Dakota County, Nebraska

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.7 | 21,268 people · 8th most distressed in Nebraska
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Dakota County, NE falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.7 — 1778th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Nebraska, it ranks 8th of 93 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Dakota County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 57.0 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 57.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 55
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 40
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 68
Homeownership Rate 85
Rent-to-Income Ratio 37
Employment & Wages 53.0
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 34
Business Formation Rate 80
Income & Poverty 48.1
Poverty Rate 50
Income vs. State Median 33
Child Poverty Rate 62
Debt & Delinquency 47.9
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 62
Student Loan Delinquency 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 42
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 46
Community Vulnerability 32.3
Uninsured Rate 47
Disability Rate 17

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 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Dakota County
Dakota County, NE 47.7 Normal —
Thurston County, NE 51.8 Elevated +4.1
Woodbury County, IA 50.8 Elevated +3.1
Dixon County, NE 24.2 Healthy -23.4
Union County, SD 19.6 Healthy -28.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Dakota County
Aitkin County, MN 47.7 Normal 0.0
Roberts County, SD 47.7 Normal 0.0
Montgomery County, MO 47.7 Normal +0.0
Pike County, GA 47.7 Normal +0.0
Lincoln County, NE 47.6 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dakota County

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

Nebraska State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 402-475-7091

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Dakota County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of Nebraska 1-877-250-2016

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Dakota County has a County Distress Index score of 47.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,778th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Nebraska out of 93 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dakota County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dakota County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 57.0 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 (47.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Thurston County, NE (51.8); Woodbury County, IA (50.8); Dixon County, NE (24.2).

  • 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, Nebraska has a population of approximately 21,268 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.