Dawson County, Nebraska: commercial real estate data.
Dawson County, Nebraska had an estimated 24,554 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 24,105, across 1,013 square miles. County output reached $2.22 bn in 2024, 672 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 12 7(a) approvals worth $2.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Dawson County
How many people live in Dawson County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202424,202
- Households9,145
- Average household size2.65
- Median household income$69,880
- Median age35.6
- Median gross rent$925 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$166,200
- Home value to household income2.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree4.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over15,460
- Population under 186,723
- Share under 1827.8 percent
- Population 65 and over4,003
- Share 65 and over16.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6413,476
- Civilian labor force12,781
- Unemployment rate1.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over73.1 percent
- Rank by population among Nebraska counties13th of 93
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1693rd of 3,222
Dawson County is the 13th largest of 93 Nebraska counties by population. A median home costs 2.4 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 27.8 percent against 16.5 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Dawson County
Is Dawson County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202424,554
- Census 2020 base population24,105
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.86 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024161
- Births, 2024376
- Deaths, 2024212
- Natural change, 2024164
- Net domestic migration, 2024-475
- Net international migration, 2024476
- Total net migration, 20241
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-1,334
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1214th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.86 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Dawson County
Where are people moving to Dawson County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving503
- People arriving, from those returns851
- Tax returns filed by households leaving625
- Net household movement-122
- Adjusted gross income arriving$24.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-3.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$49,197
- Average income of a leaving household$45,382
- Largest single originBuffalo County (61 households)
- Largest single destinationBuffalo County (94 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo County | 61 | 98 | $3.1 m |
| Lincoln County | 36 | 70 | $2.0 m |
| Lancaster County | 31 | 48 | $1.6 m |
| Hall County | 26 | 32 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $3,815 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Buffalo 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.
Dawson County
What is the Dawson County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.22 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.14 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.7 percent
- GDP change over five years36.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Nebraska areas BEA publishes13th of 93
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1193rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$91,607
Output grew 3.7 percent in the latest year and 36.1 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.
Dawson County
Employment by industry in Dawson County
- Covered employment, annual average11,864
- Establishments reporting763
- Average annual pay$50,639
- Average weekly wage$974
- Manufacturing, employment3,925
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$54,247
- Retail trade, employment1,153
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,744
- Accommodation and food services, employment761
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,664
- Health care and social assistance, employment576
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$38,333
- Wholesale trade, employment406
- Construction, employment404
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,925 | 31 | $54,247 |
| Retail trade | 1,153 | 94 | $33,744 |
| Accommodation and food services | 761 | 62 | $18,664 |
| Health care and social assistance | 576 | 64 | $38,333 |
| Wholesale trade | 406 | 42 | $67,994 |
| Construction | 404 | 61 | $57,444 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 296 | 30 | $48,292 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 270 | 37 | $60,545 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,925 jobs, 33.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Dawson County
How many businesses are in Dawson County?
- Establishments, all industries672
- Employment at those establishments9,577
- Annual payroll$456.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents27.8
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.
Dawson County
Building permits in Dawson County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202430
- Declared construction value permitted$14.4 m
- Single family units authorized30
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$479,400
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.3
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.
Dawson County
SBA loans in Dawson County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded12
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$2.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$180,625
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- Largest single approval$400,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)88
- Jobs per approval7.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active11
- Distinct industries receiving approvals9
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer8.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter11
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals8.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countAll Other Miscellaneous Retailers (3)
- 504 approvals recorded9
- 504 gross approval dollars$6.7 m
- Average 504 approval$747,111
- Median 504 approval$438,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval9.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.5
- Most active CDCNebraska Economic Development Corporation (9)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$8.9 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.
Dawson County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Dawson County
Do SBA loans in Dawson County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded7
- Paid in full7
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full7
- Status: Exempt from disclosure3
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Only 7 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.
Dawson County
SBA lending by place in Dawson County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Cozad, approvals6
- Gothenburg, approvals3
- Farnam, approvals2
- Sumner, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Cozad | 6 | $867,500 |
| Gothenburg | 3 | $900,000 |
| Farnam | 2 | $200,000 |
| Sumner | 1 | $200,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Dawson County
How large is Dawson County?
- Land area1,013 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Nebraska counties15th of 93
- Width, east to west42.3 mi
- Height, north to south25.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land24
- Establishments per square mile0.66
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.
Dawson County
Flood risk in Dawson County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Dawson County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 310058
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate87.5 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Dawson County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Dawson County (community 310058), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Dawson County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 87.5 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 Dawson 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 Dawson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202424,202
- Households9,145
- Average household size2.65
- Median household income$69,880
- Median age35.6
Common questions
Dawson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Dawson County, Nebraska?
The Census Bureau estimates 24,554 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 24,202, in 9,145 households, ranking 13th of 93 Nebraska counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Dawson County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.86 percent since the 2020 census base of 24,105, to 24,554 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 376 births against 212 deaths, with net migration of 1. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Dawson County?
$69,880. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $166,200, which is 2.4 times income, and median gross rent is $925 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Dawson County?
672 establishments, employing 9,577 people with an annual payroll of $456.7 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 Dawson County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,925 jobs, 33.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 11,864 jobs at an average annual pay of $50,639, or $974 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Dawson County?
12 7(a) approvals totaling $2.2 m since FY2020, across 11 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 9 504 approvals worth $6.7 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Dawson County?
30 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $14.4 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Dawson County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Dawson County come from?
The largest single origin is Buffalo County, with 61 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,197 against $45,382 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Dawson 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 Dawson 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.
Dawson County
Cities and places in Dawson.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Dawson County. 7 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked. The rest are named here and not linked, because the American Community Survey and the SBA record between them do not carry enough about them to write an honest page. A place existing is itself worth knowing, so nothing in the county is left out.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington | city | 10,862 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cozad | city | 3,937 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Gothenburg | city | 3,452 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Overton | village | 689 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sumner | village | 353 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Farnam | village | 257 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Eddyville | village | 125 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Willow Island | CDP | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby