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Jobs in DeKalb County, GA span one of the most diverse and intellectually rich employment markets in the entire Southeast. Home to Emory University and Emory Healthcare, the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the VA Medical Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, and one of the most active corporate corridors in the metro area, DeKalb County offers career opportunities that are genuinely hard to find anywhere else. With 136,770 active job postings in the county as of February 2026 and an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent as of December 2026, the market is active across nearly every sector. [1][2]
DeKalb County sits immediately east of Atlanta and is Georgia's fourth most populous county, with an estimated 774,827 residents in 2026. [3] It is the most racially and ethnically diverse county in the Atlanta MSA, with a population that is approximately 51 percent Black, 29 percent White, and 10 percent Hispanic, plus significant South and East Asian communities concentrated in Chamblee, Doraville, and the Emory corridor. That diversity is not incidental to the job market, it is one of the reasons DeKalb consistently attracts federal agencies, academic health systems, and global companies that value multilingual, multicultural workforces.
The county seat is Decatur, a walkable, highly educated city with one of the highest per capita income levels in Metro Atlanta and a median household income of $139,397. [4] Other key employment communities include Tucker, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Stone Mountain, Lithonia, Clarkston, and Stonecrest, each with its own economic character and employer mix.
DeKalb County at a Glance (2026):
Estimated population: 774,827 [3]
County seat: Decatur
Unemployment rate: 3.5% (December 2026) [2]
Median household income: $80,644 [5]
4th most populous county in Georgia [3]
Active job postings on Indeed (February 2026): 136,770+ [1]
Largest employer sector: Education and health services
Wage growth: +6.4% year-over-year, highest of any large Georgia county [6]
Why DeKalb County's Job Market Is Unique
DeKalb County is the only county in Metro Atlanta that combines a world-class academic research university, a major federal public health agency, multiple nationally ranked hospital systems, and a dense urban-suburban commercial corridor, all within one county line. This concentration creates a job market with unusually high average wages, deep research and government employment, and career pathways that are genuinely differentiated from anything available in Gwinnett, Cobb, or even Fulton County.
The wage data backs this up. Among the 12 largest counties in Georgia, DeKalb reported the highest over-the-year wage gain in the first quarter of 2026, at 6.4 percent, outpacing every other large county in the state. [6] That growth reflects a labor market where high-skill, high-wage employers are competing aggressively for talent.
Where in DeKalb County Are the Jobs?
Decatur and the Emory Corridor
Decatur is DeKalb's highest-income and most walkable community, and the Emory University corridor stretching from Decatur into the Druid Hills neighborhood is the densest concentration of academic, medical, and research employment in the county. Emory University, Emory Healthcare, the CDC headquarters at 1600 Clifton Road, the VA Medical Center, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Arthur M. Blank Hospital are all clustered within a few miles of each other. This corridor alone employs tens of thousands of people and generates consistent demand for clinical, research, IT, administrative, and public health professionals.
Dunwoody and Perimeter Center
Dunwoody, which incorporated as a city in 2008, sits along the I-285 and GA-400 interchange at Perimeter Center, one of the most concentrated office markets in Metro Atlanta. State Farm's Southeast regional operations are based here, and a wide range of financial services, technology, healthcare administration, and professional services firms occupy the Perimeter Center towers and campuses. Dunwoody is part of the Perimeter CID (Community Improvement District), which has actively recruited corporate employers and made significant infrastructure investments in the corridor.
Brookhaven
Brookhaven, incorporated in 2012, has developed into a thriving commercial and professional services market along Peachtree Road and the I-285 corridor. The city hosts a growing concentration of medical offices, technology companies, consulting firms, and retail and hospitality employers. Its proximity to Buckhead and Midtown makes it attractive to employers who want Fulton County access at DeKalb County costs.
Chamblee and Doraville
Chamblee and Doraville have become two of Metro Atlanta's most diverse economic communities, with a dense concentration of international businesses, restaurant and hospitality employers, and light industrial operations along the Buford Highway corridor. The Assembly Yards development in Doraville, a major mixed-use redevelopment of a former GM plant site, is bringing new commercial, creative, and tech employment to the northeastern DeKalb corridor.
Tucker and Stone Mountain
Tucker and Stone Mountain anchor DeKalb's eastern employment corridor, with a mix of healthcare, retail, logistics, and manufacturing employers. Tucker has benefited from MARTA's I-285 connectivity and is growing as a community of choice for both residents and small and mid-size businesses seeking access to the metro area without Buckhead or Perimeter rents.
Lithonia and Stonecrest
Stonecrest, the largest city wholly within DeKalb County, and neighboring Lithonia represent the county's growing southeastern employment market. The I-20 corridor through this area hosts distribution, warehousing, retail, and light industrial employers, and DeKalb County's aggressive economic development efforts in this corridor are generating new commercial investment.
Top Employers in DeKalb County
Healthcare and Research
Emory Healthcare is DeKalb County's single largest private employer, operating a network of hospitals, outpatient centers, and specialty clinics across the county under the umbrella of Emory University. The system's eight Magnet-designated hospitals and its affiliation with the Rollins School of Public Health, the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, and multiple research institutes generate hiring at every level from entry-level patient support to senior research scientists and clinical faculty. [7]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, headquartered on Clifton Road in DeKalb County, is the county's dominant federal employer, with thousands of scientists, epidemiologists, public health analysts, communications professionals, IT specialists, and administrative staff employed across its campus and affiliated offices. Federal contractor roles supporting CDC operations add substantially to that total. [8]
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta operates the Arthur M. Blank Hospital on the Emory campus and the Scottish Rite Medical Center in Sandy Springs (Fulton), with significant DeKalb County hiring driven by the Blank Hospital's 2024 opening. Northside Hospital also maintains outpatient facilities in DeKalb County.
The Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Decatur is a major federal healthcare employer, consistently recruiting physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, and administrative staff through the USAJOBS federal hiring system.
Education
DeKalb County School District is the county's largest public employer, serving more than 100,000 students across multiple school systems and consistently recruiting teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, counselors, and support staff throughout the year. [9]
Emory University employs thousands of faculty, staff, and research professionals across its multiple schools and institutes. Georgia Piedmont Technical College, Agnes Scott College, Georgia State University's Decatur campus, and Mercer University's Atlanta campus round out a higher education employment ecosystem that is unmatched in any other Atlanta county.
Government
DeKalb County Government is itself a major employer, with approximately 5,000 to 6,000 employees across roads and drainage, sanitation, information technology, public safety, courts, and community services. The county held its largest-ever job fair in July 2026, drawing nearly 2,200 pre-registered attendees and conducting more than 113 onsite interviews. [10]
Technology and Professional Services
The Perimeter Center corridor in Dunwoody, along with Brookhaven's growing office market, hosts a significant concentration of technology, financial services, and professional services employers. State Farm's regional operations represent one of the largest corporate employers in the Dunwoody corridor. Amazon maintains distribution and logistics operations in DeKalb County, and Delta Air Lines' technology and back-office operations reach into the county as well.
Fastest-Growing Job Categories in DeKalb County
Healthcare and Life Sciences. Driven by the Emory healthcare complex, the new Arthur M. Blank Hospital, and a dense network of outpatient and specialty providers, healthcare is DeKalb County's most consistently active hiring sector.
Public Health and Federal Government.
CDC hiring and federal contractor roles supporting CDC operations remain a distinct DeKalb County employment category. Public health analysts, epidemiologists, data scientists, and communications professionals are in consistent demand at and around the CDC campus.
Technology and IT. The Dunwoody and Brookhaven corporate corridors generate steady demand for software engineers, cybersecurity analysts, cloud infrastructure professionals, and enterprise IT staff at companies in the Perimeter Center office market.
Education. DeKalb County School District, Emory University, and the broader higher education ecosystem create year-round hiring for teachers, instructional coaches, academic advisors, financial aid professionals, and campus operations staff.
Logistics and Distribution The I-20 and I-285 corridors in southern and eastern DeKalb County, anchored by Stonecrest and Lithonia, support consistent warehousing, distribution, and light industrial hiring.
What Jobs Pay in DeKalb County
DeKalb County's proximity to major federal agencies and the Emory complex pushes average wages significantly above the state median. The county reported the largest over-the-year wage gain of any large Georgia county in early 2026 at 6.4 percent. [6] Here is a snapshot of what key roles earn across the county's dominant sectors:
DeKalb County Salary Snapshot (2026):
- Registered Nurse (Emory, Northside): $82,000 - $115,000
- Physician / Faculty Physician (Emory): $200,000 - $350,000+
- CDC Public Health Analyst (GS-11/12): $73,000 - $110,000
- CDC Epidemiologist (GS-12/13): $98,000 - $140,000+
- DeKalb County Government (entry): $40,000 - $60,000
- Software Engineer (Dunwoody corridor): $95,000 - $145,000
- Data Scientist / Analyst: $85,000 - $130,000
- K-12 Teacher (DeKalb County Schools): $49,000 - $76,000
- Emory University Staff (professional): $55,000 - $95,000
- Warehouse / Distribution (Stonecrest): $36,000 - $52,000
- Retail Manager (county-wide): $48,000 - $72,000
- Median household income (county): $80,644 [5]
Working in DeKalb County: What to Know
MARTA access is a genuine competitive advantage. DeKalb County has more MARTA rail coverage than any other suburban county in Metro Atlanta, with the Gold Line running through Tucker, Decatur, Avondale Estates, and Clarkston, and the Red and Gold lines serving the Dunwoody and Brookhaven corridors. For job seekers who do not want to drive in Atlanta traffic, DeKalb County's MARTA network is a significant practical advantage.
Federal hiring has a longer timeline. CDC and VA jobs go through USAJOBS and federal hiring rules, which means application-to-offer timelines of 90 to 180 days are common. If you are targeting federal roles, start your application well in advance and be prepared to wait.
The Emory system recruits nationally and globally. Competition for clinical and research roles at Emory University and Emory Healthcare is intense and often national. Strong credentialing, academic publications for research roles, and Magnet-aligned nursing practice documentation all improve your competitiveness.
North versus South DeKalb wage gap. Wages in the Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Decatur, and Emory corridor (North DeKalb) trend significantly higher than in the Stonecrest, Lithonia, and southern I-20 corridor (South DeKalb). Job seekers in South DeKalb have good logistics, retail, and manufacturing opportunities but should expect lower base wages than in the northern corridor.
Housing costs are lower than Fulton. Compared to Buckhead or Midtown Fulton, DeKalb County offers meaningfully more affordable housing, particularly in Tucker, Stone Mountain, Lithonia, and Stonecrest, while still providing excellent MARTA access to the entire metro area's job market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jobs in DeKalb County, GA
What are the biggest employers in DeKalb County, GA?
The largest employers in DeKalb County are Emory Healthcare, Emory University, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), DeKalb County School District, DeKalb County Government, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and State Farm's Dunwoody operations. The county's employment base is heavily anchored by healthcare, education, and federal government.
What is the unemployment rate in DeKalb County in 2026?
DeKalb County's unemployment rate was 3.5 percent as of December 2026, a slight improvement from the prior year. This is broadly in line with the Metro Atlanta average and reflects a healthy, active labor market across the county's major employment sectors.
What industries are growing in DeKalb County?
Healthcare, public health, technology, and education are DeKalb County's fastest-growing employment sectors in 2026. The opening of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Arthur M. Blank Hospital on the Emory campus has added significant clinical hiring capacity, while the Dunwoody and Brookhaven corporate corridors are generating consistent demand for technology and professional services talent.
Is DeKalb County a good place to find jobs in Atlanta?
Yes. DeKalb County has one of the strongest and most distinctive job markets in Metro Atlanta, anchored by Emory University, the CDC, and a dense healthcare and research corridor. It also has excellent MARTA access, which opens the broader metro area job market to residents who prefer not to commute by car.
What cities in DeKalb County have the most jobs?
Decatur, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, and the unincorporated areas around the Emory corridor have the highest concentration of white-collar and professional employment. Tucker, Chamblee, and Stone Mountain have active retail, healthcare, and light industrial hiring. Stonecrest and Lithonia offer logistics, warehousing, and distribution employment along the I-20 corridor.
How do I apply for jobs at the CDC in DeKalb County?
All CDC positions are posted on USAJOBS at usajobs.gov. Federal hiring timelines are longer than private sector, expect 90 to 180 days from application to offer. Many roles also require U.S. citizenship and may require a security clearance. Federal contractor roles supporting CDC operations are posted directly by the contracting companies and often move more quickly.
What does DeKalb County pay government employees?
DeKalb County Government salaries range from approximately $40,000 for entry-level positions to over $116,000 for senior professional and attorney roles. The county offers competitive benefits including a pension plan, medical and dental coverage, and paid leave.
How does DeKalb County compare to Fulton County for jobs?
DeKalb has a smaller overall job market than Fulton but offers something Fulton does not: the combination of a major federal agency (CDC) and a top-20 academic research university (Emory) in one county. Wages in North DeKalb (Dunwoody, Decatur, Emory corridor) are competitive with North Fulton. South DeKalb wages are generally lower but the cost of living is also meaningfully more affordable.
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Sources
[1] Indeed - Jobs in DeKalb County, GA (February 2026)
[2] USAFacts - Unemployment Rate in DeKalb County, GA (December 2026)
[3] World Population Review - DeKalb County, Georgia Population 2026
[4] World Population Review - Decatur, Georgia Population 2026
[5] Georgia Demographics - DeKalb County Demographics
[6] Bureau of Labor Statistics - County Employment and Wages in Georgia, Q1 2026
[7] Emory Healthcare - Careers
[8] CDC - Employment
[9] DeKalb County School District
[10] DeKalb County GA - Largest Job Fair News Release