DeKalb County, Alabama
Among the top 9% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 91% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 46% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 21% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 28% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 24% of US counties
- top 4% for property tax rate
- top 8% for cost of living
- bottom 10% for sales tax
DeKalb County is a county in Alabama with about 72,000 residents. It grades A for affordability and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include property tax rate, cost of living, and monthly rent. It rates lower on school quality and sales tax.
Official websitedekalbcountyal.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet · Light snow
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74%52%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.5 in4.2 in
muggy 95%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$48k17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$42kbetter than 92% of US counties
Home Value$129k31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$684better than 83% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 80% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.34%better than 96% of US counties
Income Tax5.00%better than 46% of US counties
Sales Tax9.29%better than 10% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.99%better than 61% of US counties
Unemployment3.9%better than 66% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)40°F67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)77°F50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation58.2 in93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall3.8 inbetter than 66% of US counties
Sunny Days227 daysbetter than 37% of US counties
Summer Humidity69°Fbetter than 26% of US counties
Comfortable Days84 daysbetter than 63% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk80.4better than 19% of US counties
Air Quality48 AQIbetter than 22% of US counties
School Quality39.0better than 14% of US counties
Violent Crime887/100kbetter than 43% of US counties
Property Crime722/100kbetter than 60% of US counties
Community
Population71,68076th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.632nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3155th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0050th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+7192nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)79.1%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.5%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)15.4%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.1%15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.0%63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 43% of US counties
Walkability4.9/20better than 16% of US counties
Airport Distance86 mibetter than 57% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.9%better than 47% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.84better than 35% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 26% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is DeKalb County an affordable place to live?
- DeKalb County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $42k, better than 92% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in DeKalb County?
- The median home value in DeKalb County is $129k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in DeKalb County?
- Median household income in DeKalb County is $48k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in DeKalb County?
- Median gross rent in DeKalb County is $684 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is DeKalb County safe?
- DeKalb County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 887/100k (better than 43%). Property crime is 722/100k.
- What is the weather like in DeKalb County?
- DeKalb County averages 77°F in July and 40°F in January, with 58.2 in of annual precipitation and about 227 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in DeKalb County?
- Public-school quality in DeKalb County is below average, scoring better than 14% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in DeKalb County?
- The average one-way commute in DeKalb County is 25 min.
Other counties in Alabama
Explore Alabama
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)