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Dakota County
County
Dakota County courthouse in Dakota City
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°23′N 96°34′W / 42.39°N 96.56°W / 42.39; -96.56
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	March 7, 1855
Named for	Dakota people
Seat	Dakota City
Largest city	South Sioux City
Area
• Total	267 sq mi (690 km2)
• Land	264 sq mi (680 km2)
• Water	3.2 sq mi (8 km2)  1.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	21,582
• Density	76.5/sq mi (29.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.dakotacountyne.org

Dakota County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 21,582.^[1] Its county seat is Dakota City.^[2]

Dakota County is part of the Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area.

In the Nebraska license plate system, Dakota County is represented by the prefix 70 (it had the 70th-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922). In August 2009, the Dakota County Board of Commissioners reversed a decision to abandon this system for alphanumeric plates upon introduction of new license plates in 2011.^[3] Douglas, Lancaster, and Sarpy Counties remain the only counties with alphanumeric plates in the state.^[4]

Succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples lived along the Missouri River for millennia. By 1775, the Omaha people had migrated west of the Missouri, where they established a major settlement, Ton-wa-tonga, (the Big Village). It had some 1100 residents. From here, the Omaha controlled fur trading on the upper Missouri River with other tribes and with French-Canadian traders, often called voyageurs. The Omaha were the first of the Northern Plains tribes to have adopted an equestrian culture.^[5]

Dakota County was formed by European-American settlers in 1855. They named it after the Dakota Sioux tribe, who were powerful in the area of Nebraska and South Dakota at the time.^[6] By this time, the Omaha were concentrated further south in what became the state of Nebraska.

In 1885, the county went to the United States Supreme Court in Dakota County v. Glidden over a dispute with issuing bonds.

As of May 2020, the county had the second-highest per capita COVID-19 infection rate of any American county. About one of every 14 residents has tested positive, mostly at Tyson's large meat packing plant in Dakota City. There were 1452 cases reported as of May 11, 2020.^[7] This had increased by July 4, 2020, to 1634 cases, and 38 deaths, giving Dakota County the highest per capita death rate to that date.^[8]

Dakota County lies on the northeast line of the Nebraska state line. Its northeast boundary line abuts the southwest boundary lines of the states of South Dakota and Iowa, across the Missouri River. The county terrain consists of rolling prairies and bottom lands.^[9]

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 267 square miles (690 km²), of which 264 square miles (680 km²) is land and 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²) (1.2%) is water.^[10] It is the second-smallest county in Nebraska by area.

As of the 2020 United States Census The racial makeup of the county was 43.3% non-hispanic white, 7.4% African American, 2.8% Asian and 40.8% hispanic.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 21,006 people and 7,314 households residing in the county. The racial makeup of the county was 85% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 4.1% Native American, 3.3% Asian, 0.6% Pacific Islander, and 2.2% from two or more races. 39.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Non-Hispanic Whites were 48.4% of the population.

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 20,253 people, 7,095 households, and 5,087 families residing in the county. The population density was 77 inhabitants per square mile (30/km²). There were 7,528 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile (11/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 78.84% White, 0.62% Black or African American, 1.86% Native American, 3.08% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 12.91% from other races, and 2.62% from two or more races. 22.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 28.0% were of German and 10.5% Irish ancestry.

There were 7,095 households, out of which 39.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 11.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.30% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.30.

The county population contained 30.50% under the age of 18, 10.10% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 20.10% from 45 to 64, and 9.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,834, and the median income for a family was $43,702. Males had a median income of $28,341 versus $22,035 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,125. About 9.20% of families and 11.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.

• Dakota City (county seat)
• South Sioux City

• Emerson (partial)
• Homer
• Hubbard
• Jackson

• Goodwin
• Nacora
• Willis

Dakota County voters have leaned Republican for several decades. From 1952, the county has selected the Republican Party candidate in over 80% of national elections, but the significant Hispanic population has led to the margins of victory not being as wide as those in most rural counties in the state.

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Dakota County, Nebraska

42°23′N 96°34′W / 42.39°N 96.56°W / 42.39; -96.56