Census place 1719161

DeKalb

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: DeKalb city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in DeKalb.

According to the 2025 estimate, DeKalb has a population of 40,467 and 2,275 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 225 covered Illinois places are: median household income is $46,481, below the comparison median of $90,282; median home value is $204,700, below the comparison median of $274,000; and median gross rent is $1,029, below the comparison median of $1,347. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

median household income
$46,481
Below the comparison median of $90,282
median home value
$204,700
Below the comparison median of $274,000
median gross rent
$1,029
Below the comparison median of $1,347

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare DeKalb's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
40,467
2025 estimate
Annual change
+1%
Population estimate
Density
2,275/sq mi
17.8 sq mi land area
Median age
26.1 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$46,481
Median home value
$204,700
Median gross rent
$1,029
Bachelor’s degree or higher
33.7%
Typical commute
23.8 min
Drive-alone commute
71.2%
Public transit commute
1.1%
Walked to work
8.1%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
57.9%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
66.5%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
61%
Unemployed residents 16+
7%
Working from home
6.3%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
90.8%
Homes built 2020+
0.1%
Households without a vehicle
9.9%
Households with children
25.6%
Residents with a disability
11.4%
Residents without insurance
7.2%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for DeKalb County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
6
Severe Storm declarations
2
Snowstorm declarations
2
Flood declarations
1

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: SHABBONA 5 NNE (8 mi from place center)
Average high
57.7°F
Average low
37.9°F
Annual rainfall
37.4"
Annual snowfall
0"

Month by month

A year in DeKalb.

Typical high and low °F
0°F20°F40°F60°F80°F100°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Marion, IA

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
42,732
Median home
$241,700

La Crosse, WI

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
50,784
Median home
$210,100

Fond du Lac, WI

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
44,541
Median home
$173,700

Keep exploring

Compare DeKalb with Marion