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Dakota County, Minnesota Demographics 2026

Dakota County, Minnesota has a population of 442,204, the 3rd most populous county in Minnesota. The median household income is $105,212 and the median home value is $362,100. The poverty rate is 5.6%.

Dakota County Quick Facts

Population 442,204
Median Household Income $105,212
Median Home Value $362,100
Poverty Rate 5.6%
Unemployment Rate 3.6%
Median Age 38.4 years
Homeownership Rate 75.3%
Affordability Ratio 3.4x
Bachelor's Degree+ 44.6%
High School Graduation 95.5%
Cities/Places 20
Population 442,204 3rd of 87
Median Income $105,212 20% higher state
Poverty Rate 5.6%
Unemployment 3.6%

Economy & Housing

Employment

3.6% Unemployment Rate State: 3.9% | National: 5.2%
71.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 75.3%
Renter 24.7%
Affordability Index Affordable
3.4x home value to income ratio

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

43out of 100
Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 40 | National average: 60

Education

Cities & Places in Dakota County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
St. Paul city307,762$73,05515.8%$280,300
Lakeville city72,480$138,1193.3%$425,200
Eagan city68,158$107,4865.9%$380,800
Burnsville city64,295$83,9538.7%$335,100
Apple Valley city55,696$99,2775.9%$354,200
Inver Grove Heights city35,772$104,0554.6%$352,300
Rosemount city26,509$127,2472.9%$406,100
Farmington city23,675$118,5563.8%$345,100
West St. Paul city21,076$70,7389.1%$281,800
South St. Paul city20,633$84,4729.1%$266,800
Mendota Heights city11,644$132,9352.6%$504,100
Lilydale city752$93,3933.7%$389,300
Sunfish Lake city594$250,0010.5%$1,109,000
Hampton city510$106,1116.5%$305,700
Randolph city465$101,7867.3%$268,800
Vermillion city443$93,2145.2%$298,000
Mendota city183$108,33312.6%$335,000
Miesville city119$88,7500.0%$320,000
Coates city111$79,58317.1%$236,800
New Trier city77$94,06311.7%$225,000

Population Overview

Dakota County is located in Minnesota with a total population of 442,204. It is the 3rd most populous county out of 87 in Minnesota. The county encompasses 20 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dakota County is 38.4 years. This is about average than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dakota County is $105,212. This is 20% higher than the state median of $87,556. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 34% higher. The poverty rate stands at 5.6%. This is 39% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.2%. The unemployment rate is 3.6%. This is 8% lower than the state rate of 3.9%. The median home value is $362,100. Housing costs are 19% higher than the state median of $305,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.4x. 75.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% higher than the state average of 72.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Dakota County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 73.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.4%.

Education

44.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Dakota County in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 15% higher than the state rate of 38.8%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 95.5%.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Dakota County, Minnesota?

Dakota County has a population of 442,204, making it the 3rd most populous county in Minnesota.

What is the median income in Dakota County?

The median household income in Dakota County is $105,212 with a poverty rate of 5.6%.

How many cities are in Dakota County, Minnesota?

Dakota County contains 20 Census-designated places.