Moving to DeKalb: Pros, Cons & What to Know
Moving to DeKalb means moving to a real, two-sided market: a rebounding Northern Illinois University enrollment and genuinely affordable housing, alongside a real, disclosed decade-scale citywide population decline.
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Learn moreUnderstand the real, two-sided population story first
DeKalb's citywide population fell roughly 8% (43,862 to 40,290) over the prior decade, even as NIU's own enrollment climbed 4.3% in fall 2025 -- both real, disclosed facts worth understanding before committing to DeKalb specifically.
A real historic identity beyond the university
DeKalb is the documented birthplace of modern barbed wire -- Joseph Glidden's 1874 patent -- with the Ellwood House Museum and the 1929 Egyptian Theatre as real, currently-operating historic anchors worth visiting before choosing a neighborhood.
Budget for a real, elevated property tax rate
DeKalb's own effective property tax rate (2.44%-2.45%) runs above Illinois's already-high 1.88% statewide average -- build this into a relocation budget alongside the genuinely low purchase price.
Key takeaways
- DeKalb's population has genuinely declined roughly 8% over the prior decade, even as NIU enrollment is currently rebounding.
- DeKalb carries a real, distinct 19th-century industrial-heritage identity (barbed wire, the Ellwood House Museum, the Egyptian Theatre).
- Budget for DeKalb's real, elevated effective property tax rate above Illinois's own statewide average.
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Get local guidanceRead the full DeKalb overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.
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