Dawson County, Nebraska Demographics 2026

Name: Dawson County, Nebraska Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Dawson County, Nebraska has a population of 24,202, the 13th most populous county in Nebraska. The median household income is $69,880 and the median home value is $166,200. The poverty rate is 10.8%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Dawson County Quick Facts

Population 24,202

Median Household Income $69,880

Median Home Value $166,200

Poverty Rate 10.8%

Unemployment Rate 1.4%

Median Age 35.6 years

Homeownership Rate 66.3%

Affordability Ratio 2.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 17.6%

High School Graduation 77.9%

Cities/Places 7

Population 24,202 13th of 93

Median Income $69,880 9% lower than state

Poverty Rate 10.8%

Unemployment 1.4%

How Dawson 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	24,020	24,202	+0.8%
Median household income	$65,383	$69,880	+6.9%
Median home value	$157,800	$166,200	+5.3%

Median Household Income

Dawson

$69,880

$76,475

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Dawson

$166,200

$238,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 14.1%

$25K-$50K 17.7%

$50K-$100K 36.2%

$100K+ 31.9%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.8%

$10K-$15K

3.3%

$15K-$20K

2.8%

$20K-$25K

4.2%

$25K-$30K

3.3%

$30K-$35K

2.4%

$35K-$40K

4.2%

$40K-$45K

3.5%

$45K-$50K

4.3%

$50K-$60K

8.7%

$60K-$75K

12.5%

$75K-$100K

15.0%

$100K-$125K

11.7%

$125K-$150K

6.5%

$150K-$200K

7.3%

$200K+

6.4%

Employment

1.4% Unemployment Rate State: 3.0%|National: 5.2%

70.2% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 66.3%

Renter 33.7%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $925/mo 15.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

27.8%

18-34

20.9%

35-54

23.9%

55-74

20.0%

75+

7.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Dawson County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Lexington	10,862	$67,666	13.8%	$159,100
Cozad	3,937	$54,471	10.9%	$121,600
Gothenburg	3,452	$79,219	10.1%	$191,000
Overton	689	$55,000	11.6%	$105,100
Sumner	353	$70,000	2.0%	$95,800
Farnam	257	$45,417	32.4%	$62,800
Eddyville	125	$95,461	1.6%	$102,500

Explore Nebraska Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Dawson County is located in Nebraska with a total population of 24,202. It is the 13th most populous county out of 93 in Nebraska. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dawson County is 35.6 years. This is 4% lower than the state median of 37.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dawson County is $69,880. This is 9% lower than the state median of $76,475. It is also 13% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.8%. This is 2% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The unemployment rate is 1.4%. This is 54% lower than the state rate of 3.0%. The median home value is $166,200. Housing costs are 30% lower than the state median of $238,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Dawson County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 66.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Dawson County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 52.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 37.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (37.4% vs 12.7%). The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 2.6%.

Education

17.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 49% lower than the state rate of 34.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 77.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Dawson County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Nebraska 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 Dawson County, Nebraska?

Dawson County has a population of 24,202, making it the 13th most populous county in Nebraska.

What is the median income in Dawson County?

The median household income in Dawson County is $69,880 with a poverty rate of 10.8%.

How many cities are in Dawson County, Nebraska?

Dawson County contains 7 Census-designated places.