Dawson County, Nebraska
Located in Nebraska, Dawson County has a population of 24,202 residents and a median age of 35.6 years, making it the #1,693 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 10.8%. The median home value is $166,200, and the median household income is $69,880, which is 7% below the national median.
Demographics
Dawson County has a population of 24,202, making it the #1,693 most populous county in the US. The median age is 35.6 years, which is 8.5% 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 Dawson County is $69,880, ranking #1,204 out of 3,222 counties — 7.0% below the national median. The poverty rate is 10.8% and unemployment stands at 1.4%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Dawson County is $166,200 (-41.0% vs national). Renters pay a median of $925/mo and the homeownership rate is 66.4%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Dawson County, 17.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 47.8% below the national average, ranking #2,413 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Dawson County is 77.4 years. 20.2% of adults report poor or fair health and 12.6% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
16.7% of adults in Dawson County smoke , 41.4% are obese , and 19.6% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 19.5 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 17.5 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
13.8% of children in Dawson County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 7.3 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 28.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Dawson County is 62.4%. The mean commute time is 19.5 min, which is 29.4% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Dawson County voted Republican with a margin of 49.6%. The vote was 24.7% Dem / 74.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 5.8 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Dawson County, Nebraska
Dawson County, Nebraska has a total population of 24,202, making it the 1,693rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Dawson County is 35.6 years, which is 8.5% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Dawson County is $69,880, which ranks #1,204 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 7.0% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 10.8%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 1.4%.
The median home value in Dawson County is $166,200, 41.0% below the national median. Renters in Dawson County pay a median gross rent of $925 per month. The homeownership rate is 66.4%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Dawson County, 17.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 47.8% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 90.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 19.5 min.
Dawson County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 52.8% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (37.4%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (6.4%).
All data for Dawson 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.