DeKalb County, TN

County

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2024 Population

20,959

US Senator

Marsha Blackburn

Republican Party

US Senator

Bill Hagerty

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

41.9

0.711% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

18.6%

13.3% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$53,153

9.63% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$235,500

14% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

8,913

4.8% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in DeKalb County, TN reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.2% of the residents in DeKalb County, TN are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in DeKalb County, TN was $235,500, and the homeownership rate was 72.6%.

Most people in DeKalb County, TN drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.3 minutes. The average car ownership in DeKalb County, TN was 2 cars per household.

DeKalb County, TN borders Cannon County, TN, Putnam County, TN, Smith County, TN, Warren County, TN, White County, TN, and Wilson County, TN.

United States Tennessee

Population & Diversity

DeKalb County, TN is home to a population of 21k people, from which 96.2% are citizens. As of 2024, 4.84% of DeKalb County, TN residents were born outside of the country (1.02k people).

In 2024, there were 20.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (18.2k people) in DeKalb County, TN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 886 Other (Hispanic) and 477 Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.2%

2024 Citizenship

96.2%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96.2% of DeKalb County, TN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in DeKalb County, TN was 96.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in DeKalb County, TN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in DeKalb County, TN

White (Non-Hispanic)
18.2k ± 78
Other (Hispanic)
886 ± 331
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
477 ± 277

7.75%

Hispanic Population

1.62k people

7.75% of the people in DeKalb County, TN are hispanic (1.62k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in DeKalb County, TN as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Tennessee.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
96,695 ± 7,581 people
Guatemala
27,777 ± 4,084 people
India
24,683 ± 3,850 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Tennessee was Mexico, the natal country of 96,695 Tennessee residents, followed by Guatemala with 27,777 and India with 24,683.

Foreign-Born Population

4.84%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

1.02k people

4.96%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.02k people

As of 2024, 4.84% of DeKalb County, TN residents (1.02k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in DeKalb County, TN was 4.96%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in DeKalb County, TN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
452 ± 150
Gulf War (2001-)
216 ± 149
Gulf War (1990s)
164 ± 106

DeKalb County, TN has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.09 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in DeKalb County, TN.

Economy

The economy of DeKalb County, TN employs 8.91k people. In 2024, the largest industries in DeKalb County, TN were Manufacturing (1,886 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,269 people), and Retail Trade (738 people), and the highest paying industries were Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($57,241), Construction ($52,602), and Finance & Insurance ($46,569).

Employment

Occupations

8.91k

2024 Value

± 772

4.8%

1 Year growth

± 11.6%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in DeKalb County, TN grew at a rate of 4.8%, from 8.51k employees to 8.91k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in DeKalb County, TN, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,248 people), Production Occupations (1,197 people), and Management Occupations (753 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of DeKalb County, TN.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Tennessee (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

8.91k

2024 Value

± 772

4.8%

1 Year growth

± 11.6%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in DeKalb County, TN grew at a rate of 4.8%, from 8.51k employees to 8.91k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in DeKalb County, TN, are Manufacturing (1,886 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,269 people), and Retail Trade (738 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of DeKalb County, TN, though some of these residents may live in DeKalb County, TN and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$46,595

Median earning men ± $4,176

$32,259

Median earning women ± $3,777

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($67,991), Information ($66,250), and Wholesale Trade ($54,375).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Information ($43,125), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($42,303), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($39,701).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Y-Axis

3.15%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.29M people employed in Tennessee. This represents a 3.15% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.8%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Tennessee.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

36
Retail Trade
22
Other Services (except Public Administration)
22
Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$100k
Manufacturing
$20.1k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$15.1k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Tennessee went to Donald J. Trump with 64.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.703%).

Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are the senators currently representing the state of Tennessee. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Tennessee is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for DeKalb County, TN. Showing the available data for Tennessee.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (64.2%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (34.5%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.703%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Tennessee went to Donald J. Trump with 64.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.703%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Tennessee for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Tennessee

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Marsha Blackburn

Senator from Tennessee

Assumed office on January 3, 2019

Bill Hagerty

Senator from Tennessee

Assumed office on January 3, 2021

Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are the senators currently representing Tennessee.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Tennessee over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Housing & Living

The median property value in DeKalb County, TN was $235,500 in 2024, which is 0.708 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $206,600 to $235,500, a 14% increase. The homeownership rate in DeKalb County, TN is 72.6%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in DeKalb County, TN have an average commute time of 29.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in DeKalb County, TN is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 11.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in DeKalb County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 1.71%.

Housing

Property

$235,500

Median Property Value 2024

±$16,790

$6,282

Median Property Taxes

±$597

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In DeKalb County, TN the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in DeKalb County, TN compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

72.6%

Homeownership

2024

66.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 72.6% of the housing units in DeKalb County, TN were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 68.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in DeKalb County, TN compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$53,153

Median Household Income

± $7,562

8.65k

Number of Households

± 756

In 2024, the median household income of the 8.65k households in DeKalb County, TN grew to $53,153 from the previous year's value of $48,484.

The following chart displays the households in DeKalb County, TN distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for DeKalb County, TN is from Tennessee.

0.459

2023 Wage GINI in Tennessee

0.462

2022 Wage GINI in Tennessee

In 2023, the income inequality in Tennessee was 0.459 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.619% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Tennessee was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Tennessee in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Tennessee across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (81.7%)
Carpooled (9.56%)
Worked At Home (6.64%)

In 2024, 81.7% of workers in DeKalb County, TN drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.56%) and those who worked at home (6.64%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

29.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in DeKalb County, TN have a longer commute time (29.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 4.29% of the workforce in DeKalb County, TN have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in DeKalb County, TN compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in DeKalb County, TN distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in DeKalb County, TN have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 11.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in DeKalb County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 1.71%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

18.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in DeKalb County, TN (3.84k out of 20.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females < 5, followed by Males < 5 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in DeKalb County, TN is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 22% of the children was living in poverty in DeKalb County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 12.3%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 303 in DeKalb County, TN. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 10.1 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

91.3% of the population of DeKalb County, TN has health coverage, with 42.4% on employee plans, 21.4% on Medicaid, 14.3% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 1.32% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in DeKalb County, TN see 2,560 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,560 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 4201 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 2122 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.8% were men and 50.2% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,560 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in DeKalb County, TN

Primary care physicians in DeKalb County, TN see an average of 2,560 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,560 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in DeKalb County, TN in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.1% under 18 years, 19.1% between 18 and 34 years, 39.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.8% were men and 50.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

8.71%

Uninsured

42.4%

Employer Coverage

21.4%

Medicaid

14.3%

Medicare

11.9%

Non-Group

1.32%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in DeKalb County, TN grew by 3.94% from 8.38% to 8.71%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in DeKalb County, TN changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.