DeKalb County, Georgia: commercial real estate data.
DeKalb County, Georgia has a population of 765,351 across 268 square miles, up 0.8 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $59.34 bn in 2024, 18,258 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 937 7(a) approvals worth $673.9 m.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections · underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency
DeKalb County
How many people live in DeKalb County
- Population765,351
- Households287,239
- Average household size2.66
- Median household income$80,644
- Median age36.4
- Median gross rent$1,692 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$357,800
- Home value to household income4.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income25.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher47.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree21.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over526,378
- Population under 18174,042
- Share under 1822.7 percent
- Population 65 and over105,276
- Share 65 and over13.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64486,033
- Civilian labor force416,256
- Unemployment rate6.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over70.4 percent
- Rank by population among Georgia counties4th of 159
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents86th
DeKalb County is the 4th largest of 159 Georgia counties by population. A median home costs 4.4 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.7 percent against 13.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
DeKalb County
Is DeKalb County's population growing?
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.76 percent
- Census 2020 base population764,532
- Births, 202410,016
- Deaths, 20245,200
- Natural change, 20244,816
- Net domestic migration, 2024-11,219
- Net international migration, 20248,755
- Total net migration, 2024-2,464
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-35,226
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1567th
The county has grown 0.76 percent since the 2020 census base. Births exceeded deaths in 2024 but more people left than arrived, so the population is being sustained internally rather than attracting.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
DeKalb County
Where are people moving to DeKalb County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving33,527
- People arriving, from those returns52,602
- Adjusted gross income arriving$2.35 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$70,102
- Largest single originDeKalb County Non-migrants (262,003 households)
- Largest single destination (262,003 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County Non-migrants | 262,003 | 495,301 | $26.10 bn |
| Fulton County | 8,575 | 12,787 | $857.5 m |
| Gwinnett County | 4,216 | 7,042 | $207.0 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 3,530 | 5,398 | $225.5 m |
| Cobb County | 1,821 | 2,687 | $120.5 m |
| Other flows - South | 1,754 | 2,676 | $106.3 m |
| Clayton County | 1,461 | 2,694 | $43.1 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 767 | 1,167 | $40.3 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is DeKalb County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
DeKalb County
What is the DeKalb County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$59.34 bn
- County GDP, 2023$56.87 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.4 percent
- GDP change over five years36.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among Georgia counties4th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents101st
- GDP per resident$77,539
Output grew 4.4 percent in the latest year and 36.4 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
DeKalb County
Largest employers in DeKalb County
- Covered employment, annual average310,019
- Establishments reporting23,556
- Average annual pay$76,011
- Average weekly wage$1,462
- Sector 62, employment47,884
- Sector 62, average annual pay$68,128
- Sector 44-45, employment33,681
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$45,403
- Sector 72, employment23,570
- Sector 72, average annual pay$28,825
- Sector 61, employment22,505
- Sector 61, average annual pay$120,683
- Sector 54, employment22,054
- Sector 56, employment20,504
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 47,884 | 2,652 | $68,128 |
| Sector 44-45 | 33,681 | 2,297 | $45,403 |
| Sector 72 | 23,570 | 1,764 | $28,825 |
| Sector 61 | 22,505 | 395 | $120,683 |
| Sector 54 | 22,054 | 3,837 | $105,945 |
| Sector 56 | 20,504 | 1,345 | $69,739 |
| Sector 52 | 17,027 | 1,043 | $87,600 |
| Sector 31-33 | 13,200 | 635 | $73,839 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 47,884 jobs, 15.4 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
DeKalb County
How many businesses are in DeKalb County?
- Establishments, all industries18,258
- Employment at those establishments298,747
- Annual payroll$20.65 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.9
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
DeKalb County
Building permits in DeKalb County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20241,238
- Declared construction value permitted$330.9 m
- Single family units authorised853
- Multifamily units authorised385
- Multifamily share of units31.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$267,306
- Units authorised per 1,000 households4.3
Multifamily is 31.1 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
DeKalb County
SBA loans in DeKalb County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded937
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$673.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$719,229
- Median 7(a) approval$343,600
- 10th percentile approval$40,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,000,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)9,502
- Jobs per approval10.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active110
- Distinct industries receiving approvals254
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer26.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms247
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter643
- Franchise loans149
- Franchise share of approvals15.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (54)
- Most active lenderWells Fargo Bank National Association (58)
- 504 approvals recorded221
- 504 gross approval dollars$182.2 m
- Average 504 approval$824,213
- Median 504 approval$456,000
- Distinct CDCs active10
- 504 jobs per approval9.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.9
- Most active CDCFlorida Business Development Corporation (62)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals80.9 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$856.1 m
The average approval of $719,229 sits well above the median of $343,600, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 26.4 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
DeKalb County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in DeKalb County
Do SBA loans in DeKalb County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded180
- Paid in full165
- Charged off15
- Charge off rate on resolved loans8.3 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure578
- Status: Paid in full165
- Status: Charged off15
- Status: Cancelled132
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed47
| NAICS | Industry | Resolved loans | Charged off | Charge off rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 722511 | Full-Service Restaurants | 10 | 1 | 10.0% |
Of the 180 loans that have reached a final outcome, 8.3 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong. Among industries with at least ten resolved loans, Full-Service Restaurants carries the highest charge off rate at 10.0 percent.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
DeKalb County
SBA lending by place in DeKalb County
- Places in the county with recorded lending33
- ATLANTA, approvals308
- DECATUR, approvals178
- Stone Mountain, approvals87
- Lithonia, approvals83
- TUCKER, approvals79
- BROOKHAVEN, approvals47
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| ATLANTA | 308 | $227,756,200 |
| DECATUR | 178 | $131,197,700 |
| Stone Mountain | 87 | $63,470,600 |
| Lithonia | 83 | $57,754,800 |
| TUCKER | 79 | $64,482,700 |
| BROOKHAVEN | 47 | $18,212,900 |
| DORAVILLE | 29 | $22,714,000 |
| CHAMBLEE | 27 | $20,918,000 |
ATLANTA accounts for 308 approvals against 178 in DECATUR. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
DeKalb County
How large is DeKalb County?
- Land area268 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Georgia counties112th of 159
- Width, east to west18.8 mi
- Height, north to south22.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land2,856
- Establishments per square mile68.13
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
DeKalb County
Flood risk in DeKalb County
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book14
- Of those, participating in the NFIP14
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 6
- Communities carrying a CRS class3
- Radon levels in DeKalb County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The EPA places DeKalb County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class in DeKalb County is 6, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a DeKalb County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a DeKalb County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population765,351
- Households287,239
- Average household size2.66
- Median household income$80,644
- Median age36.4
Common questions
DeKalb County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in DeKalb County, Georgia?
765,351, in 287,239 households, ranking 4th of 159 Georgia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is DeKalb County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.76 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 10,016 births against 5,200 deaths, with net migration of -2,464. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in DeKalb County?
$80,644. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $357,800, which is 4.4 times income, and median gross rent is $1,692 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in DeKalb County?
18,258 establishments, employing 298,747 people with an annual payroll of $20.65 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in DeKalb County?
Average annual pay is $76,011, or $1,462 a week, across 310,019 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in DeKalb County?
937 7(a) approvals totalling $673.9 m since FY2020, across 110 lenders, with a median approval of $343,600, plus 221 504 approvals worth $182.2 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in DeKalb County get paid back?
Of the 180 loans that have reached a final outcome, 165 were paid in full and 15 charged off, a charge off rate of 8.3 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in DeKalb County?
1,238 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $330.9 m. Multifamily was 31.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for DeKalb County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to DeKalb County come from?
The largest single origin is DeKalb County Non-migrants, with 262,003 households. Arriving households report an average income of $70,102 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for DeKalb County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for DeKalb County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.
DeKalb County
Cities and places in DeKalb.
22 Census places lie wholly or partly in DeKalb County. 22 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked. The rest are named here and not linked, because the American Community Survey and the SBA record between them do not carry enough about them to write an honest page. A place existing is itself worth knowing, so nothing in the county is left out.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA approvals | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | city | 505,268 | 1,480 | 6.6 percent here, 93.4 percent Fulton County |
| Stonecrest | city | 60,501 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| Brookhaven | city | 57,855 | 47 | Wholly in this county |
| Dunwoody | city | 51,758 | 21 | Wholly in this county |
| Tucker | city | 37,123 | 82 | Wholly in this county |
| Redan | CDP | 31,017 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Chamblee | city | 30,895 | 27 | Wholly in this county |
| Decatur | city | 24,518 | 179 | Wholly in this county |
| Candler-McAfee | CDP | 20,905 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| North Decatur | CDP | 18,442 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| North Druid Hills | CDP | 17,997 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Clarkston | city | 14,557 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| Belvedere Park | CDP | 14,181 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Doraville | city | 11,134 | 31 | 97.7 percent here, 2.3 percent Gwinnett County |
| Scottdale | CDP | 10,542 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Panthersville | CDP | 9,053 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Druid Hills | CDP | 8,169 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Gresham Park | CDP | 6,935 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Stone Mountain | city | 6,623 | 103 | Wholly in this county |
| Avondale Estates | city | 3,530 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Lithonia | city | 2,622 | 83 | Wholly in this county |
| Pine Lake | city | 882 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 34 SBA approvals in DeKalb County are recorded against borrower cities that match no Census place, the largest being Ellenwood, Alanta, Decateur. Those are postal cities and unincorporated areas rather than incorporated places, so no page claims them, and their lending is counted in this county's totals above rather than under any city.