United States › Nebraska › Dawes County COUNTY
Dawes County Nebraska · 7,858 residents (2025 est.) · 1,396 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Dawes County is home to 8,140 people in Nebraska. Density works out to 6 people per square mile. The typical home is worth $150,900, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 1%. The average commute runs 16 minutes. That trails the Nebraska median by roughly 26%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.8
US median: 38.9
Average education
36% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 44%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 9,060 in 2000
7,858 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 6 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 30.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K 8K 9K 9K 9K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Dawes County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $56,280
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,476 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,353 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 18.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.443 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.8%
Public administration 4.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.5%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
Education & health services 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$150,900
+44%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $57,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$900
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $394 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 62.7% in 2000
38.2% rent
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.12 people
−12%since 2009
from 2.42 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 25.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 36.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.8 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 92.4%(8,372)
Hispanic / Latino 2.4%(220)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 85.8%(6,985)
from 24 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 17 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data from 28.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 86.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 10.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 57.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 16.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 67.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 80.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 12.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 17.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 80.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 37.5%(1,228)
Women 15+
Never married 37.5%(1,365)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 17.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 58.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 23.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 11.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 77.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 28.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 10.1%(37)
Gulf War (1990s) 23.6%(86)
Share of the 365 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Dawes County Head to head
Compare Dawes County to nearby counties DAWES COUNTY VS
Sioux County
Income $53,929 −4%
Home value $99,300 −34%
Population 1,188 −85%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DAWES COUNTY VS
Box Butte County
Income $68,892 +22%
Home value $166,600 +10%
Population 10,494 +34%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DAWES COUNTY VS
Fall River County
Income $67,917 +21%
Home value $193,200 +28%
Population 7,467 −5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DAWES COUNTY VS
Sheridan County
Income $60,121 +7%
Home value $113,400 −25%
Population 4,809 −39%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Dawes County, Nebraska? Dawes County, Nebraska has about 8,140 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Dawes County, Nebraska? The typical household in Dawes County, Nebraska earns about $56,280 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Dawes County, Nebraska expensive? In Dawes County, Nebraska, the median home is worth about $150,900, and the typical rent is about $900 a month.
How educated are people in Dawes County, Nebraska? About 36.2% of adults age 25 and over in Dawes County, Nebraska hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Dawes County, Nebraska? About 13.1% of people in Dawes County, Nebraska live below the federal poverty line.
Has Dawes County, Nebraska grown since 1990? Yes, Dawes County, Nebraska has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 881 residents, a change of about -10 percent over that period.
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