Dakota County, Nebraska
Located in Nebraska, Dakota County has a population of 21,354 residents and a median age of 32.5 years, making it the #1,802 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 11.5%. The median home value is $185,700, and the median household income is $70,329, which is 6% below the national median.
Demographics
Dakota County has a population of 21,354, making it the #1,802 most populous county in the US. The median age is 32.5 years, which is 16.5% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Dakota County is $70,329, ranking #1,177 out of 3,222 counties — 6.4% below the national median. The poverty rate is 11.5% and unemployment stands at 4.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Dakota County is $185,700 (-34.1% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,069/mo and the homeownership rate is 63.9%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Dakota County, 14.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 56.8% below the national average, ranking #2,875 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Dakota County is 76.5 years. 20.9% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.5% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
17.2% of adults in Dakota County smoke , 45.8% are obese , and 17.4% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 12.2 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 9.8 per 100,000.
Motor Vehicle Deaths Trend
Families & Children
20.2% of children in Dakota County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 25.4 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Dakota County is 56.8%. The mean commute time is 15.8 min, which is 42.8% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Dakota County voted Republican with a margin of 29.8%. The vote was 34.5% Dem / 64.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 12.5 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Dakota County, Nebraska
Dakota County, Nebraska has a total population of 21,354, making it the 1,802nd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Dakota County is 32.5 years, which is 16.5% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Dakota County is $70,329, which ranks #1,177 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 6.4% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 11.5%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.8%.
The median home value in Dakota County is $185,700, 34.1% below the national median. Renters in Dakota County pay a median gross rent of $1,069 per month. The homeownership rate is 63.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Dakota County, 14.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 56.8% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 15.8 min.
Dakota County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 42.3% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (41.6%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (8.7%).
All data for Dakota County, Nebraska comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.