Population 8,827 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Dawson County
Household size in Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.17 | 2.41 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.25 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.15 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.39 | 2.44 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.22 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Dawson County is a place of small households, averaging 2.39 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has climbed from 2.17 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
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 Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.4 | 39.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.5 | 40.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.6 | 41.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.5 | 41.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.9 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Dawson County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.5, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has edged down from 43.4, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the east.
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 Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 9.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Dawson County than nationally: 8.8%, against 11.6%. Montana as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 1.2 points, even as the national share fell.
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 Dawson County
Renters in Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.6% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.7% | 31.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.1% | 30.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Dawson County rent their homes (28.1%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. About six in ten owners (60.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the east. The renter share is up 2.1 points from 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 Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.9% | 14.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.8% | 12.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Dawson County: 17.8% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 6.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1963 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +7 | +6 |
Dawson County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1964, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the southeast has the oldest housing.
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 Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $439 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $553 | $775 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $710 | $870 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $801 | $1,189 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$362 | +$487 | +$606 |
The median renter in Dawson County pays $801 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $362 a month since 2006–10, up 83%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 26.4% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Dawson County
Bachelor's degrees in Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.3% | 28.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.6% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.6% | 32.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.0% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Dawson County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 22.0%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 3.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.7% | 91.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.9% | 92.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.0% | 93.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.7% | 94.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Dawson County is above the national rate: 93.7% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Montana as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma is up 3.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.5% | 5.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 2.0% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.1% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Dawson County has been strong: just 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Dawson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawson County | 2.39 | 42.5 | 8.8% | 28.1% | 17.8% | 1964 | $801 | 22.0% | 93.7% | 3.1% |
| Wibaux County | 2.52 | 41.0 | 5.4% | 27.5% | 22.5% | 1973 | $963 | 22.5% | 96.0% | 1.7% |
| Prairie County | 2.24 | 57.8 | 6.6% | 16.1% | 20.7% | 1957 | $627 | 26.9% | 96.5% | 0.9% |
| Golden Valley County | 2.33 | 50.4 | 4.2% | 20.5% | 22.1% | 1957 | $612 | 22.4% | 96.5% | 3.9% |
| McCone County | 2.07 | 51.5 | 1.6% | 10.2% | 25.4% | 1964 | $552 | 23.5% | 97.7% | 1.8% |
| Billings County | 2.46 | 41.8 | 3.2% | 22.1% | 25.5% | 1983 | $621 | 32.6% | 95.2% | 2.1% |
| Stark County | 2.43 | 35.3 | 11.3% | 33.2% | 14.9% | 1990 | $988 | 29.1% | 92.1% | 3.3% |
| Dunn County | 2.57 | 40.5 | 5.3% | 25.7% | 24.8% | 1984 | $911 | 26.7% | 94.1% | 3.2% |
| Garfield County | 2.50 | 43.3 | 3.0% | 27.8% | 40.8% | 1978 | $725 | 21.0% | 96.2% | 0.0% |
| Mercer County | 2.31 | 45.0 | 6.6% | 18.9% | 21.8% | 1980 | $1,117 | 22.9% | 91.7% | 3.1% |
| Oliver County | 2.53 | 46.2 | 5.7% | 4.8% | 18.9% | 1975 | $756 | 23.8% | 94.8% | 1.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Martinsville City, VA · Morrill County, NE · Morgan County, UT · Morgan County, OH · Mora County, NM · Montour County, PA · Montmorency County, MI · Mason County, KY · Mason County, IL · Morris County, KS
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 Dawson 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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