Dawes County, Nebraska
Located in Nebraska, Dawes County has a population of 8,140 residents and a median age of 35.8 years, making it the #2,644 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 13.1%. The median home value is $150,900, and the median household income is $56,280, which is 25% below the national median.
Demographics
Dawes County has a population of 8,140, making it the #2,644 most populous county in the US. The median age is 35.8 years, which is 8.0% 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 Dawes County is $56,280, ranking #2,393 out of 3,222 counties — 25.1% below the national median. The poverty rate is 13.1% and unemployment stands at 1.6%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Dawes County is $150,900 (-46.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $900/mo and the homeownership rate is 61.8%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Dawes County, 36.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 7.5% above the national average, ranking #416 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Dawes County is 75.9 years. 15.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.9% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
15.6% of adults in Dawes County smoke , 39.5% are obese , and 21.9% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 16.7 per 100,000.
Families & Children
17.3% of children in Dawes County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 8.5 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Dawes County is 58.4%. The mean commute time is 18.7 min, which is 32.1% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Dawes County voted Republican with a margin of 47.1%. The vote was 25.6% Dem / 72.7% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.6 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Dawes County, Nebraska
Dawes County, Nebraska has a total population of 8,140, making it the 2,644th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Dawes County is 35.8 years, which is 8.0% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Dawes County is $56,280, which ranks #2,393 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 25.1% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 13.1%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 1.6%.
The median home value in Dawes County is $150,900, 46.5% below the national median. Renters in Dawes County pay a median gross rent of $900 per month. The homeownership rate is 61.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Dawes County, 36.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 7.5% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 90.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 18.7 min.
Dawes County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 85.8% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (5.0%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
All data for Dawes 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.