Dakota County, Minnesota Demographics 2026
Dakota County, Minnesota has a population of 445,771, the 3rd most populous county in Minnesota. The median household income is $106,318 and the median home value is $381,000. The poverty rate is 5.9%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Dakota County Quick Facts
How Dakota County Changed
Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.
| Metric | 2019–2023 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 442,204 | 445,771 | +0.8% |
| Median household income | $105,212 | $106,318 | +1.1% |
| Median home value | $362,100 | $381,000 | +5.2% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.
State average: 41 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in Dakota County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeville | 74,354 | $139,041 | 2.9% | $452,500 |
| Eagan | 68,000 | $108,690 | 5.9% | $397,100 |
| Burnsville | 64,463 | $87,024 | 10.8% | $355,200 |
| Apple Valley | 55,679 | $97,673 | 6.0% | $370,400 |
| Inver Grove Heights | 35,906 | $101,316 | 4.9% | $363,400 |
| Rosemount | 27,562 | $129,625 | 3.0% | $424,100 |
| Farmington | 23,902 | $123,673 | 5.1% | $366,200 |
| Hastings | 22,117 | $93,998 | 5.4% | $322,400 |
| West St. Paul | 21,382 | $68,464 | 8.8% | $301,300 |
| Northfield | 20,742 | $84,895 | 8.8% | $329,400 |
| South St. Paul | 20,611 | $87,994 | 8.3% | $281,600 |
| Mendota Heights | 11,612 | $132,768 | 2.8% | $520,300 |
| Lilydale | 772 | $89,583 | 2.9% | $404,800 |
| Hampton | 590 | $109,545 | 4.8% | $318,300 |
| Sunfish Lake | 533 | $236,250 | 1.7% | $1,115,600 |
| Randolph | 461 | $104,286 | 4.8% | $291,000 |
| Vermillion | 399 | $107,188 | 9.0% | $319,300 |
| Mendota | 207 | $111,250 | 12.6% | $320,000 |
| Coates | 131 | $82,250 | 14.5% | $240,000 |
| Miesville | 125 | $95,500 | 0.0% | $348,200 |
| New Trier | 78 | $73,750 | 25.6% | $275,000 |
Explore Minnesota Rankings
Population Overview
Dakota County is located in Minnesota with a total population of 445,771. It is the 3rd most populous county out of 87 in Minnesota. The county encompasses 21 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Dakota County is 38.6 years. This is about the same as the state median of 38.8 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Dakota County is $106,318. This is 19% higher than the state median of $89,062. It is also 32% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.9%. This is 37% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. The unemployment rate is 3.6%. This is 11% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $381,000. Housing costs are 16% higher than the state median of $329,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.6x. 74.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% higher than the state average of 72.2%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Dakota County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 72.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.7%.
Education
45.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Dakota County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 14% higher than the state rate of 39.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 95.2%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Dakota County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Minnesota and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Dakota County, Minnesota?
Dakota County has a population of 445,771, 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 $106,318 with a poverty rate of 5.9%.
How many cities are in Dakota County, Minnesota?
Dakota County contains 21 Census-designated places.