The story of DeKalb County’s racial evolution can largely be told in terms of black and white.
DeKalb became a “majority minority” county – that is, white people were no longer the predominant race – in 1991. This year, minorities make up 70 percent of the county.
This is according to data from Woods & Poole Economics Inc., a Washington D.C. firm that specializes in economic and demographic data on counties. In 2017, DeKalb is 54 percent black, 30 percent white, 9 percent Hispanic and 6 percent Asian, according to Woods & Poole.
Indeed, DeKalb’s white population has declined every year as a percentage of the total since 1990 and is expected to continue this annual decline through 2050, according to the data projections. Likewise the black population. It peaked at 55 percent of the total in 2007 and is expected to decline gradually through 2050 as Hispanics and Asians both increase.
The AJC compiled this information as part of its new RE: Race coverage. Coming on Thursday, you'll be able to interact with a graphic that tracks actual or projected racial breakdowns of DeKalb and every other Georgia county from 1990 through 2050.
The inaugural story – about the extraordinary demographic transformation of Cobb County – of our RE: Race project will be posted on Thursday.
You are encouraged to comment on any aspect of the AJC’s race and ethnicity coverage. Commenting is moderated by AJC editors.
