Dawson County, Nebraska
Dawson County, Nebraska | |
|---|---|
The Dawson County Courthouse in Lexington | |
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska | |
| Coordinates: 40°52′04″N 99°48′56″W / 40.867840°N 99.815583°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Nebraska |
| Founded | January 11, 1860 (created) July 11, 1871 (organized) |
| Named after | Jacob Dawson |
| Seat | Lexington |
| Largest city | Lexington |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,019.433 sq mi (2,640.32 km2) |
| • Land | 1,013.786 sq mi (2,625.69 km2) |
| • Water | 5.647 sq mi (14.63 km2) 0.55% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 24,111 |
• Estimate (2024) | 24,554 |
| • Density | 23.783/sq mi (9.1827/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 308 |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | dawsoncountyne.gov |
| • Nebraska county number 24[1] • Nebraska license plate prefix 18[2] | |
Dawson County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,111,[3] and was estimated to be 24,554 in 2024.[4] The county seat and the largest city is Lexington.[5]
Dawson County is part of the Lexington, NE micropolitan area.
In the Nebraska license plate system, Dawson County was represented by the prefix "18" (as it had the 18th-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).
History
Dawson County was created on January 11, 1860 and organized on July 11, 1871[6] by proclamation of acting Governor William James. The county website states that the county was named for Jacob Dawson, the first postmaster in the settlement of Lancaster County, Nebraska.[7] Other sources state that it was named after Pennsylvania Congressman John Littleton Dawson.[8]
Geography
Dawson County lies near the center of Nebraska, in the portion of the state that observes Central Time.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,019.433 square miles (2,640.32 km2), of which 1,013.786 square miles (2,625.69 km2) is land and 5.647 square miles (14.63 km2) (0.55%) is water.[9] It is the 15th-largest county in Nebraska by total area.[10]
Major highways
Transit
- Burlington Trailways
- Express Arrow
Protected areas
- Bitterns Call State Wildlife Management Area[11]
- Dogwood State Wildlife Management Area[12]
- East Willow Island State Wildlife Management Area[13]
- Gallagher Canyon State Recreation Area[14]
Adjacent counties
- Buffalo County – east
- Phelps County – southeast
- Gosper County – south
- Frontier County – southwest
- Lincoln County – west
- Custer County – north
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 16 | — | |
| 1870 | 103 | 543.8% | |
| 1880 | 2,909 | 2,724.3% | |
| 1890 | 10,129 | 248.2% | |
| 1900 | 12,264 | 21.1% | |
| 1910 | 15,961 | 30.1% | |
| 1920 | 16,004 | 0.3% | |
| 1930 | 17,875 | 11.7% | |
| 1940 | 17,890 | 0.1% | |
| 1950 | 19,393 | 8.4% | |
| 1960 | 19,405 | 0.1% | |
| 1970 | 19,771 | 1.9% | |
| 1980 | 22,304 | 12.8% | |
| 1990 | 19,940 | −10.6% | |
| 2000 | 24,365 | 22.2% | |
| 2010 | 24,326 | −0.2% | |
| 2020 | 24,111 | −0.9% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 24,554 | [15] | 1.8% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[16] 1790–1960[17] 1900–1990[18] 1990–2000[19] 2010–2020[4] | |||
As of the third quarter of 2025, the median home value in Dawson County was $176,050.[20]
As of the 2024 American Community Survey, there are 9,145 estimated households in Dawson County with an average of 2.62 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $69,880. Approximately 10.8% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Dawson County has an estimated 69.1% employment rate, with 17.6% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 77.9% holding a high school diploma.[4] There were 9,958 housing units at an average density of 9.82 per square mile (3.8/km2).
The top five reported languages (people were allowed to report up to two languages, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (62.8%), Spanish (31.3%), Indo-European (0.3%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.8%), and Other (4.8%).
The median age in the county was 35.6 years.
| Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic) | Pop. 1980[21] | Pop. 1990[22] | Pop. 2000[23] | Pop. 2010[24] | Pop. 2020[25] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 21,575 (96.73%) |
19,164 (96.11%) |
17,746 (72.83%) |
15,464 (63.57%) |
13,529 (56.11%) |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 14 (0.06%) |
11 (0.06%) |
58 (0.24%) |
710 (2.92%) |
1,187 (4.92%) |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 35 (0.16%) |
62 (0.31%) |
112 (0.46%) |
74 (0.30%) |
44 (0.18%) |
| Asian alone (NH) | 54 (0.24%) |
38 (0.19%) |
150 (0.62%) |
135 (0.55%) |
192 (0.80%) |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | — | — | 1 (0.00%) |
39 (0.16%) |
41 (0.17%) |
| Other race alone (NH) | 39 (0.17%) |
2 (0.01%) |
6 (0.02%) |
21 (0.09%) |
60 (0.25%) |
| Mixed race or multiracial (NH) | — | — | 114 (0.47%) |
137 (0.56%) |
415 (1.72%) |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 587 (2.63%) |
663 (3.32%) |
6,178 (25.36%) |
7,746 (31.84%) |
8,643 (35.85%) |
| Total | 22,304 (100.00%) |
19,940 (100.00%) |
24,365 (100.00%) |
24,326 (100.00%) |
24,111 (100.00%) |
2024 estimate
As of the 2024 estimate, there were 24,554 people, 9,145 households, and _ families residing in the county. The population density was 24.22 inhabitants per square mile (9.4/km2). There were 9,958 housing units at an average density of 9.82 per square mile (3.8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 85.3% White (51.1% NH White), 8.5% African American, 2.9% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.5% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 39.6% of the population.
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 24,111 people, 8,868 households, and 6,144 families residing in the county.[26] The population density was 23.78 inhabitants per square mile (9.2/km2). There were 9,792 housing units at an average density of 9.66 per square mile (3.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 62.62% White, 5.02% African American, 1.12% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 19.81% from some other races and 10.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 35.85% of the population.[27]
The median age was 36.4 years. 28.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 102.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.2 males age 18 and over.[28]
43.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 56.7% lived in rural areas.[29]
There were 8,868 households in the county, of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 22.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 9,792 housing units, of which 9.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 67.9% were owner-occupied and 32.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.9%.
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 24,326 people, 8,899 households, and 6,122 families residing in the county.[30] The population density was 24.00 inhabitants per square mile (9.3/km2). There were 10,123 housing units at an average density of 9.99 per square mile (3.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 78.02% White, 3.06% African American, 0.82% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 15.24% from some other races and 2.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 31.84% of the population.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 24,365 people, 8,824 households, and 6,273 families residing in the county. The population density was 24.03 inhabitants per square mile (9.3/km2). There were 9,805 housing units at an average density of 9.67 per square mile (3.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 82.32% White, 0.31% African American, 0.67% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 14.49% from some other races and 1.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 25.36% of the population. 32.0% were of German, 6.7% American, 6.7% Irish and 6.4% English ancestry.
There were 8,824 households out of which 35.80% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.80% were married couples living together, 7.90% have a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.00% have someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the county the population was spread out with 29.20% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 101.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,132, and the median income for a family was $42,224. Males have a median income of $26,865 versus $20,569 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,973. 10.80% of the population and 8.60% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 14.20% were under the age of 18 and 9.20% were 65 or older.
Communities
Cities
- Cozad
- Gothenburg
- Lexington (county seat)
Villages
Census-designated place
Unincorporated communities
Politics
| Political Party | Number of registered voters (March 1, 2026)[31] | Percent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | 7,619 | 59.30% | |
| Democratic | 2,774 | 21.59% | |
| Independent | 2,234 | 17.39% | |
| Libertarian | 139 | 1.08% | |
| Legal Marijuana Now | 82 | 0.64% | |
| Total | 12,848 | 100.00% | |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1880 | 347 | 65.97% | 179 | 34.03% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1884 | 686 | 63.23% | 384 | 35.39% | 15 | 1.38% |
| 1888 | 1,087 | 61.31% | 614 | 34.63% | 72 | 4.06% |
| 1892 | 1,188 | 48.23% | 182 | 7.39% | 1,093 | 44.38% |
| 1896 | 1,128 | 44.29% | 1,357 | 53.28% | 62 | 2.43% |
| 1900 | 1,280 | 46.36% | 1,399 | 50.67% | 82 | 2.97% |
| 1904 | 1,712 | 61.52% | 457 | 16.42% | 614 | 22.06% |
| 1908 | 1,737 | 46.05% | 1,926 | 51.06% | 109 | 2.89% |
| 1912 | 449 | 13.22% | 1,613 | 47.48% | 1,335 | 39.30% |
| 1916 | 1,444 | 40.74% | 1,989 | 56.12% | 111 | 3.13% |
| 1920 | 3,384 | 65.99% | 1,444 | 28.16% | 300 | 5.85% |
| 1924 | 3,016 | 50.67% | 1,526 | 25.64% | 1,410 | 23.69% |
| 1928 | 5,125 | 74.25% | 1,718 | 24.89% | 59 | 0.85% |
| 1932 | 2,859 | 38.09% | 4,513 | 60.13% | 133 | 1.77% |
| 1936 | 3,573 | 46.39% | 4,021 | 52.21% | 108 | 1.40% |
| 1940 | 5,445 | 66.02% | 2,803 | 33.98% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 5,017 | 68.85% | 2,270 | 31.15% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 4,203 | 61.75% | 2,603 | 38.25% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 7,130 | 79.66% | 1,820 | 20.34% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 6,503 | 76.13% | 2,039 | 23.87% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 6,480 | 73.07% | 2,388 | 26.93% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 4,577 | 54.70% | 3,790 | 45.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 5,221 | 71.97% | 1,614 | 22.25% | 419 | 5.78% |
| 1972 | 6,211 | 81.35% | 1,424 | 18.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 5,413 | 67.79% | 2,395 | 29.99% | 177 | 2.22% |
| 1980 | 6,689 | 77.70% | 1,463 | 16.99% | 457 | 5.31% |
| 1984 | 6,887 | 81.92% | 1,487 | 17.69% | 33 | 0.39% |
| 1988 | 5,529 | 71.30% | 2,184 | 28.16% | 42 | 0.54% |
| 1992 | 4,714 | 53.64% | 1,741 | 19.81% | 2,334 | 26.56% |
| 1996 | 4,794 | 59.44% | 2,180 | 27.03% | 1,091 | 13.53% |
| 2000 | 5,511 | 73.41% | 1,740 | 23.18% | 256 | 3.41% |
| 2004 | 6,149 | 77.29% | 1,728 | 21.72% | 79 | 0.99% |
| 2008 | 5,460 | 68.37% | 2,399 | 30.04% | 127 | 1.59% |
| 2012 | 5,460 | 69.47% | 2,199 | 27.98% | 200 | 2.54% |
| 2016 | 5,984 | 69.30% | 2,136 | 24.74% | 515 | 5.96% |
| 2020 | 6,524 | 70.98% | 2,497 | 27.17% | 170 | 1.85% |
| 2024 | 6,312 | 74.07% | 2,101 | 24.65% | 109 | 1.28% |
Education
School districts include:[33]
- Callaway Public Schools #180, Callaway
- Cozad Community Schools #11, Cozad
- Elm Creek Public Schools #9, Elm Creek
- Elwood Public Schools #30, Elwood
- Eustis-Farnam Public Schools #95, Eustis
- Gothenburg Public Schools #20, Gothenburg
- Lexington Public Schools #1, Lexington
- Overton Public Schools #4, Overton
- Sumner-Eddyville-Miller Schools #101, Sumner
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Dawson County, Nebraska
- Robert Henri Museum in Cozad
References
- ^ "Nebraska County Names and Numbers" (PDF). Nebraska Department of Revenue. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "Nebraska County Codes". 15 Q Net. November 17, 2002. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ a b c "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Dawson County, Nebraska". www.census.gov. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "Nebraska: Individual County Chronologies". publications.newberry.org. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (January 1, 1925). "Nebraska Place-Names". University of Nebraska Department of English. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "Dawson, John L." history.nebraska.gov. Nebraska State Historical Society. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "2025 County Gazetteer Files – Nebraska". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Dawson County, Nebraska". www.census.gov. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "Bitterns Call State Wildlife Management Area, Cozad, NE". Google Maps. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
- ^ "Dogwood State Wildlife Management Area, Lexington NE". Google Maps. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
- ^ "East Willow Island State Wildlife Management Area, Cozad, NE". Google Maps. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
- ^ "Gallagher Canyon State Recreation Area". Google Maps. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
- ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
- ^ Forstall, Richard L. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 19, 1999. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
- ^ "County Median Home Price". National Association of Realtors. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "Dawson County, Nebraska — Population by Race". CensusScope. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "1990 Census of Population: General Population Characteristics Nebraska" (PDF). www.census.gov. October 6, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Dawson County, Nebraska". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Dawson County, Nebraska". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Dawson County, Nebraska". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "How many people live in Dawson County, Nebraska". USA Today. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ^ "Nebraska: 2010 Census of Population and Housing" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. December 2012. p. 283 of 385. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "Voter Statistics Count Report" (PDF). nebraska.gov. Secretary of State of Nebraska. March 2, 2026. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ 2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Dawson County, NE (PDF) (Map). United States Census Bureau. January 14, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2025. - Text list