County · Nebraska

Dawes County, Nebraska

Dawes County, Nebraska has a quality-of-life score of 78 out of 100 (high), ranking #700 of 3,143 US counties. Within Nebraska it ranks #68 of 93 counties. It ranks best on drug overdose deaths (low), fine particulate matter (PM2.5) (low) and some college (high). It ranks worst on distance to an airport (high), comfortable days (low) and distance to an Amtrak station (high).

78High

Quality-of-life score: #700 of 3,143 counties
Nebraska: #68 of 93 in NE
Population: 7,858 (2025)
Land area: 1,396 mi²
Density: 5.6 /mi²
FIPS code: 31045

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 78 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map Federal contracts here

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US counties.

Safety73#843/3,096
Economy36#2,001/3,143
Housing46#1,685/3,140
Health81#595/3,144
Healthcare80#616/3,143
Environment75#777/3,108
Education93#222/3,144
Infrastructure55#1,414/3,144
Community91#285/3,144
Leisure & amenities44#1,762/3,143

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Dawes County, Nebraska ranks highest and lowest among US counties (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Drug overdose deaths · low0.0 /100k
99/100Nebraska 6.6 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional data
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low4.1 µg/m³
98/100Nebraska 5.9 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Some college · high83.1%
97/100Nebraska 72.4%United States 67.8%2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
Loneliness · low29.7%
97/100Nebraska 29.8%United States 33.2%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Dentists · high111 /100k
96/100Nebraska 84 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
Frequent mental distress · low15.3%
95/100Nebraska 15.3%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute

Weaknesses

Distance to an airport · high219 mi
2/100Nebraska 65 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau
Comfortable days · low22.2%
4/100Nebraska 24.2%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Distance to an Amtrak station · high180 mi
5/100Nebraska 29 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau
Job growth · low-5.2%
5/100Nebraska -0.1%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional data
New homes permitted · low0.0 /1k
6/100Nebraska 5.3 /1kUnited States 4.2 /1kSep 2025–Aug 2026U.S. Census BureauProvisional data
Average weekly wage · low$831
6/100Nebraska $1,213United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
26.7% (2015-2019) → 51.4% (2020-2024)
+25 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Homicide rateImproving
7.2 /100k (2021) → 0.0 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−100%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k
New homes permittedWorsening
1.8 /1k (2021) → 0.0 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−100%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
74.2% (2010 & 2021) → 89.8% (2022 & 2024)
+16 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%
Violent crime rateWorsening
125 /100k (2018) → 210 /100k (2023)
+68%5 yearsUS 375 /100k → 382 /100k
Traffic deathsImproving
18.2 /100k (2015-2019) → 7.4 /100k (2020-2024)
−59%5 yearsUS 11.3 /100k → 12.3 /100k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Dawes County, Nebraska improved on 6 of 27 measures with a comparison and declined on 2. 17 moved within the margin of error and 2 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among counties: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved6

Students / teacher−2.4×13.3× → 10.9×
Uninsured−3.7 points10.6% → 6.9%
Real income+40%$44,297 → $61,920
New businesses+57%6.5 /1k → 10.2 /1k
Household income+26%$46,377 → $58,219

Declined2

Inequality+0.0990.367 → 0.466
Rent burden+25 points26.7% → 51.4%

All 27 measures

Change of every measure of Dawes County, Nebraska between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.5 /10k2020	2.5 /10k2025	+3.8%	Within the margin of error	47%
Average commute time	12.6 min2015-2019	15.6 min2020-2024	+3.0 min	Within the margin of error	13%
Average weekly wage	$7122020	$8312025	+17%	Improved	10%
Bachelor's degree or higher	36.9%2015-2019	36.2%2020-2024	−0.7 points	Within the margin of error	10%
Broadband subscriptions	82.9%2015-2019	84.6%2020-2024	+1.7 points	Within the margin of error	2%
Child poverty rate	18.0%2019	15.3%2024	−2.7 points	Within the margin of error	68%
Distance to an airport	219 mi2020	219 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	9.7 /100k2020	0.0 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−100%	Within the margin of error	97%
Effective property tax rate	1.40%2015-2019	1.21%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	75%
Firearm deaths	16.0 /100k2020	18.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+13%	Within the margin of error	29%
Grocery stores	2.5 /10k2020	1.3 /10k2025	−48%	Within the margin of error	5%
High school diploma or higher	96.1%2015-2019	95.9%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	12%
Home price to income ratio	2.5×2015-2019	2.7×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	70%
Income adjusted for local prices	$44,2972019	$61,9202024	+40%	Improved	85%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3672015-2019	0.4662020-2024	+0.099	Declined	1%
Median household income	$46,3772019	$58,2192024	+26%	Improved	53%
New business applications	6.5 /1k2020	10.2 /1k2025	+57%	Improved	66%
Pharmacies	1.2 /10k2020	1.3 /10k2025	+3.8%	Within the margin of error	82%
Poverty rate	16.4%2019	15.9%2024	−0.5 points	Within the margin of error	55%
Public libraries	2.3 /10k2019	2.5 /10k2024	+6.8%	Within the margin of error	85%
Rent as share of income	25.3%2015-2019	30.9%2020-2024	+5.6 points	Within the margin of error	7%
Rent-burdened households	26.7%2015-2019	51.4%2020-2024	+25 points	Declined	1%
Restaurants and bars	19.6 /10k2020	17.8 /10k2025	−9.2%	Within the margin of error	27%
Students per teacher	13.3×2019	10.9×2024	−2.4×	Improved	91%
Traffic deaths	18.2 /100k2015-2019	7.4 /100k2020-2024	−59%	Within the margin of error	97%
Unemployment rate	3.2%2020	2.9%2025	−0.3 points	Little change	5%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	10.6%2019	6.9%2024	−3.7 points	Improved	89%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 2431 counties that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Small Area Health Insurance Estimates; Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates; Public Libraries Survey; Common Core of Data; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 3144 counties that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Counties like Dawes County, Nebraska five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Dawes County, Nebraska in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Dawes County, Nebraska itself moved −6.3 points in standing on average over the same 29 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

8,140 residents

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49†
30–39†
20–29
10–19
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 40–49 men (+3.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

8,140 residents

Dawes County, Nebraska
Nebraska share

White86%6,985
Black0.5%†38
Hispanic or Latino5.0%411
Asian1.1%†89
American Indian and Alaska Native2.8%†230
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races4.8%†387

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Black (−3.5 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

5,186 residents (±95)

Dawes County, Nebraska
Nebraska share

No high school diploma4.1%†211
High school or GED23%1,189
Some college26%1,328
Associate degree11%†579
Bachelor's degree19%992
Graduate degree17%887

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

3,453 households (±216)

Dawes County, Nebraska
Nebraska share

Under $25k21%†727
$25k–50k22%744
$50k–75k19%664
$75k–100k10%†353
$100k–150k17%598
$150k–200k7.1%†244
$200k or more3.6%†123

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $25k–50k (−10.5 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

3,453 households (±216)

Dawes County, Nebraska
Nebraska share

Own62%2,133
Rent38%1,320

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

1,172 households (±254)

Dawes County, Nebraska
Nebraska share

Under $75026%†299
$750–1,00029%†338
$1,000–1,50035%†409

Home values

2,133 homes (±196)

Dawes County, Nebraska
Nebraska share

Under $150k50%1,058
$150k–250k28%†602
$250k–400k13%†274

Age of homes

4,037 homes (±21)

Dawes County, Nebraska
Nebraska share

2010 or later2.3%†92
2000–20094.4%†176
1980–199915%†612

Size of homes

4,037 homes (±21)

Dawes County, Nebraska
Nebraska share

Studio1.6%†63
1 bedroom7.5%†301
2 bedrooms32%1,277

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

4,207 workers (±290)

Dawes County, Nebraska
Nebraska share

Drive alone72%3,047
Carpool10%†439
Public transit0.0%†2
Walk8.2%†347
Bike0.3%†11
Work from home7.7%†325
Other0.9%†36

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

3,882 workers (±264)

Dawes County, Nebraska
Nebraska share

Under 15 min70%2,732
15–29 min12%†460
30–44 min4.7%†183

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Dawes County has 249 employer establishments, 306 for every 10,000 residents (1.23× the US rate of 248; 1.08× Nebraska's), with 2,015 paid employees at an average annual pay of $36,198. The Census Bureau also counts 702 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 249; 702 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 306; US 248 · Nebraska 284
Paid employees: 2,015
Average annual pay: $36,198; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Dawes County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	22	27	1.47×More than typical	303	$15,116	3
Ambulatory health care services	19	23.3	1.12×About typical	89	$61,596	41
Specialty trade contractors	14	17.2	1.11×About typical	48	$39,625	61
Building equipment contractors	10	12.3	2.04×More than typical	43	$37,116	12
Full-service restaurants	10	12.3	1.60×More than typical	142	$15,077	—
Insurance agencies and brokerages	10	12.3	2.79×More than typical	28	$45,250	10
Construction of buildings	9	11	1.46×Too few to compare	32	$50,031	29
Religious organizations	9	11	1.99×Too few to compare	30	$15,633	—
Banks and credit unions	8	9.8	3.04×Too few to compare	63	$62,317	—
Offices of dentists	8	9.8	2.44×Too few to compare	30	$58,333	—
Automotive repair and maintenance	7	8.6	1.71×Too few to compare	8	$33,000	18
Gasoline stations	7	8.6	2.65×Too few to compare	57	$28,351	—

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 8,148 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $5.3M on contracts performed in Dawes County, Nebraska: $680 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $5.3M; +199% vs FY2025
Per resident: $680; US $1,994
Sole-source: 8.2%; US 30%
Single offer: 70%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Forest Service$5.3M100%

Top recipients

PATRICK ENVIRONMENTAL INC$559.2K10%
ALTERGOTT FORESTRY, LLC$493.5K9.2%
HOLD THE LINE CATERING, LLC$397.8K7.4%
RITTBERGER TRUCKING LLC$317.5K5.9%
BLACK FOREST WILDLAND SUPPRESSION LLC$314.4K5.9%
US FOODS INC$303.3K5.7%
OUTBACK FIREFIGHTING, INC.$227.9K4.3%
OC FORESTRY, INCORPORATED$218.3K4.1%

Spending by fiscal year

1.2MFY2017
1.1MFY2018
1.4MFY2019
2.9MFY2020
1MFY2021
3.4MFY2022
1.9MFY2023
1.3M

Top industries (NAICS)

Support activities for forestry · 1153$3.1M58%
Special food services · 7223$397.8K7.4%
Other ambulatory health care services · 6219$335.5K6.3%
Other food manufacturing · 3119$303.3K5.7%
Automotive equipment rental and leasing · 5321$251.9K4.7%
Consumer goods rental · 5322$215.8K4.0%

Largest awards

MEDICAL SERVICES PINE RIDGE JOB CORPS CENTER CHADRON, NE NEW AWARD$708.2K
CHADRON MEDICAL CLINIC, P.C.· Dawes County, NE· Health & medical· Feb 12, 2021 – Feb 26, 2026· 1282A721C0026
THE PROJECT INVOLVES THE REHABILITATION OF DORM BUILDING 511 AT THE PINE RIDGE JOB CORPS CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CENTER IN DAWES COUNTY, NEBRASKA. THE WORK INCLUDES SIDING REPLACEMENT, SHEATHING, INSULATION, FLASHING INSTALLATION, ROOF MODIFICATIONS, W$667.3K
FULLER CONSTRUCTION HOLDING COMPANY, INC· Dawes County, NE· Construction & real property· Jun 18, 2025 – May 4, 2026· 12441925C0011
HOLD THE LINE CATERING, LLC NENBF260530 E36$397.8K
HOLD THE LINE CATERING, LLC· Dawes County, NE· Facilities & utilities· Jun 11, 2026 – Jun 11, 2026· 1202SC26M0239

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Explore contracts in Dawes County, Nebraska

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $72.4M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Dawes County, Nebraska: $9,215 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $72.4M; −8.9% vs FY2025
Per resident: $9,215; US $12,955
Loan face value: $1.3M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 10%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$29.5M41%
20.205 · Highway Planning and Construction$5.7M7.8%
57.001 · Social Insurance for Railroad Workers$5.4M7.4%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$5.1M7.1%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$3.8M5.3%
93.600 · Head Start$3.3M4.6%
10.988 · Supplemental Disaster Relief Program$3.1M4.3%
20.901 · Payments for Essential Air Services$3M4.2%

Top recipients (organizations)

NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$5.7M7.9%
LINCOLN, NE
CHADRON STATE COLLEGE$4.8M6.7%
CHADRON, NE
KEY LIME AIR CORPORATION$4.3M5.9%
ENGLEWOOD, CO
NORTHWEST COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP$3.3M4.6%
CHADRON, NE
CITY OF CHADRON$1M

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$35.6M49%
Farm Service Agency$6.6M9.0%
Department of Agriculture
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$5.8M7.9%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$5.7M7.9%
Department of Transportation
Railroad Retirement Board

Assistance by fiscal year

63.6MFY2021
61MFY2022
61.8MFY2023
65.9MFY2024
79.5MFY2025
72.4MFY2026

County aggregates

65%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Explore grants in Dawes County, Nebraska

Public money & outcomes

Federal money per resident by fiscal year next to how the place changed, and, when its money jumped, how it compares with similar counties. A comparison, not cause and effect.

How Dawes County, Nebraska compares: the federal money it received per resident, and how jobs, income, housing and other outcomes moved, each next to the United States.

Money per resident

By federal fiscal year (October to September, named by the year it ends), obligations per resident. A year with no record counts as $0.

Dawes County, Nebraska
United States
partial year

Federal contractsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Dawes County, Nebraska and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
FY2017	$133	$1,436
FY2018	$131	$1,552
FY2019	$160	$1,654
FY2020	$354	$1,880
FY2021	$128	$1,810
FY2022	$410	$1,917
FY2023	$228	$2,079
FY2024	$158	$2,047
FY2025	$228	$2,165
FY2026	$680 (partial year)	$1,911

Construction contractsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Dawes County, Nebraska and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
FY2017	$5.93	$93.28
FY2018	$27.39	$105
FY2019	$21.91	$128
FY2020	$210	$145
FY2021	$45.03	$117
FY2022

Contracts and grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Dawes County, Nebraska and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
FY2021	$1,964	$5,748
FY2022	$663	$5,221
FY2023	$1,175	$5,364
FY2024	$999	$5,501
FY2025	$1,860	$5,732
FY2026	$2,026

Transportation grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Dawes County, Nebraska and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
FY2021	-$4.61	$298
FY2022	$0	$357
FY2023	$231	$301
FY2024	$44.29	$319
FY2025	$716	$360
FY2026	$850

Housing assistanceUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Dawes County, Nebraska and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
FY2021	$17.59	$239
FY2022	$65.89	$185
FY2023	$30.74	$229
FY2024	$205	$229
FY2025	$48.64	$249
FY2026	$10.87

HHS grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Dawes County, Nebraska and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
FY2021	$776	$2,304
FY2022	$31.58	$2,197
FY2023	$410	$2,274
FY2024	$415	$2,267
FY2025	$417	$2,397
FY2026	$420

SBA lending volumeUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Dawes County, Nebraska and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
FY2021	$1,205	$1,186
FY2022	$266	$465
FY2023	-$20.56	$76.52
FY2024	$0	$120
FY2025	$0	$148
FY2026	$0

Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)

How outcomes moved

Calendar years. Charts share the same years as the money above. Levels are shown as percent change since 2016; rates are shown as the rate itself.

Dawes County, Nebraska
United States
Years with money loaded

Job growthpercent

Table view

Job growth, Dawes County, Nebraska and the United States, by year
Calendar years	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
2014	−0.6%	2.0%
2015

When its money jumped

A county-year with at least 10,000 residents whose money per resident is at least twice its earlier average counts as a jump. Each is compared with up to five similar counties in the same region whose money did not jump.

Counties under 10,000 residents are not assessed: their money per resident swings too much from year to year.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Business Formation Statistics, Building Permits Survey, Cartographic Boundary Files, Gazetteer and metro delineations, Population Estimates Program, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission), Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System), Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordability. JSON · /api/v1/outcomes/places/31045

See all comparisons

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Dawes County, Nebraska is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Adrian SmithR-NE-3 · 100% of residentsWith party 98%Missed 1.6%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

Cities and towns in Dawes County

Places whose residents live mostly in Dawes County, largest first.

Neighboring counties

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar counties

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
National Risk IndexFederal Emergency Management Agency · release v1.20.0
Health Professional Shortage AreasHealth Resources and Services Administration · release 2026-10-03
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
Common Core of DataNational Center for Education Statistics · release 2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/31045

Calendar years	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
2014	−6.3%	−4.2%
2015	−4.1%	−1.3%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	+0.3%	+3.3%
2018	+6.9%	+6.8%
2019	+9.6%	+10.5%
2020	+17.5%	+19.4%
2021	+16.0%	+26.1%
2022	+21.1%	+30.6%
2023	+26.6%	+35.0%
2024	+31.8%	+41.0%
2025	+37.1%	+46.8%

Calendar years	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
2014	+4.4%	−5.5%
2015	+1.3%	−1.9%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	+1.3%	+4.1%
2018	+5.6%	+8.9%
2019	+9.5%	+13.5%
2020	+24.7%	+20.8%
2021	+35.9%	+32.1%
2022	+29.8%	+35.4%
2023	+41.9%	+42.9%
2024	+50.2%	+49.5%

Calendar years	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
2014	0.1/1k	3.3/1k
2015	0.4/1k	3.7/1k
2016	1.6/1k	3.7/1k
2017	1.5/1k	3.9/1k
2018	1.2/1k	4.1/1k
2019	0.9/1k	4.2/1k
2020	1.2/1k	4.4/1k
2021	1.8/1k	5.2/1k
2022	2.5/1k	5.0/1k
2023	11.2/1k	4.5/1k
2024	1.5/1k	4.3/1k
2025	1.9/1k	4.2/1k

Calendar years	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
2014	−8.6%	−6.9%
2015	−0.8%	−3.2%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	−2.0%	+4.7%
2018	+6.7%	+7.5%
2019	+4.2%	+14.0%
2020	+18.3%	+16.9%
2021	+14.4%	+21.0%
2022	+18.3%	+29.7%
2023	+23.4%	+34.9%
2024	+30.8%	+41.6%

Calendar years	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
2014	18.8%	15.5%
2015	17.8%	14.7%
2016	16.9%	14.0%
2017	17.0%	13.4%
2018	17.1%	13.1%
2019	16.4%	12.3%
2020	14.7%	11.9%
2021	15.3%	12.8%
2022	16.2%	12.6%
2023	15.6%	12.5%
2024	15.9%	12.1%

Calendar years	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
2014	2.9%	6.2%
2015	2.6%	5.3%
2016	3.4%	4.9%
2017	3.1%	4.4%
2018	3.1%	3.9%
2019	3.2%	3.7%
2020	3.2%	8.1%
2021	2.3%	5.4%
2022	2.2%	3.7%
2023	2.4%	3.6%
2024	2.6%	4.0%
2025	2.9%	4.3%

Calendar years	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
2014	—	−10.8% (Dec 2014)
2015	—	−5.2% (Dec 2015)
2016	—	0.0% (Dec 2016)
2017	— (Dec 2017)	+6.4% (Dec 2017)
2018	— (Dec 2018)	+12.6% (Dec 2018)
2019	— (Dec 2019)	+18.1% (Dec 2019)
2020	— (Dec 2020)	+29.3% (Dec 2020)
2021	— (Dec 2021)	+49.8% (Dec 2021)
2022	— (Dec 2022)	+64.7% (Dec 2022)
2023	— (Dec 2023)	+69.0% (Dec 2023)
2024	— (Dec 2024)	+73.4% (Dec 2024)
2025	— (Dec 2025)	+73.7% (Dec 2025)

Calendar years	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
2014	15.3%	13.5%
2015	11.7%	10.9%
2016	12.2%	10.0%
2017	11.0%	10.2%
2018	10.5%	10.4%
2019	10.6%	10.8%
2020	10.3%	10.4%
2021	9.6%	10.2%
2022	7.9%	9.5%
2023	7.5%	9.5%
2024	6.9%	9.8%

Calendar years	Dawes County, Nebraska	United States
2014	5.6/1k	8.5/1k
2015	5.5/1k	8.7/1k
2016	5.5/1k	9.1/1k
2017	7.4/1k	9.8/1k
2018	6.0/1k	10.7/1k
2019	5.0/1k	10.6/1k
2020	6.5/1k	13.1/1k
2021	7.0/1k	16.2/1k
2022	8.8/1k	15.1/1k
2023	10.6/1k	16.2/1k
2024	7.5/1k	15.4/1k
2025	10.2/1k	16.6/1k

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved6

Declined2

Counties like Dawes County, Nebraska five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Public money & outcomes

Money per resident

How outcomes moved

When its money jumped

Representation in Congress

House

Senate

Cities and towns in Dawes County

Neighboring counties

Similar counties

Data and sources

Improved6

Declined2

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Household income

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

House

Senate

Money per resident

How outcomes moved

When its money jumped

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought