%

55-74

23.6%

75+

7.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 53 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in DeKalb County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Fort Payne	14,927	$47,479	32.5%	$157,000
Rainsville	5,702	$74,046	7.0%	$230,400
Henagar	2,501	$49,315	22.4%	$144,700
Crossville	2,143	$49,100	21.1%	$129,900
Sylvania	1,925	$56,161	10.6%	$161,500
Collinsville	1,781	$31,652	26.0%	$59,000
Fyffe	1,190	$34,870	14.5%	$113,300
Geraldine	1,011	$43,594	21.0%	$171,900
Powell	912	$61,786	30.8%	$116,400
Sand Rock	868	$73,333	7.5%	$218,800
Ider	731	$54,444	14.8%	$162,900
Valley Head	669	$45,889	6.0%	$59,800
Pine Ridge	506	$58,750	10.4%	N/A
Shiloh	383	$61,538	11.0%	$113,900
Mentone	377	$42,344	15.9%	$269,700
Hammondville	287	$37,083	22.7%	$113,900
Lakeview	102	$63,125	4.9%	$103,100

Explore Alabama Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

DeKalb County is located in Alabama with a total population of 72,269. It is the 20th most populous county out of 67 in Alabama. The county encompasses 17 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in DeKalb County is 39.5 years. This is about the same as the state median of 39.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in DeKalb County is $51,204. This is 20% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 22.4%. This is 43% higher than the state poverty rate of 15.6%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 4.1%. This is 12% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $152,700. Housing costs are 27% lower than the state median of $209,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 78.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% higher than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in DeKalb County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 77.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 17.1%. The Black or African American population (1.4%) is well below the state average of 25.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (17.1% vs 5.6%). The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

14.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 50% lower than the state rate of 28.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 79.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for DeKalb County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Alabama and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of DeKalb County, Alabama?

DeKalb County has a population of 72,269, making it the 20th most populous county in Alabama.

What is the median income in DeKalb County?

The median household income in DeKalb County is $51,204 with a poverty rate of 22.4%.

How many cities are in DeKalb County, Alabama?

DeKalb County contains 17 Census-designated places.