Dawson County, Nebraska Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Dawson County, NE Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around averageLess healthy than 76% of counties in Nebraska
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C
Income Below averageLess wealthy than 70% of counties in Nebraska
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F
Education Well below averageAmong the 3 least educated counties in Nebraska
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Dawson County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,202 | 1,978,686 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 23.8 | 25.6 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.15% | 0.63% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.1 | 38.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 9,145 | 797,835 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Dawson County declined by 2.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 24,202 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Dawson County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 20.7% of residents. That is 2.0 points below Nebraska as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 5,014 20.7% -2.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,845 20.0% -1.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,486 18.5% +0.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,838 15.9% -0.4 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Nebraska, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 48.5% of the people living in Dawson County and men 51.5%.
- Women 48.5% Nebraska 49.9%
- Men 51.5% Nebraska 50.1%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Dawson County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Dawson County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Dawson County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,312 | $76,615 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.64% | 4.27% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.4% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Dawson County is about 7% lower than in Nebraska.
Housing
| Metric | Dawson County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $205,882 | $175,282 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $924 | $1,071 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.4% | 66.5% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Dawson County is about 18.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $924 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Dawson County spend about 25 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 104 hours, about 4.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Dawson County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 12.5 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 24.9 | 34.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 104 | 142 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,217 | $4,390 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 2.4% | 11.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,314 | 5,179 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 342 | 691 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Nebraska:
Hooker County (7.4 min), Cherry County (8.0 min), Box Butte County (8.0 min).
Slowest:
Cass County (28.0 min), Banner County (27.2 min), Saunders County (26.9 min).
The average commute time in Dawson County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 17 minutes in Nebraska.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Dawson County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Dawson County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.0% | 30.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.62 | 2.42 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Nebraska:
Sarpy County (0.3), Lancaster County (0.3), Douglas County (0.3).
Lowest:
Dakota County (0.2), Colfax County (0.2), Dawson County (0.2).
Health
Dawson County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Dawson County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.6 | 79.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.5% | 12.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.8% | 16.6% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Nebraska:
Wayne County (0.8), Sarpy County (0.8), Lancaster County (0.8).
Lowest:
Thurston County (0.8), Pawnee County (0.8), Dundy County (0.8).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Dawson County, Nebraska.
How big is Dawson County, Nebraska by population?
About 24,202 people live in Dawson County, Nebraska, in 9,145 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 36.1, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Dawson County, Nebraska mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Dawson County, Nebraska has 24 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 27% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Dawson County, Nebraska an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 2.9 times the median household income ($205,882 against $71,312), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $924 a month takes about 16% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Dawson County, Nebraska?
Unemployment in Dawson County, Nebraska is only 1.4%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Dawson County, Nebraska have a college degree?
15.0% of adults in Dawson County, Nebraska hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 7), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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