United States › Nebraska › Dawson County COUNTY
Dawson County Nebraska · 24,452 residents (2025 est.) · 1,014 sq mi
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The short version
Dawson County is a county of 24,202 people in Nebraska. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 18% of adults. The typical home is worth $166,200, having more than doubled since 2000. Density works out to 24 people per square mile. This skews young, with a median age of 35.6. The average commute runs 18 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 42%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 24,365 in 2000
24,452 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 24 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 34.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
19K 21K 22K 24K 25K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Dawson County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $69,880
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,132 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,973 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 10.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.403 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 11.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 6.2%
Transportation & warehousing 1.8%
Education & health services 1.7%
Public administration 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.5%
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$166,200
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $64,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$925
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $453 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 69.2% in 2000
33.6% rent
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.78 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 34.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.0 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 72.8%(17,746)
Hispanic / Latino 25.4%(6,178)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 52.8%(12,773)
Hispanic / Latino 37.4%(9,045)
from 59 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 62 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
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data from 14.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 73.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 71.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 17.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 70.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 78.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 21.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 68.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 27.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 58.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 19.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 16.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 14.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 72.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 29.9% 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) 13%(113)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.5%(117)
Share of the 869 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 Dawson County Head to head
Compare Dawson County to nearby counties DAWSON COUNTY VS
Gosper County
Income $77,500 +11%
Home value $228,500 +37%
Population 1,803 −93%
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DAWSON COUNTY VS
Phelps County
Income $68,919 −1%
Home value $194,900 +17%
Population 8,994 −63%
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DAWSON COUNTY VS
Custer County
Income $67,906 −3%
Home value $157,800 −5%
Population 10,500 −57%
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DAWSON COUNTY VS
Buffalo County
Income $75,911 +9%
Home value $246,400 +48%
Population 51,172 +109%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Dawson County, Nebraska? Dawson County, Nebraska has about 24,202 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Dawson County, Nebraska? The typical household in Dawson County, Nebraska earns about $69,880 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Dawson County, Nebraska expensive? In Dawson County, Nebraska, the median home is worth about $166,200, and the typical rent is about $925 a month.
How educated are people in Dawson County, Nebraska? About 17.6% of adults age 25 and over in Dawson County, Nebraska hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Dawson County, Nebraska? About 10.8% of people in Dawson County, Nebraska live below the federal poverty line.
Has Dawson County, Nebraska grown since 1990? Yes, Dawson County, Nebraska has grown since 1990. The population has added about 4,262 residents, a change of about 21 percent over that period.
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