DeKalb County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

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

DeKalb County, Tennessee has a population of 20,959, the 65th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $53,153 and the median home value is $235,500. The poverty rate is 18.6%.

DeKalb County Quick Facts

Population 20,959

Median Household Income $53,15390% MOE ±$7,562

Median Home Value $235,50090% MOE ±$16,790

Poverty Rate 18.6%90% MOE ±3.9 pts

Unemployment Rate 5.6%90% MOE ±1.7 pts

Median Age 41.9 years90% MOE ±1.1 years

Homeownership Rate 72.6%90% MOE ±3.9 pts

Affordability Ratio 4.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 20.8%90% MOE ±3.0 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 84.5%

Cities/Places 4

Population 20,959 65th of 95

Median Income $53,153 24% lower than state

Poverty Rate 18.6%

Unemployment 5.6%

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	19,847	20,959	+5.6%
Median household income	$56,011	$53,153	No clear change (-5.1%)
Median home value¹	$182,883	$235,500	+28.8%
Median gross rent	$793	$839	No clear change (+5.9%)

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

$53,153

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

DeKalb

$235,500

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 23.5%

$25K-$50K 23.6%

$50K-$100K 29.6%

$100K+ 23.4%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.1%

$10K-$15K

5.5%

$15K-$20K

4.8%

$20K-$25K

7.1%

$25K-$30K

4.8%

$30K-$35K

5.4%

$35K-$40K

3.3%

$40K-$45K

4.8%

$45K-$50K

5.4%

$50K-$60K

6.4%

$60K-$75K

10.1%

$75K-$100K

13.1%

$100K-$125K

7.7%

$125K-$150K

7.0%

$150K-$200K

5.4%

$200K+

3.2%

Employment

5.6% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

55.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 72.6%

Renter 27.4%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $839/mo 18.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.7%

18-34

20.4%

35-54

23.9%

55-74

26.8%

75+

7.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

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

State average: 46 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in DeKalb County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Smithville	5,288	$33,192	33.4%	$194,200
Alexandria	1,136	$50,116	23.6%	$220,100
Dowelltown	434	$35,313	33.4%	$155,700
Liberty	406	$45,781	14.9%	$186,500

Explore Tennessee 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 Tennessee with a total population of 20,959. It is the 65th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in DeKalb County is 41.9 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in DeKalb County is $53,153. This is 24% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 34% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.6%. This is 35% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 5.6%. This is 21% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $235,500. Housing costs are 18% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.4x. 72.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

DeKalb County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 7.8%. The Black or African American population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 15.4%.

Education

20.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 33% lower than the state rate of 31.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 84.5%.

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 Tennessee 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, Tennessee?

DeKalb County has a population of 20,959, making it the 65th most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in DeKalb County?

The median household income in DeKalb County is $53,153 with a poverty rate of 18.6%.

How many cities are in DeKalb County, Tennessee?

DeKalb County contains 4 Census-designated places.