Dekalb County

DeKalb County, Georgia — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS estimates, 2023 1-year; rounded)

Population

• About 770,000 residents

Age

• Median age: ~36–37 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~12%

Gender

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%

Race and ethnicity (mutually exclusive)

• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~54%
• White (non-Hispanic): ~26–28%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~11%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~6%
• Two or more races and other (non-Hispanic): ~2–3%

Households and housing

• Households: ~285,000–290,000
• Average household size: ~2.5 persons
• Family households: ~60–62% of households
• Owner-occupied housing: ~53–55% (renter-occupied ~45–47%)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 1-year estimates. Figures are approximate due to rounding.

DeKalb County, GA email usage (estimates)

• Population ~760k. Estimated active email users: 540k–620k (about 70–80% of residents), applying recent U.S. adoption rates to the local population.

• Age distribution (share using email):

  • 18–29: ~95%
  • 30–49: ~95%
  • 50–64: ~90–92%
  • 65+: ~85–88%
  • Teens (13–17): ~85–90%; younger children vary (often via school accounts).

• Gender split: Roughly even; men and women differ by only a few percentage points.

• Digital access trends:

  • Households with broadband: ~88–92%; smartphone‑only internet: ~15–20%.
  • Widespread 5G coverage; libraries and schools offer Wi‑Fi/hotspots, helping close gaps.
  • Email remains a primary channel for schools, local government, healthcare, and commerce.

• Local density/connectivity facts:

  • Population density ≈2,800 people/sq mi in this inner‑Atlanta county, enabling strong cable/fiber availability and generally high network performance along major corridors.
  • However, some lower‑income tracts (especially in south/east DeKalb) show lower subscription rates, reflecting a persistent digital divide.

Notes: Figures synthesize Census/ACS broadband indicators and Pew Research email adoption benchmarks applied to DeKalb’s population; actual usage will vary by neighborhood.

Below is a concise, decision-ready summary focused on what’s distinctive about DeKalb County, GA relative to Georgia overall. Figures are rounded, modeled from recent ACS “Computer & Internet Use” patterns, metro-Atlanta market data, and operator deployments; treat them as planning estimates rather than official counts.

Snapshot

• Population baseline: ~770,000 residents; ~600,000 adults; ~280,000–300,000 households.
• Urban/suburban county embedded in the Atlanta core (Brookhaven, Chamblee, Decatur, Doraville, Stone Mountain; Emory/CDC; PDK Airport), with dense multi-dwelling units (MDUs) and major transportation corridors (I‑20, I‑85, I‑285, MARTA rail).

User estimates (mobile phone and mobile internet)

• Adult smartphone users: ~530,000–580,000 (roughly 88–93% of adults), higher than Georgia’s statewide average by a few points due to urban density and younger/renter mix.
• Mobile-data–only (mobile-dependent) households: ~50,000–65,000 (about 18–22% of households), above statewide share; driven by MDUs, prepaid affordability, and flexible contracts.
• 5G fixed wireless access (home internet via mobile networks): likely 10,000–20,000 households, a larger footprint than many GA counties because of strong mid-band 5G and apartment-heavy neighborhoods.
• Prepaid/MVNO penetration: higher than the state average, particularly along immigrant corridors (e.g., Buford Hwy) and among budget-sensitive users.

Demographic patterns that shape usage

• Age: Near-saturation smartphone adoption among under-35s; faster adoption growth among 55+ than statewide, aided by robust urban 5G coverage and healthcare/telehealth use around Emory/CDC.
• Income and housing: Renters and lower-income households show elevated “mobile-only” reliance versus Georgia overall, reflecting plan cost, no-install requirements for MDUs, and competitive prepaid offers.
• Race/ethnicity: With a large Black population and sizable Hispanic and Asian communities, DeKalb sees above-average adoption of prepaid/MVNO plans and WhatsApp/WeChat/Spanish-language app ecosystems; this skews usage toward high-data messaging and video on mobile.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and capacity: All national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon, plus DISH availability) with dense macro grids and extensive small-cell/DAS in activity hubs (university/medical campuses, MARTA rail stations/corridors, Perimeter business clusters).
• 5G: Broad mid-band 5G (T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz; AT&T/Verizon C‑band) yields higher median speeds and better indoor performance than the state average; mmWave exists only in select dense venues/corridors.
• Backhaul: Strong fiber presence (AT&T Fiber, competitive providers; Google Fiber in parts of Decatur/Brookhaven), improving cell-site capacity and reliability relative to many GA counties.
• Notable traffic hot spots: Emory/CDC campus area, downtown Decatur, Perimeter Center, PDK Airport environs, Stone Mountain Park, and interstates; these see event-driven and commuter load spikes.
• Physical landscape: Tree canopy and older building stock in parts of South DeKalb can create indoor coverage challenges, increasing reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and small cells.

How DeKalb differs from Georgia statewide (key trends)

• Higher smartphone penetration and a larger mobile-dependent segment than the state norm, tied to urban density, renter share, and competitive prepaid ecosystems.
• Faster average 5G speeds and better indoor coverage due to mid-band 5G saturation and richer fiber backhaul; fewer coverage gaps than many non-metro counties.
• Greater adoption of 5G fixed wireless home internet as an alternative to cable/fiber in apartments, whereas rural Georgia leans on fixed wireless for lack of wired options.
• Heavier small-cell/DAS deployment (universities, hospitals, transit) and more consistent multi-carrier presence across venues than is typical outside the Atlanta metro.
• More diverse device/plan mix: stronger MVNO and international-calling features; BYOD/eSIM uptake above statewide averages.

Data notes and methodology

• Counts derived by applying typical urban-county ACS smartphone and subscription rates to DeKalb’s adult and household totals, then bounding with metro-Atlanta carrier deployment realities. For precise figures, pull the latest ACS S2801 (county-level) for device/subscription, FCC mobile coverage maps for 5G layers, and operator/Speedtest reports for performance benchmarks.

DeKalb County, GA — social media snapshot (2025, est.)

By the numbers

• Population: ~770,000 residents; households with broadband: ~85–90% (ACS 2022–23).
• Estimated social media users (13+): ~530,000–560,000 (roughly 70–75% of residents).
• Gender mix of users: ~53% female, ~47% male (aligns with county demographics; platform skews vary).

Most-used platforms in DeKalb (share of residents 13+ using each at least monthly; estimates based on Pew U.S. usage applied locally)

• YouTube: ~78–82%
• Facebook: ~60–65%
• Instagram: ~45–50%
• TikTok: ~35–40%
• Snapchat: ~28–32%
• LinkedIn: ~27–32% (higher around major employers/universities)
• WhatsApp: ~20–25% (strong among multilingual/immigrant communities)
• X (Twitter): ~20–22%
• Nextdoor: ~15–20% of adults (household- and neighborhood-driven)

Age patterns (what’s most used by each group; percents reflect national usage patterns expected locally)

• Teens (13–17): Very high on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat; Instagram strong; Facebook limited.
• 18–29: YouTube and Instagram dominant; TikTok and Snapchat heavy; Facebook still substantial.
• 30–49: YouTube and Facebook lead; Instagram solid; TikTok moderate; LinkedIn notable.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram/TikTok lighter; Nextdoor usage rises.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube core; Nextdoor for neighborhood info; lighter on others.

Gender skews by platform (directional)

• More women: Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, WhatsApp.
• More men: Reddit, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Discord.
• TikTok and YouTube are closer to gender-balanced, with slight female skew among younger TikTok users.

Behavioral trends to know

• Neighborhood-first: Facebook Groups and Nextdoor drive conversations about schools, public safety, zoning, and services. Posts with clear local relevance (street names, school clusters, cityhood topics) get outsized engagement.
• Short-form video wins: Reels/TikTok for food, events, and small businesses (Decatur, Buford Hwy/Chamblee-Doraville food scene, Tucker/Avondale). Quick cuts, subtitles, and geo-tags outperform.
• Event discovery: Instagram and Facebook Events for festivals, markets, concerts; same-day “what’s on” posts perform well weekends.
• Trust via community: Recommendations and word-of-mouth in local groups outperform traditional ads; UGC and local creators are key.
• Multilingual reach: WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube are effective for immigrant communities (e.g., Hispanic, Ethiopian/Eritrean, Asian diasporas); bilingual content boosts reach.
• Professional pockets: LinkedIn activity clusters around Emory/CDC/healthcare, tech, and public sector; thought-leadership and hiring posts perform.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends; school-year calendars shape daytime patterns for parents and educators.

Notes on methodology and sources

• Estimates derive from Pew Research Center’s Social Media Use (2023–2024) applied to DeKalb’s population and age structure (U.S. Census/ACS 2022–2023). Nextdoor/WhatsApp shares reflect Pew adoption plus typical urban-suburban usage patterns. Treat figures as directional for planning, not as exact counts.