DeKalb County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.
DeKalb County, Illinois has a population of 100,703 across 631 square miles, up 0.8 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $5.66 bn in 2024, 1,975 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 67 7(a) approvals worth $59.7 m.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
DeKalb County
How many people live in DeKalb County
- Population100,703
- Households39,550
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$70,724
- Median age32.7
- Median gross rent$1,049 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$243,600
- Home value to household income3.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher33.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree13.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over60,637
- Population under 1821,723
- Share under 1821.6 percent
- Population 65 and over14,020
- Share 65 and over13.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6464,960
- Civilian labor force55,667
- Unemployment rate6.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over70.5 percent
- Rank by population among Illinois counties20th of 102
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents616th
DeKalb County is the 20th largest of 102 Illinois counties by population. A median home costs 3.4 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.6 percent against 13.9 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 growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.82 percent
- Census 2020 base population100,514
- Births, 20241,020
- Deaths, 2024824
- Natural change, 2024196
- Net domestic migration, 2024-41
- Net international migration, 2024511
- Total net migration, 2024470
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-1,365
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1544th
The county has grown 0.82 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
DeKalb County
Where people moving to DeKalb County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,989
- People arriving, from those returns5,031
- Adjusted gross income arriving$155.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$51,918
- Largest single originDeKalb County Non-migrants (36,953 households)
- Largest single destination (36,953 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County Non-migrants | 36,953 | 74,130 | $2.93 bn |
| Kane County | 661 | 1,151 | $35.4 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 660 | 1,080 | $36.3 m |
| Cook County | 422 | 736 | $17.0 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 278 | 449 | $14.2 m |
| DuPage County | 262 | 421 | $14.7 m |
| Other flows - South | 208 | 357 | $11.1 m |
| Kendall County | 207 | 397 | $12.3 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 the DeKalb County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$5.66 bn
- County GDP, 2023$5.54 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.2 percent
- GDP change over five years26.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among Illinois counties20th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents669th
- GDP per resident$56,218
Output grew 2.2 percent in the latest year and 26.2 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
Who employs people in DeKalb County
- Covered employment, annual average36,272
- Establishments reporting1,988
- Average annual pay$56,896
- Average weekly wage$1,094
- Sector 44-45, employment5,317
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$38,109
- Sector 62, employment5,124
- Sector 62, average annual pay$62,625
- Sector 31-33, employment3,364
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$69,749
- Sector 72, employment2,863
- Sector 72, average annual pay$21,467
- Sector 23, employment2,024
- Sector 81, employment1,241
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 44-45 | 5,317 | 225 | $38,109 |
| Sector 62 | 5,124 | 174 | $62,625 |
| Sector 31-33 | 3,364 | 128 | $69,749 |
| Sector 72 | 2,863 | 204 | $21,467 |
| Sector 23 | 2,024 | 253 | $90,032 |
| Sector 81 | 1,241 | 197 | $35,257 |
| Sector 56 | 915 | 104 | $49,487 |
| Sector 54 | 754 | 149 | $59,319 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 5,317 jobs, 14.7 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
What businesses operate in DeKalb County
- Establishments, all industries1,975
- Employment at those establishments29,129
- Annual payroll$1.51 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.6
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
What is being built in DeKalb County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024257
- Declared construction value permitted$65.3 m
- Single family units authorised180
- Multifamily units authorised77
- Multifamily share of units30.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$254,211
- Units authorised per 1,000 households6.5
Multifamily is 30.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
DeKalb County
How much SBA lending happens in DeKalb County
- 7(a) approvals recorded67
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$59.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$890,464
- Median 7(a) approval$313,500
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,981,400
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)927
- Jobs per approval13.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active28
- Distinct industries receiving approvals35
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer26.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms18
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter48
- Franchise loans11
- Franchise share of approvals16.4 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (13)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (19)
- 504 approvals recorded71
- 504 gross approval dollars$45.4 m
- Average 504 approval$639,169
- Median 504 approval$296,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval6.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.6
- Most active CDCWessex 504 Corporation (29)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals48.6 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$105.0 m
The average approval of $890,464 sits well above the median of $313,500, 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 26.9 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
Do SBA loans in DeKalb County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded17
- Paid in full16
- Charged off1
- Charge off rate on resolved loans5.9 percent
- Status: Paid in full16
- Status: Exempt from disclosure36
- Status: Cancelled13
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
- Status: Charged off1
Of the 17 loans that have reached a final outcome, 5.9 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.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
DeKalb County
Which parts of DeKalb County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending9
- Dekalb, approvals30
- Sycamore, approvals20
- SANDWICH, approvals4
- WATERMAN, approvals4
- HINCKLEY, approvals3
- GENOA, approvals2
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Dekalb | 30 | $22,607,400 |
| Sycamore | 20 | $29,265,200 |
| SANDWICH | 4 | $3,495,500 |
| WATERMAN | 4 | $800,000 |
| HINCKLEY | 3 | $1,485,000 |
| GENOA | 2 | $795,000 |
| KINGSTON | 2 | $198,000 |
| Cortland | 1 | $150,000 |
Dekalb accounts for 30 approvals against 20 in Sycamore. 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 big is DeKalb County
- Land area631 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Illinois counties30th of 102
- Width, east to west18.2 mi
- Height, north to south36.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land160
- Establishments per square mile3.13
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
What hazards affect DeKalb County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book13
- Of those, participating in the NFIP13
- 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 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
The EPA places the county in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
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.
- Population100,703
- Households39,550
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$70,724
- Median age32.7
Common questions
DeKalb County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in DeKalb County, Illinois?
100,703, in 39,550 households, ranking 20th of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is DeKalb County growing?
The population has grown 0.82 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 1,020 births against 824 deaths, with net migration of 470. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in DeKalb County?
$70,724. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $243,600, which is 3.4 times income, and median gross rent is $1,049 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in DeKalb County?
1,975 establishments, employing 29,129 people with an annual payroll of $1.51 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 $56,896, or $1,094 a week, across 36,272 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?
67 7(a) approvals totalling $59.7 m since FY2020, across 28 lenders, with a median approval of $313,500, plus 71 504 approvals worth $45.4 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in DeKalb County get paid back?
Of the 17 loans that have reached a final outcome, 16 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge off rate of 5.9 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in DeKalb County?
257 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $65.3 m. Multifamily was 30.0 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 36,953 households. Arriving households report an average income of $51,918 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.