Population 24,202 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Dawson County
Household size in Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.77 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.81 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.63 | 2.51 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.77 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Dawson County average 2.77 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Households are largest in the south and smallest in the west. Few Nebraska counties have larger households: only three 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 Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.4 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.0 | 37.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.6 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.3 | 38.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.1 | +0.9 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Dawson County is 37.3 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The youngest areas are in the south, the oldest in the northwest. Dawson County is younger than the great majority of Nebraska counties.
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 | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.7% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.8% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.4% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Dawson County as they are nationally: 12.4%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Nebraska overall (10.4%). The single-parent share has edged up 0.7 points since 2006–10, 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 | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.2% | 31.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.6% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.7% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.6% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Dawson County is about as common as it is nationally: 33.6% of households rent, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 56.4% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share is up 5.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.8% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 7.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Dawson County: 7.7% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 4.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Dawson 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 Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Dawson County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1969, 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 1962 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the east 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 | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $570 | $730 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $652 | $805 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $730 | $911 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $882 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$312 | +$429 | +$606 |
The median renter in Dawson County pays $882 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $312 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 21.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the northwest.
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 | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.7% | 29.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.7% | 30.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 32.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.1% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Dawson County: 17.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of Nebraska's 93 counties, only three have a lower 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 Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 73.8% | 90.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 73.8% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 77.0% | 91.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 76.2% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly a quarter of adults in Dawson County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 76.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 2.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other Nebraska county has 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 Dawson County
| Period | Dawson County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 5.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 5.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 3.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.4% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Dawson County has been strong: just 1.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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 | 2.77 | 37.3 | 12.4% | 33.6% | 7.7% | 1969 | $882 | 17.1% | 76.2% | 1.4% |
| Buffalo County | 2.45 | 36.5 | 9.8% | 33.6% | 7.6% | 1980 | $979 | 33.9% | 93.9% | 2.3% |
| Hall County | 2.60 | 36.8 | 15.7% | 38.0% | 5.2% | 1975 | $994 | 21.4% | 84.4% | 3.9% |
| Perkins County | 2.33 | 42.6 | 7.6% | 21.3% | 12.3% | 1951 | $849 | 25.6% | 93.0% | 1.5% |
| Hamilton County | 2.57 | 41.5 | 5.6% | 17.0% | 15.7% | 1970 | $877 | 30.9% | 97.0% | 2.1% |
| York County | 2.37 | 38.9 | 9.3% | 24.5% | 10.5% | 1962 | $840 | 25.8% | 93.2% | 1.5% |
| Sedgwick County | 2.22 | 43.2 | 8.4% | 28.2% | 15.9% | 1954 | $815 | 27.1% | 95.2% | 2.9% |
| Seward County | 2.45 | 38.1 | 8.2% | 28.0% | 6.0% | 1967 | $999 | 34.5% | 94.8% | 2.1% |
| Lancaster County | 2.44 | 36.3 | 9.1% | 41.1% | 5.2% | 1983 | $1,221 | 41.5% | 93.5% | 3.0% |
| Cass County | 2.51 | 42.0 | 8.0% | 14.6% | 8.4% | 1977 | $1,124 | 32.3% | 96.0% | 1.9% |
| Fremont County | 2.27 | 47.2 | 5.4% | 21.7% | 10.2% | 1958 | $766 | 20.8% | 92.9% | 0.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Adair County, MO · Adair County, OK · Yates County, NY · Adams County, WA · Morgan County, IL · Meriwether County, GA · Mille Lacs County, MN · Miller County, MO · Mineral County, WV · Mingo County, WV
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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