Dakota County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.5 | 447,440 people · 69th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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Dakota County, MN ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.5 — 2872nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Minnesota, it ranks 69th of 87 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Dakota County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 68.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 68.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 87
Homeownership Rate 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 45
Employment & Wages 51.7
Unemployment Rate 52
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 31
Debt & Delinquency 22.3
Debt in Collections 8
Medical Debt 14
Student Loan Delinquency 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 13
Credit Card Delinquency 14
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 78
Community Vulnerability 6.3
Uninsured Rate 6
Disability Rate 6
Income & Poverty 3.6
Poverty Rate 2
Income vs. State Median 7
Child Poverty Rate 2

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Dakota County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Dakota County
Dakota County, MN 30.5 Healthy —
Ramsey County, MN 44.8 Normal +14.3
Rice County, MN 36.3 Normal +5.8
Pierce County, WI 34.0 Healthy +3.5
Hennepin County, MN 31.6 Healthy +1.1
Goodhue County, MN 28.9 Healthy -1.6
Washington County, MN 27.5 Healthy -3.0
Scott County, MN 26.5 Healthy -3.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Dakota County
Rockingham County, NH 30.4 Healthy -0.0
Cumberland County, ME 30.7 Healthy +0.2
Brown County, WI 30.1 Healthy -0.3
Bucks County, PA 29.8 Healthy -0.7
Anne Arundel County, MD 31.2 Healthy +0.7

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Dakota County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Dakota County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Dakota County.

DAKOTA COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
Eagan
651-675-4400 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Minnesota →

Find an Attorney

Minnesota State Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Minnesota State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 612-278-6333

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Dakota County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis 612-334-5970
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid 612-332-1441
Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services 1-888-575-2954
Central Minnesota Legal Services, Inc. (612) 334-5970
Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota (800) 933-1112
Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota Corporation (800) 450-8585

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Minnesota →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Dakota County, Minnesota?

    Dakota County has a County Distress Index score of 30.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,872nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 69th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dakota County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dakota County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 68.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Dakota County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dakota County (30.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Ramsey County, MN (44.8); Rice County, MN (36.3); Pierce County, WI (34.0).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Dakota County?

    Dakota County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 447,440 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.