DeKalb County, Tennessee: commercial real estate data.
DeKalb County, Tennessee had an estimated 21,747 residents on July 1, 2024, up 8.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 20,079, across 304 square miles. County output reached $882.9 m in 2024, 339 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 2 7(a) approvals worth $32,200 since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
DeKalb County
How many people live in DeKalb County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202420,959
- Households8,652
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$53,153
- Median age41.9
- Median gross rent$839 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$235,500
- Home value to household income4.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over14,826
- Population under 184,557
- Share under 1821.7 percent
- Population 65 and over3,933
- Share 65 and over18.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6412,469
- Civilian labor force9,446
- Unemployment rate5.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over57.6 percent
- Rank by population among Tennessee counties65th of 95
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1825th of 3,222
DeKalb County is the 65th largest of 95 Tennessee counties by population. A median home costs 4.4 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.7 percent against 18.8 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, July 1, 202421,747
- Census 2020 base population20,079
- Population change since the 2020 census base8.31 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024410
- Births, 2024272
- Deaths, 2024283
- Natural change, 2024-11
- Net domestic migration, 2024365
- Net international migration, 202455
- Total net migration, 2024420
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,562
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents220th of 3,144
The county has grown 8.31 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
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 arriving749
- People arriving, from those returns1,390
- Tax returns filed by households leaving556
- Net household movement193
- Adjusted gross income arriving$45.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$21.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$60,284
- Average income of a leaving household$42,228
- Largest single originWilson County (100 households)
- Largest single destinationWilson County (73 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson County | 100 | 204 | $5.3 m |
| Rutherford County | 92 | 187 | $5.8 m |
| Warren County | 60 | 105 | $1.9 m |
| Davidson County | 55 | 87 | $4.3 m |
| Putnam County | 49 | 83 | $1.9 m |
| Smith County | 30 | 53 | $1.1 m |
| Cannon County | 27 | 63 | $1.1 m |
| White County | 24 | 42 | $724,000 |
Households arriving report $18,056 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Wilson County, 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$882.9 m
- County GDP, 2023$876.3 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.8 percent
- GDP change over five years25.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Tennessee areas BEA publishes60th of 95
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1946th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$42,126
Output grew 0.8 percent in the latest year and 25.6 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
Employment by industry in DeKalb County
- Covered employment, annual average5,388
- Establishments reporting467
- Average annual pay$48,873
- Average weekly wage$940
- Manufacturing, employment1,917
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$59,274
- Retail trade, employment561
- Retail trade, average annual pay$29,670
- Accommodation and food services, employment441
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$19,382
- Construction, employment149
- Construction, average annual pay$47,226
- Finance and insurance, employment130
- Wholesale trade, employment125
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,917 | 37 | $59,274 |
| Retail trade | 561 | 66 | $29,670 |
| Accommodation and food services | 441 | 34 | $19,382 |
| Construction | 149 | 48 | $47,226 |
| Finance and insurance | 130 | 25 | $59,368 |
| Wholesale trade | 125 | 18 | $60,669 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 114 | 42 | $63,095 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 113 | 14 | $38,741 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,917 jobs, 35.6 percent of covered employment.
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 industries339
- Employment at those establishments4,323
- Annual payroll$193.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents16.2
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
DeKalb County
Building permits in DeKalb County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024143
- Declared construction value permitted$22.1 m
- Single family units authorized143
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$154,623
- Units authorized per 1,000 households16.5
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
DeKalb County
SBA loans in DeKalb County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded2
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$32,200
- Average 7(a) approval$16,100
- Median 7(a) approval$16,100
- Largest single approval$25,500
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)5
- Jobs per approval2.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active1
- Distinct industries receiving approvals2
- Median 7(a) term48 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer0.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms0
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter2
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$4.9 m
- Average 504 approval$4,931,000
- Median 504 approval$4,931,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval80.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved16.2
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$5.0 m
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 recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled2
Only 0 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
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
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Sparta, approvals1
- Smithville, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Sparta | 1 | $25,500 |
| Smithville | 1 | $6,700 |
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 area304 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Tennessee counties73rd of 95
- Width, east to west23.7 mi
- Height, north to south20.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land69
- Establishments per square mile1.12
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
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Dekalb County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 470369
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in DeKalb County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Dekalb County (community 470369), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places DeKalb County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
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.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202420,959
- Households8,652
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$53,153
- Median age41.9
Common questions
DeKalb County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in DeKalb County, Tennessee?
The Census Bureau estimates 21,747 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 20,959, in 8,652 households, ranking 65th of 95 Tennessee 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 8.31 percent since the 2020 census base of 20,079, to 21,747 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 272 births against 283 deaths, with net migration of 420. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in DeKalb County?
$53,153. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $235,500, which is 4.4 times income, and median gross rent is $839 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in DeKalb County?
339 establishments, employing 4,323 people with an annual payroll of $193.7 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in DeKalb County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,917 jobs, 35.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 5,388 jobs at an average annual pay of $48,873, or $940 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in DeKalb County?
2 7(a) approvals totaling $32,200 since FY2020, across 1 lenders, with a median approval of $16,100, plus 1 504 approvals worth $4.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in DeKalb County?
143 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $22.1 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for DeKalb County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Wilson County, with 100 households. Arriving households report an average income of $60,284 against $42,228 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?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
DeKalb County
Cities and places in DeKalb.
4 Census places lie wholly or partly in DeKalb County. All 4 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smithville | city | 5,288 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Alexandria | town | 1,136 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dowelltown | town | 434 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Liberty | town | 406 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 2 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in DeKalb County, the largest being Sparta (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby