1st Advantage MortgageDeKalb County households have a median income of $80,644 and median rent of $1,692 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Georgia license first.
On this page
- Getting oriented in DeKalb County
- What DeKalb County households earn
- Housing costs in DeKalb County
- Employment and commuting in DeKalb County
- The communities that make up DeKalb County
- The counties around DeKalb County
- A DeKalb County household budget, worked through
- DeKalb County households compared
- Reading the DeKalb County data as a borrower
- Checklist for DeKalb County applicants
- Georgia rules that apply in DeKalb County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in DeKalb County
Roughly 765,351 residents live in DeKalb County, Georgia, 4th by population among the state's 159 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 268 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 2,859 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Stonecrest is the biggest of its 21 Census places, at roughly 60,501 people (8% of the county total).
What DeKalb County households earn
DeKalb County households have a median income of $80,644 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 27th of 159 in Georgia.
| Household income | DeKalb County | vs Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 20.6% | -1.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 38.3% | -1.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 24.9% | -1.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 16.2% | +4.3 pts |
About 21% of households earn under $35,000, while 41% clear $100,000. Census counts 13.7% of DeKalb County residents in poverty, against 13.4% across Georgia. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.496 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in DeKalb County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Housing costs in DeKalb County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,692 in DeKalb County versus $1,393 statewide. By the Census definition, 59% of DeKalb County renters are cost-burdened. Home values center on $357,800, or 4.4 years of median income. Owners occupy 59% of homes. The median year built is 1984.
| Home costs | DeKalb County | Georgia | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,692/mo | $1,393/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $357,800 | $303,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 59% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 59% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 28% | 26% | n/a |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Employment and commuting in DeKalb County
By the Census industry count, 22% of employed DeKalb County residents work in education and health care and 18% in professional and administrative services. Compared with Georgia, the county leans toward professional and administrative services (18% against 14%). The survey's unemployment rate for DeKalb County averages 6.4% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 5.1%). Long commutes are common here: 21% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 7.3% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | DeKalb County | Gap to Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.5% | +1.5 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 17.6% | +4.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.3% | -0.9 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.9% | +0.3 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.9% | +0.6 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 7.1% | +0.8 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
The communities that make up DeKalb County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 21 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 57% of DeKalb County residents live in one of the 21. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $46,973 in Stone Mountain to $139,397 in Decatur. Linked names have their own city guide; this page covers every other DeKalb County community.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stonecrest | city | 60,501 | $64,591 | $1,601 | 8 mi |
| Brookhaven | city | 57,855 | $117,663 | $1,882 | 9 mi |
| Dunwoody | city | 51,758 | $121,903 | $1,859 | 13 mi |
| Tucker | city | 37,123 | $80,317 | $1,647 | 5 mi |
| Redan | CDP | 31,017 | $65,227 | $1,566 | 4 mi |
| Chamblee | city | 30,895 | $84,452 | $1,859 | 9 mi |
| Decatur | city | 24,518 | $139,397 | $1,655 | 4 mi |
| Candler-McAfee | CDP | 20,905 | $64,699 | $1,498 | 4 mi |
| North Decatur | CDP | 18,442 | $110,871 | $1,913 | 4 mi |
| North Druid Hills | CDP | 17,997 | $102,742 | $1,874 | 7 mi |
| Clarkston | city | 14,557 | $48,564 | $1,422 | 3 mi |
| Belvedere Park | CDP | 14,181 | $65,462 | $1,534 | 2 mi |
| Doraville | city | 11,134 | $67,235 | $1,868 | 10 mi |
| Scottdale | CDP | 10,542 | $85,610 | $1,583 | 3 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
The counties around DeKalb County
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (14 to 23 miles). Income ranges from $59,806 in Clayton County to $102,738 in Cobb County; 4 of these neighbors top DeKalb County's median.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County | - | $80,644 | $1,692/mo | 59% |
| Fulton County, GA | 14 mi | $95,292 | $1,732/mo | 54% |
| Rockdale County, GA | 14 mi | $77,247 | $1,525/mo | 70% |
| Gwinnett County, GA | 17 mi | $87,890 | $1,810/mo | 66% |
| Clayton County, GA | 19 mi | $59,806 | $1,433/mo | 55% |
| Henry County, GA | 22 mi | $83,146 | $1,674/mo | 75% |
| Cobb County, GA | 23 mi | $102,738 | $1,730/mo | 67% |
A DeKalb County household budget, worked through
DeKalb County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Median income divided by twelve: $6,720 before taxes
- Median rent: $1,692, or 25 cents of every gross dollar
- At 36%, room after rent is $727 a month
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
DeKalb County households compared
47% of DeKalb County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 12.7% of residents have no health coverage.
| DeKalb County | Georgia | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 | 37.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 47.4% | 34.9% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.2% | 10.8% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 12.7% | 12.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.3% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 22.6% | 15.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 13.4% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.4% | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of DeKalb County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 14.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 36.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 28.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 11.3% |
| 60+ min | 9.7% |
Reading the DeKalb County data as a borrower
Based on the DeKalb County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Hospital bills in DeKalb County. For the 13% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- Long drives. With 21% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many DeKalb County budgets.
- Strong incomes, long terms. 41% of DeKalb County households earn $100,000+. The risk is a term that outlasts the need.
- Renters under pressure. When 59% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
Checklist for DeKalb County applicants
Before you apply, wherever you live in DeKalb County:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in DeKalb County.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one DeKalb County-area credit union.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Georgia rules that apply in DeKalb County
DeKalb County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. More on Georgia: Georgia personal loans.
Nearby and statewide guides
City guides inside DeKalb County, and the statewide guide:
Frequently asked questions
Is DeKalb County a high-income county?
Its $80,644 median ranks 27th of 159 Georgia counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How does DeKalb County rent compare with Georgia?
$1,692 locally versus $1,393 for the state, 21% above.
Which towns does the DeKalb County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 21 Census places: Stonecrest, Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Tucker, Redan.
Does living in DeKalb County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a DeKalb County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Who regulates personal lenders for DeKalb County residents?
The Georgia Department of Banking and Finance licenses consumer lenders in Georgia; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.