Population 8,140 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Dawes County
Household size in Dawes County
| Period | Dawes County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.27 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.16 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.20 | 2.51 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.15 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Dawes County are small: just 2.15 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.27 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Dawes County
| Period | Dawes County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.2 | 37.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.3 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.9 | 38.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.4 | +0.9 | +2.3 |
At 39.9, the median age in Dawes County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is older than in Nebraska overall, where the median age is 38.3. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 34.5, as it has nationally.
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 Dawes County
| Period | Dawes County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Dawes County as they are nationally: 10.9%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.0 points, even as the national share fell. Dawes County has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Nebraska counties.
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 Dawes County
Renters in Dawes County
| Period | Dawes County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8% | 31.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.7% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.4% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.2% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Dawes County than nationally: 38.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 47.9% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 1.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only seven of Nebraska's 93 counties have a higher share of renters.
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 Dawes County
| Period | Dawes County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.2% | 7.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Dawes County: 13.2% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 1.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Dawes County
| Period | Dawes County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1957 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1956 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1962 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Dawes County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1962, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1958 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Dawes County
| Period | Dawes County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $467 | $730 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $554 | $805 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $663 | $911 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $902 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$435 | +$429 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Dawes County costs $902 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $435 a month from 2006–10, a 93% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 27.5% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; the highest are in the north.
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 Dawes County
Bachelor's degrees in Dawes County
| Period | Dawes County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.1% | 29.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.7% | 30.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.2% | 32.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.1% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a third of adults 25 and older in Dawes County (37.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the southwest. Of Nebraska's 93 counties, only three have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Dawes County
| Period | Dawes County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.7% | 90.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.7% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.3% | 91.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.5% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +1.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Dawes County: 96.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Dawes County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Nebraska counties.
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 Dawes County
| Period | Dawes County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.4% | 5.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.1% | 5.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.4% | 3.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.9% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Dawes County has been strong: just 1.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.5 points, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
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).
Dawes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawes County | 2.15 | 39.9 | 10.9% | 38.2% | 13.2% | 1962 | $902 | 37.1% | 96.5% | 1.9% |
| Sheridan County | 2.31 | 46.5 | 7.2% | 25.9% | 22.2% | 1949 | $839 | 24.2% | 90.3% | 1.9% |
| Niobrara County | 1.82 | 56.0 | 1.9% | 38.2% | 16.5% | 1962 | $566 | 19.4% | 95.4% | 2.4% |
| Cherry County | 2.42 | 43.6 | 12.9% | 38.6% | 26.2% | 1966 | $895 | 25.1% | 95.8% | 0.4% |
| Converse County | 2.40 | 41.4 | 13.2% | 22.7% | 13.4% | 1980 | $915 | 23.8% | 94.1% | 3.7% |
| Natrona County | 2.36 | 39.1 | 10.2% | 26.3% | 10.1% | 1978 | $1,114 | 27.8% | 93.5% | 4.2% |
| Keya Paha County | 2.72 | 48.5 | 3.6% | 19.2% | 38.2% | 1967 | $875 | 20.6% | 96.4% | 1.0% |
| Boyd County | 2.22 | 53.5 | 7.3% | 14.4% | 35.1% | 1954 | $706 | 22.0% | 96.5% | 2.3% |
| Knox County | 2.42 | 44.7 | 8.5% | 21.6% | 23.5% | 1963 | $634 | 18.9% | 92.5% | 3.7% |
| Clay County | 2.24 | 30.2 | 6.5% | 49.2% | 12.4% | 1978 | $819 | 44.3% | 90.6% | 7.2% |
| Union County | 2.33 | 41.0 | 7.4% | 26.9% | 4.2% | 1989 | $1,078 | 37.7% | 96.0% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Morgan County, KY · Madison County, TX · Madison Parish, LA · Magoffin County, KY · Marion County, AR · Marion County, GA · Marion County, KS · Mariposa County, CA · Marshall County, IL · Marshall County, OK
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 Dawes 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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