Stonecrest, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Stonecrest · DeKalb County, Georgia
Population 59,917 (est. 2026: ~61,900)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 0.97% annual growth projection

Stonecrest, Georgia

DeKalb County, Georgia · Population 59,194

Stonecrest is one of Georgia's newest cities — incorporated in 2017 — carved out of unincorporated DeKalb County in the southeastern corner of metro Atlanta. Anchored by the Mall at Stonecrest and positioned along I-20, this majority-Black city of nearly 60,000 was established deliberately as a vehicle for local control over land use, economic development, and municipal services in a community that had long been governed from the county level. It sits roughly 18 miles east of downtown Atlanta, bordering Lithonia, Conyers to the east, and the city of Decatur to the west. For many residents, Stonecrest functions as a suburban bedroom community with its own emerging identity.

People & Demographics

Stonecrest has a total population of 59,445, with a median age of 34.5 — relatively young compared to state and national averages. The city is one of the largest majority-Black municipalities in the United States: 54,018 residents identify as Black, roughly 91% of the population. The white population is 1,674 and the Asian population is 218. The Hispanic or Latino population stands at 1,614.

There are 20,439 households, of which 12,589 are family households. Average household size is 2.90, and children under 18 number 14,139 — reflecting a community with a strong family presence. DeKalb County as a whole has 764,382 residents; Stonecrest accounts for just under 8% of that population but represents a concentrated and distinct demographic profile within the county.

Economy & Employment

Median household income in Stonecrest is $63,438, and per capita income is $29,933. For comparison, Georgia's statewide median household income typically runs above $65,000, placing Stonecrest slightly below the state midpoint. Of the 32,459 residents in the labor force, 2,777 are unemployed — an unemployment rate of approximately 8.6%, meaningfully above typical Georgia and DeKalb County figures.

Poverty affects 8,958 residents, which represents roughly 15% of the population. That's a notable share, especially in a city that entered existence with economic development as a core rationale. The commercial spine of the city — Memorial Drive and I-20 corridor — includes big-box retail, logistics facilities, and service employers.

Housing

Stonecrest has 23,468 total housing units, of which 20,439 are occupied and 3,029 are vacant — a vacancy rate near 13%. The split between owners and renters is nearly even: 10,268 owner-occupied units versus 10,171 renter-occupied. That near-parity is notable; most suburban cities tilt heavily toward ownership.

Median home value is $183,700, well below the Atlanta metro median and significantly below what buyers face in closer-in DeKalb communities like Decatur or Brookhaven. Median gross rent is $1,371 per month. The combination of relatively low home values and moderate rents makes Stonecrest one of the more accessible entry points into the metro Atlanta housing market — though prices have moved sharply in recent years across the region.

Schools

Stonecrest falls within DeKalb County Schools. The largest school serving students in and around this area by enrollment is Georgia Cyber Academy (grades K–12, 8,876 students), a statewide online charter. Among traditional high schools, Lithonia High School (grades 9–12, 1,483 students) is the closest to Stonecrest's geographic core. Other DeKalb County high schools serving the broader county include Westlake High School (2,461 students), Lakeside High School (2,141 students), Tucker High School (1,579 students), and Chamblee High School (1,776 students). At the middle school level, Sequoyah Middle School (grades 6–8, 1,763 students) and Willis A. Sutton Middle School (1,548 students) are within the district. Riverwood International Charter School (grades 9–12, 1,737 students) offers a charter option within DeKalb.

Higher education is accessible via nearby institutions. Morehouse School of Medicine, reachable at 404-752-1500, is located in Atlanta and serves as a significant regional health sciences institution.

Getting Around

Of 28,910 total workers, 19,902 drive alone to work — nearly 69%. Carpooling accounts for another 2,838 commuters. Public transit carries 1,025 workers, a modest share that reflects MARTA's limited reach into the southeastern DeKalb suburbs. A notable 4,203 residents work from home. Just 450 walk to work.

Aggregate commute time across the city totals 938,230 minutes. With roughly 28,910 workers, that works out to an average one-way commute around 32 minutes — consistent with suburban Atlanta norms but reflecting real highway congestion on I-20. Stonecrest is a car-required city for most daily needs, though MARTA bus service does operate in the area.

Healthcare

Stonecrest sits within the broader DeKalb County healthcare market. Piedmont Henry Hospital in Stockbridge and Emory Hillandale Hospital in Lithonia are among the closest inpatient facilities. For a full list of licensed healthcare providers practicing in Stonecrest, the CMS National Provider Registry can be queried directly: NPI Registry — Stonecrest, GA.

Library

The nearest public library is the Flat Shoals Branch of the DeKalb County Public Library system, located 1.0 mile from Stonecrest. Phone: 404-244-4370. DeKalb County's library system serves one of the most diverse county populations in the Southeast, and Flat Shoals is a primary branch for eastern DeKalb residents.

Parks & Recreation

Three National Park Service units are accessible from Stonecrest. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park preserves the birthplace, church, and burial site of Dr. King in Atlanta's Sweet Auburn neighborhood — its visitor center is 1.9 miles from Stonecrest. Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area provides river access, hiking, and paddling across multiple units along the northern Atlanta metro. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, about 20 miles northwest, offers significant Civil War battlefield terrain and trail hiking; its visitor center is 20.0 miles away.

Natural Hazards

DeKalb County has a long federal disaster declaration history that Stonecrest directly inherits. Declared events include:

The pattern is consistent with the broader Atlanta region: ice storms and winter precipitation are a recurring serious hazard, tropical systems regularly track far enough inland to cause wind and flood damage, and severe thunderstorm and tornado risk exists throughout spring and summer.

Government & Municipal Code

Stonecrest's municipal code is published through Municode and available at library.municode.com/ga/stonecrest. The code does not currently include a locally adopted building code. Residents and contractors should verify applicable construction and permitting requirements directly with the city.

Weather

Current forecasts for Stonecrest are available from the National Weather Service: NWS Forecast. Weather alerts can be tracked at NWS Alerts. The nearest official observation station is Decatur 3.9 SE, located 2.5 miles from the city center.

References

The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)