DeKalb County vs. Alabama
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Population Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
DeKalb County vs. Alabama
DeKalb County:
2022 Population = 71,998
2022 Percent of State = 1.42%
Alabama:
2022 Population = 5,074,296
2022 Percent of U.S. = 1.52%
Attracting and retaining people to live, work, raise a family, and retire underlies the economic vitality of any region. Population growth is both a cause--and a consequence--of economic growth. Patterns of population growth and change reflect differences among regions to attract and retain people both as producers and consumers in their economy.
The following graphs offer a broad overview of trends in the pattern of population growth and change of DeKalb County with comparisons to Alabama and the nation at large. This analysis features alternative approaches toward discussing, diagnosing and comparing DeKalb County vs. Alabama's population growth over 1969-2022. The data used are those compiled by the Regional Income and Product Divisions of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 1.
Figure 1 tracks DeKalb County's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, DeKalb County's population rose from 42,521 in 1969 to 71,998 in 2022, for a net gain of 29,477, or 69.32%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces Alabama's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Alabama's population rose from 3,440,000 in 1969 to 5,074,296 in 2022, for a net gain of 1,634,296, or 47.51%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 shows DeKalb County's population growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Alabama, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's population in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the populations in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in population growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
DeKalb County's overall population growth was 69.32% over 1969-2022 outpaced Alabama's increase of 47.51%, and outpaced the United States' increase of 65.57%.
Population as a Percent of the Alabama Total: 1969-2022
Population as a Percent of the Alabama Total: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Another interesting and insightful way of contrasting the population growth of DeKalb County is to trace its individual percentage contributions to Alabama's statewide population over time, as shown in Figure 4. A rising share means a region's population grew faster, or declined less, than Alabama's population, while a declining share shows it grew more slowly.
In 1969, DeKalb County's population totaled 1.24% of Alabama's population, while in 2022 it equated to 1.42% thereby yielding a +0.18% share-shift.
   
 
Population Share-Shift
2022 vs. 1969
 
Share-
Shift*
 
2022
vs.
1969
+0.18%
=
1.42%
-
1.24%
 
   
DeKalb County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
DeKalb County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 highlights the short-run pattern of DeKalb County's population growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also illustrated on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, DeKalb County's population grew at an annual rate of 1.00% over 1970-2022. The county recorded its highest growth in 1975 (4.33%) and recorded its lowest growth in 1982 (-0.87%). In 2022, DeKalb County's population grew by 0.24%
DeKalb County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
DeKalb County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some counties have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again shows the annual percent change in DeKalb County's population since 1970, but this time they are displayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, DeKalb County's annual population growth rate averaged 2.33%. It averaged 0.18% during the 1980s, 1.56% in the 1990s, 1.09% in the 2000s, 0.09% throughout the 2010s, 0.22% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for DeKalb County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Alabama and the nation. As the chart reveals, DeKalb County's average annual population growth outpaced Alabama's average during the 1970s (2.33% vs. 1.18%), lagged Alabama's average throughout the 1980s (0.18% vs. 0.41%), led Alabama's average in the 1990s (1.56% vs. 0.95%), recorded above Alabama's average throughout the 2000s (1.09% vs. 0.72%), fell below Alabama's average in the 2010s (0.09% vs. 0.50%), and lagged Alabama's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (0.22% vs. 0.47%).
Finally, relative to nationwide population growth trends, DeKalb County topped the nation in the 1970s (2.33% vs. 1.10%), fell under the nation in the 1980s (0.18% vs. 0.95%), outperformed the nation in the 1990s (1.56% vs. 1.23%), recorded above the nation in the 2000s (1.09% vs. 0.95%), fell under the nation during the 2010s (0.09% vs. 0.74%), and trailed the nation over 2020-2022 (0.22% vs. 0.31%).
   
 
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
1.00
2.33
0.18
1.56
1.09
0.09
0.22
0.24
 
0.74
1.18
0.41
0.95
0.72
0.50
0.47
0.48
 
0.96
1.10
0.95
1.23
0.95
0.74
0.31
0.38
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
DeKalb County:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
42,521
100.0
N
1.24
1970
 
42,228
99.3
-0.69
1.22
1971
 
43,656
102.7
3.38
1.25
1972
 
44,799
105.4
2.62
1.27
1973
 
46,720
109.9
4.29
1.30
1974
 
47,903
112.7
2.53
1.32
1975
 
49,978
117.5
4.33
1.36
1976
 
51,192
120.4
2.43
1.37
1977
 
52,025
122.4
1.63
1.38
1978
 
53,109
124.9
2.08
1.39
1979
 
53,487
125.8
0.71
1.38
1980
 
53,800
126.5
0.59
1.38
1981
 
54,271
127.6
0.88
1.38
1982
 
53,798
126.5
-0.87
1.37
1983
 
53,906
126.8
0.20
1.37
1984
 
54,148
127.3
0.45
1.37
1985
 
53,922
126.8
-0.42
1.36
1986
 
53,642
126.2
-0.52
1.34
1987
 
53,927
126.8
0.53
1.34
1988
 
54,164
127.4
0.44
1.35
1989
 
54,460
128.1
0.55
1.35
1990
 
54,875
129.1
0.76
1.35
1991
 
55,909
131.5
1.88
1.36
1992
 
56,883
133.8
1.74
1.37
1993
 
58,000
136.4
1.96
1.38
1994
 
59,551
140.1
2.67
1.40
1995
 
59,779
140.6
0.38
1.39
1996
 
60,358
141.9
0.97
1.39
1997
 
61,144
143.8
1.30
1.40
1998
 
62,325
146.6
1.93
1.41
1999
 
63,593
149.6
2.03
1.44
2000
 
64,650
152.0
1.66
1.45
2001
 
65,678
154.5
1.59
1.47
2002
 
65,861
154.9
0.28
1.47
2003
 
66,530
156.5
1.02
1.48
2004
 
67,260
158.2
1.10
1.48
2005
 
67,794
159.4
0.79
1.48
2006
 
68,495
161.1
1.03
1.48
2007
 
69,450
163.3
1.39
1.49
2008
 
70,228
165.2
1.12
1.49
2009
 
70,864
166.7
0.91
1.49
2010
 
71,134
167.3
0.38
1.49
2011
 
71,341
167.8
0.29
1.48
2012
 
70,922
166.8
-0.59
1.47
2013
 
70,892
166.7
-0.04
1.46
2014
 
70,977
166.9
0.12
1.45
2015
 
71,080
167.2
0.15
1.45
2016
 
71,131
167.3
0.07
1.44
2017
 
71,456
168.0
0.46
1.44
2018
 
71,446
168.0
-0.01
1.44
2019
 
71,521
168.2
0.10
1.43
2020
 
71,648
168.5
0.18
1.42
2021
 
71,829
168.9
0.25
1.42
2022
 
71,998
169.3
0.24
1.42
Source: Calculations by the Alabama Regional Economic Analysis Project (AL-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Alabama:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
3,440,000
100.0
N
1.71
1970
 
3,449,846
100.3
0.29
1.69
1971
 
3,497,452
101.7
1.38
1.69
1972
 
3,540,080
102.9
1.22
1.69
1973
 
3,580,769
104.1
1.15
1.69
1974
 
3,627,805
105.5
1.31
1.70
1975
 
3,680,533
107.0
1.45
1.71
1976
 
3,737,204
108.6
1.54
1.72
1977
 
3,782,736
110.0
1.22
1.72
1978
 
3,834,120
111.5
1.36
1.73
1979
 
3,869,444
112.5
0.92
1.72
1980
 
3,900,368
113.4
0.80
1.72
1981
 
3,918,533
113.9
0.47
1.71
1982
 
3,925,263
114.1
0.17
1.69
1983
 
3,934,100
114.4
0.23
1.68
1984
 
3,951,824
114.9
0.45
1.68
1985
 
3,972,520
115.5
0.52
1.67
1986
 
3,991,569
116.0
0.48
1.66
1987
 
4,015,262
116.7
0.59
1.66
1988
 
4,023,842
117.0
0.21
1.65
1989
 
4,030,219
117.2
0.16
1.63
1990
 
4,050,055
117.7
0.49
1.62
1991
 
4,099,156
119.2
1.21
1.62
1992
 
4,154,014
120.8
1.34
1.62
1993
 
4,214,202
122.5
1.45
1.62
1994
 
4,260,229
123.8
1.09
1.62
1995
 
4,296,800
124.9
0.86
1.61
1996
 
4,331,102
125.9
0.80
1.61
1997
 
4,367,935
127.0
0.85
1.60
1998
 
4,404,701
128.0
0.84
1.60
1999
 
4,430,141
128.8
0.58
1.59
2000
 
4,452,173
129.4
0.50
1.58
2001
 
4,467,634
129.9
0.35
1.57
2002
 
4,480,089
130.2
0.28
1.56
2003
 
4,503,491
130.9
0.52
1.55
2004
 
4,530,729
131.7
0.60
1.55
2005
 
4,569,805
132.8
0.86
1.55
2006
 
4,628,981
134.6
1.29
1.55
2007
 
4,672,840
135.8
0.95
1.55
2008
 
4,718,206
137.2
0.97
1.55
2009
 
4,757,938
138.3
0.84
1.55
2010
 
4,787,998
139.2
0.63
1.55
2011
 
4,812,138
139.9
0.50
1.54
2012
 
4,839,261
140.7
0.56
1.54
2013
 
4,864,399
141.4
0.52
1.54
2014
 
4,886,793
142.1
0.46
1.53
2015
 
4,908,162
142.7
0.44
1.53
2016
 
4,930,595
143.3
0.46
1.52
2017
 
4,952,202
144.0
0.44
1.52
2018
 
4,976,395
144.7
0.49
1.51
2019
 
5,003,418
145.4
0.54
1.52
2020
 
5,031,362
146.3
0.56
1.52
2021
 
5,049,846
146.8
0.37
1.52
2022
 
5,074,296
147.5
0.48
1.52
Source: Calculations by the Alabama Regional Economic Analysis Project (AL-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
201,298,000
100.0
N
1970
 
203,798,722
101.2
1.24
1971
 
206,817,509
102.7
1.48
1972
 
209,274,882
104.0
1.19
1973
 
211,349,205
105.0
0.99
1974
 
213,333,635
106.0
0.94
1975
 
215,456,585
107.0
1.00
1976
 
217,553,859
108.1
0.97
1977
 
219,760,875
109.2
1.01
1978
 
222,098,244
110.3
1.06
1979
 
224,568,579
111.6
1.11
1980
 
227,224,719
112.9
1.18
1981
 
229,465,744
114.0
0.99
1982
 
231,664,432
115.1
0.96
1983
 
233,792,014
116.1
0.92
1984
 
235,824,907
117.2
0.87
1985
 
237,923,734
118.2
0.89
1986
 
240,132,831
119.3
0.93
1987
 
242,288,936
120.4
0.90
1988
 
244,499,004
121.5
0.91
1989
 
246,819,222
122.6
0.95
1990
 
249,622,814
124.0
1.14
1991
 
252,980,941
125.7
1.35
1992
 
256,514,224
127.4
1.40
1993
 
259,918,588
129.1
1.33
1994
 
263,125,821
130.7
1.23
1995
 
266,278,393
132.3
1.20
1996
 
269,394,284
133.8
1.17
1997
 
272,646,925
135.4
1.21
1998
 
275,854,104
137.0
1.18
1999
 
279,040,168
138.6
1.15
2000
 
282,162,411
140.2
1.12
2001
 
284,968,955
141.6
0.99
2002
 
287,625,193
142.9
0.93
2003
 
290,107,933
144.1
0.86
2004
 
292,805,298
145.5
0.93
2005
 
295,516,599
146.8
0.93
2006
 
298,379,912
148.2
0.97
2007
 
301,231,207
149.6
0.96
2008
 
304,093,966
151.1
0.95
2009
 
306,771,529
152.4
0.88
2010
 
309,378,433
153.7
0.85
2011
 
311,841,632
154.9
0.80
2012
 
314,344,331
156.2
0.80
2013
 
316,735,375
157.3
0.76
2014
 
319,270,047
158.6
0.80
2015
 
321,829,327
159.9
0.80
2016
 
324,367,742
161.1
0.79
2017
 
326,623,063
162.3
0.70
2018
 
328,542,157
163.2
0.59
2019
 
330,233,102
164.1
0.51
2020
 
331,511,512
164.7
0.39
2021
 
332,031,554
164.9
0.16
2022
 
333,287,557
165.6
0.38
Source: Calculations by the Alabama Regional Economic Analysis Project (AL-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PN
 
   
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

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