DeKalb County, Illinois Demographics 2026
DeKalb County, Illinois has a population of 100,703, the 20th most populous county in Illinois. The median household income is $70,724 and the median home value is $243,600. The poverty rate is 14.8%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
DeKalb County Quick Facts
How DeKalb County Changed
Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.
| Metric | 2019–2023 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 100,512 | 100,703 | +0.2% |
| Median household income | $69,022 | $70,724 | +2.5% |
| Median home value | $231,900 | $243,600 | +5.0% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.
State average: 61 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in DeKalb County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb | 40,443 | $46,481 | 24.9% | $204,700 |
| Sycamore | 18,559 | $84,120 | 8.1% | $265,700 |
| Genoa | 5,492 | $82,128 | 11.8% | $225,200 |
| Cortland | 4,564 | $73,971 | 7.0% | $233,200 |
| Hinckley | 2,331 | $86,823 | 10.0% | $291,700 |
| Kirkland | 1,525 | $94,338 | 6.8% | $191,600 |
| Waterman | 1,448 | $100,139 | 5.0% | $217,300 |
| Kingston | 1,352 | $88,295 | 7.0% | $241,700 |
| Malta | 1,274 | $80,625 | 24.0% | $180,300 |
| Shabbona | 572 | $63,750 | 13.5% | $186,600 |
Explore Illinois Rankings
Population Overview
DeKalb County is located in Illinois with a total population of 100,703. It is the 20th most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in DeKalb County is 32.7 years. This is 16% lower than the state median of 39.0 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in DeKalb County is $70,724. This is 15% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 12% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.8%. This is 25% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 6.8%. This is 16% higher than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $243,600. Housing costs are 7% lower than the state median of $263,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.4x. 61.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% lower than the state average of 67.1%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in DeKalb County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 71.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 14.5%. The Asian population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.
Education
33.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 13% lower than the state rate of 37.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.2%.
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 Illinois 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, Illinois?
DeKalb County has a population of 100,703, making it the 20th most populous county in Illinois.
What is the median income in DeKalb County?
The median household income in DeKalb County is $70,724 with a poverty rate of 14.8%.
How many cities are in DeKalb County, Illinois?
DeKalb County contains 10 Census-designated places.