Population 21,354 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Dakota County
Household size in Dakota County
| Period | Dakota County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.78 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.86 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.69 | 2.51 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.94 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.16 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Dakota County are large by national standards, averaging 2.94 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Household size has climbed from 2.78 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Few Nebraska counties have larger households: only two of 93.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Dakota County
| Period | Dakota County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.2 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.2 | 37.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.5 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.0 | 38.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.3 | +0.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.0, Dakota County is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young families with children. Only one other Nebraska county is younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Dakota County
| Period | Dakota County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.7% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.7% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Dakota County (12.7%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.4 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few Nebraska counties have a higher share of single-parent households: only eight of 93.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Dakota County
Renters in Dakota County
| Period | Dakota County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.8% | 31.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.2% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.8% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.1% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Dakota County is about as common as it is nationally: 36.1% of households rent, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 50.5% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the south. The renter share has risen 3.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Dakota County
| Period | Dakota County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 7.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Dakota County: 6.5% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Nebraska as a whole looks much the same. Dakota County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Nebraska counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Dakota County
| Period | Dakota County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | −0 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Dakota County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1970, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the north. Compared with other Nebraska counties, though, Dakota County has newer homes than most.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Dakota County
| Period | Dakota County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $666 | $730 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $667 | $805 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $803 | $911 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,051 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$385 | +$429 | +$606 |
The median renter in Dakota County pays $1,051 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $385 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 26.8% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Dakota County
Bachelor's degrees in Dakota County
| Period | Dakota County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 29.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 30.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.8% | 32.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.4% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Dakota County: 14.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.0 points, as it has nationally. Dakota County has the lowest share of college graduates of any Nebraska county.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Dakota County
| Period | Dakota County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 73.6% | 90.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 71.1% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 75.5% | 91.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 78.7% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +1.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in five adults in Dakota County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 78.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 5.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Nebraska's 93 counties, only two have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Dakota County
| Period | Dakota County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 5.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 5.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 3.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Dakota County is close to the national rate: 4.7% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Nebraska overall (3.1%). Of Nebraska's 93 counties, only three have higher unemployment.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Dakota County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota County | 2.94 | 34.0 | 12.7% | 36.1% | 6.5% | 1970 | $1,051 | 14.4% | 78.7% | 4.7% |
| Woodbury County | 2.63 | 37.1 | 15.0% | 31.8% | 8.1% | 1960 | $1,067 | 23.7% | 87.4% | 4.0% |
| Dixon County | 2.56 | 42.7 | 12.1% | 23.5% | 12.1% | 1953 | $688 | 23.1% | 84.5% | 2.4% |
| Cedar County | 2.38 | 43.7 | 5.3% | 20.4% | 12.1% | 1963 | $710 | 23.7% | 96.4% | 1.7% |
| Ida County | 2.23 | 41.6 | 11.4% | 27.1% | 8.6% | 1954 | $698 | 22.7% | 94.8% | 2.4% |
| Sac County | 2.22 | 46.7 | 8.4% | 22.0% | 15.2% | 1954 | $737 | 22.1% | 92.7% | 4.0% |
| Calhoun County | 2.30 | 43.9 | 7.7% | 19.5% | 16.2% | 1957 | $743 | 21.8% | 92.9% | 2.4% |
| Webster County | 2.25 | 39.2 | 9.8% | 29.7% | 12.3% | 1958 | $797 | 22.0% | 93.5% | 4.9% |
| Holt County | 2.52 | 43.2 | 7.5% | 27.7% | 17.1% | 1965 | $757 | 29.6% | 94.1% | 1.1% |
| Hamilton County | 2.36 | 42.8 | 8.9% | 26.6% | 9.3% | 1950 | $869 | 22.0% | 94.3% | 5.5% |
| Rock County | 2.25 | 48.4 | 3.0% | 30.7% | 27.4% | 1968 | $648 | 27.4% | 92.1% | 1.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Russell County, VA · Shelby County, IL · Seward County, KS · Seminole County, OK · Scott County, VA · Schoharie County, NY · Santa Isabel Municipio, PR · Sanpete County, UT · San Miguel County, NM · Saline County, MO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Dakota County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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