Dakota County, Nebraska: commercial real estate data.
Dakota County, Nebraska had an estimated 21,335 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 21,586, across 264 square miles. County output reached $2.42 bn in 2024, 427 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 5 7(a) approvals worth $3.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Dakota County
How many people live in Dakota County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202421,354
- Households7,459
- Average household size2.86
- Median household income$70,329
- Median age32.5
- Median gross rent$1,069 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$185,700
- Home value to household income2.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher14.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree3.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over12,976
- Population under 186,297
- Share under 1829.5 percent
- Population 65 and over2,742
- Share 65 and over12.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6412,315
- Civilian labor force11,079
- Unemployment rate4.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over73.6 percent
- Rank by population among Nebraska counties16th of 93
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1802nd of 3,222
Dakota County is the 16th largest of 93 Nebraska counties by population. A median home costs 2.6 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 29.5 percent against 12.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Dakota County
Is Dakota County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202421,335
- Census 2020 base population21,586
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.16 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-5
- Births, 2024423
- Deaths, 2024213
- Natural change, 2024210
- Net domestic migration, 2024-333
- Net international migration, 2024119
- Total net migration, 2024-214
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-1,415
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2253rd of 3,144
The county has lost 1.16 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. More people left than moved in during 2024 and births over deaths did not make up the difference, so the population fell.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Dakota County
Where are people moving to Dakota County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving546
- People arriving, from those returns984
- Tax returns filed by households leaving720
- Net household movement-174
- Adjusted gross income arriving$23.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-8.3 m
- Average income of an arriving household$42,234
- Average income of a leaving household$43,486
- Largest single originWoodbury County (256 households)
- Largest single destinationWoodbury County (273 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodbury County | 256 | 475 | $11.3 m |
| Douglas County | 22 | 30 | $1.1 m |
| Thurston County | 20 | 46 | $625,000 |
Households arriving report $1,252 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Woodbury County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Dakota County
What is the Dakota County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.42 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.35 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.9 percent
- GDP change over five years50.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Nebraska areas BEA publishes11th of 93
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1123rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$113,301
Output grew 2.9 percent in the latest year and 50.5 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Dakota County
Employment by industry in Dakota County
- Covered employment, annual average13,726
- Establishments reporting504
- Average annual pay$59,490
- Average weekly wage$1,144
- Manufacturing, employment5,593
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$64,401
- Transportation and warehousing, employment2,004
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$65,170
- Retail trade, employment896
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,824
- Finance and insurance, employment829
- Finance and insurance, average annual pay$86,163
- Accommodation and food services, employment697
- Construction, employment610
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5,593 | 33 | $64,401 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,004 | 34 | $65,170 |
| Retail trade | 896 | 64 | $30,824 |
| Finance and insurance | 829 | 19 | $86,163 |
| Accommodation and food services | 697 | 52 | $21,789 |
| Construction | 610 | 58 | $74,060 |
| Health care and social assistance | 605 | 57 | $50,929 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 407 | 20 | $59,459 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,593 jobs, 40.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Dakota County
How many businesses are in Dakota County?
- Establishments, all industries427
- Employment at those establishments12,034
- Annual payroll$694.6 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents20.0
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Dakota County
Building permits in Dakota County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202432
- Declared construction value permitted$10.7 m
- Single family units authorized32
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$334,294
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.3
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Dakota County
SBA loans in Dakota County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded5
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$3.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$610,180
- Median 7(a) approval$625,900
- Largest single approval$1,043,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)48
- Jobs per approval9.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active4
- Distinct industries receiving approvals4
- Median 7(a) term180 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer40.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter2
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded8
- 504 gross approval dollars$3.1 m
- Average 504 approval$383,500
- Median 504 approval$371,500
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval5.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved15.0
- Most active CDCSiouxland Economic Development Corporation (6)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$6.1 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Dakota County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Dakota County
Do SBA loans in Dakota County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure2
Only 3 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Dakota County
SBA lending by place in Dakota County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- South Sioux City, approvals4
- Dakota City, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| South Sioux City | 4 | $3,025,900 |
| Dakota City | 1 | $25,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Dakota County
How large is Dakota County?
- Land area264 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Nebraska counties92nd of 93
- Width, east to west19.3 mi
- Height, north to south17 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land81
- Establishments per square mile1.62
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Dakota County
Flood risk in Dakota County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Dakota County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 310429
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate85.7 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Dakota County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Dakota County (community 310429), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Dakota County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 85.7 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Dakota County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Dakota County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202421,354
- Households7,459
- Average household size2.86
- Median household income$70,329
- Median age32.5
Common questions
Dakota County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Dakota County, Nebraska?
The Census Bureau estimates 21,335 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 21,354, in 7,459 households, ranking 16th of 93 Nebraska counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Dakota County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.16 percent since the 2020 census base of 21,586, to 21,335 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 423 births against 213 deaths, with net migration of -214. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Dakota County?
$70,329. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $185,700, which is 2.6 times income, and median gross rent is $1,069 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Dakota County?
427 establishments, employing 12,034 people with an annual payroll of $694.6 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Dakota County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,593 jobs, 40.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 13,726 jobs at an average annual pay of $59,490, or $1,144 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Dakota County?
5 7(a) approvals totaling $3.1 m since FY2020, across 4 lenders, with a median approval of $625,900, plus 8 504 approvals worth $3.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Dakota County?
32 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $10.7 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Dakota County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Dakota County come from?
The largest single origin is Woodbury County, with 256 households. Arriving households report an average income of $42,234 against $43,486 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Dakota County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Dakota County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Dakota County
Cities and places in Dakota.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in Dakota County. All 6 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Sioux City | city | 13,907 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Dakota City | city | 2,675 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Emerson | village | 885 | None recorded | 26.6 percent here, 47.4 percent Dixon County, 26.0 percent Thurston County |
| Homer | village | 446 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Jackson | village | 273 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hubbard | village | 190 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby