State rank#20 of 102
Smallest county100,703 residentsCook County
Published county profile · Official data · FIPS 17037
DeKalb County, Illinois
County-level income, housing, jobs, education, health, and population with transparent statewide comparisons and source periods.
Population100,703
Household income$70,724
Unemployment4.7%
Life expectancy77.3 years
County overview
Living metrics at a glance
DeKalb County has 100,703 residents and ranks #20 by population among Illinois county equivalents. Median household income is $70,724. The annual-average unemployment rate is 4.7%. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access. Its county population is above the state county median. Every figure below stays at county scope.
Within Illinois
County population range
The marker places this county between the smallest and largest county populations in the state.
Relocation guide
Moving to DeKalb County: what to check
Data narrows the search; municipality, neighborhood, commute, schools, and current listings complete the decision.
Before moving
Before moving, compare municipalities inside DeKalb County, because county averages do not describe every neighborhood. Review current housing inventory, commute destinations, school districts, healthcare access, and job locations. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access.
Cost and housing
Housing benchmarks are $243,600 median home value and $1,049/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $70,724, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
Who it may suit
DeKalb County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, bachelor’s degree or higher, and life expectancy. College attainment is 33% and life expectancy is 77.3 years.
Potential advantages
- Mental health access: 1 per 228 residents, rank #14 of 97 available Illinois counties.
- Bachelor’s degree or higher: 33%, rank #15 of 102 available Illinois counties.
- Life expectancy: 77.3 years, rank #27 of 102 available Illinois counties.
Trade-offs to check
- Median home value: $243,600, rank #93 of 102; investigate local variation before moving.
- Median gross rent: $1,049/mo, rank #91 of 102; investigate local variation before moving.
- Primary care access: 1 per 3,719 residents, rank #73 of 94; investigate local variation before moving.
Income, housing, jobs, education & health
County metrics within Illinois
Rank and range use only counties in Illinois with that field available. A lower rank number is stronger when the metric has a clear direction.
Median household income
$70,724
$70,724; above the state county median of $66,532.
State rank #42 of 102 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median home value
$243,600
$243,600; above the state county median of $134,650.
State rank #93 of 102 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median gross rent
$1,049/mo
$1,049/mo; above the state county median of $811/mo.
State rank #91 of 102 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Unemployment rate
4.7%
4.7%; above the state county median of 4.6%.
State rank #53 of 102 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics
Bachelor’s degree or higher
33%
33%; above the state county median of 20.9%.
State rank #15 of 102 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Life expectancy
77.3 years
77.3 years; above the state county median of 75.9 years.
State rank #27 of 102 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Poor or fair health
16.8%
16.8%; below the state county median of 18%.
State rank #32 of 102 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Uninsured
6.4%
6.4%; above the state county median of 6%.
State rank #63 of 102 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Primary care access
1 per 3,719 residents
1 per 3,719 residents; above the state county median of 1 per 2,412 residents.
State rank #73 of 94 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Mental health access
1 per 228 residents
1 per 228 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 528 residents.
State rank #14 of 97 · County Health Rankings & RoadmapsCommon questions
DeKalb County FAQ
Is DeKalb County a good place to live?
DeKalb County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, bachelor’s degree or higher, and life expectancy. College attainment is 33% and life expectancy is 77.3 years.
What should I know before moving to DeKalb County?
Start with housing, employment, commute, schools, healthcare access, and the specific municipality. Housing benchmarks are $243,600 median home value and $1,049/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $70,724, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the population of DeKalb County?
DeKalb County has 100,703 residents in the 2020–2024 ACS 5-year dataset.
What is the FIPS code for DeKalb County?
The five-digit county FIPS code is 17037; the parent state FIPS is 17.
What is the median household income in DeKalb County?
The ACS median household income is $70,724.
How much does housing cost in DeKalb County?
Housing benchmarks are $243,600 median home value and $1,049/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $70,724, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the unemployment rate in DeKalb County?
The BLS LAUS annual-average unemployment rate is 4.7%.
Similar population
Nearby counties in the state ranking
#18Kankakee County106,635
#19Macon County101,849
#21Vermilion County72,386
#22Williamson County66,876
Source and gate
Methodology and source periods
All records join by five-digit FIPS. Profiles publish when ACS county population is at least 100,000 or the county is the state’s largest. Missing source values remain unavailable and are excluded from ranks. Runtime data was generated 2026-07-26.
Continue exploring