The county economy from official statistics, with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Dawson County is a county of Nebraska with 24,202 residents. Its economy produced $2,217 million in 2024 (ranked #13 of 93 counties) and had 11,864 jobs with an average annual pay of $50,639 (#38 for pay). The unemployment rate was 13.0% in 2026M09. It is part of the Lexington, NE micropolitan area (central county).
Dawson County produced about $2,217 million of goods and services in 2024, which is 1.2% of the combined output of the 93 counties of Nebraska that BEA reports (about 1.2% of the state's population lives here), and ranks it 13th of 93 on that measure. Per resident that is $91,607, 4% below the state average; the average for all counties of the state taken together is $95,640. In current dollars output grew 3.7% from 2023 to 2024, before adjusting for inflation. The gap between its output rank (13th) and its output-per-resident rank (33rd) shows that population is large relative to the value of what is produced here.
BLS counts 11,864 jobs located in Dawson County on average in 2024, spread over 763 employer sites (about 16 jobs per site). That is 0.49 jobs for every resident, above the 0.38 of the typical county in Nebraska, which tells you whether the county is a place people mostly commute to for work or a place they commute from. The average annual pay per job was $50,639, 15% below the average of all counties in the state ($50,639 against $59,490). Average pay is total wages divided by jobs, so it is pulled up by high earners and counts part-time jobs as whole jobs; it is not the pay of a typical worker. The number of jobs rose 0.6% from 2023 to 2024.
The three largest private industries are manufacturing (44.1% of private jobs, $54,247 a year on average), retail trade (13.0% of private jobs, $33,744 a year on average), accommodation and food services (8.6% of private jobs, $18,664 a year on average). Together they hold 65.6% of private-sector jobs. Among industries with at least 3% of jobs, the best paying is wholesale trade at $67,994 a year, followed by transportation and warehousing ($60,545). The county is specialised in an industry: manufacturing (4.0 times the US share, 3,925 jobs). A location quotient above 1 means an industry employs a larger share of workers here than in the whole country, so these are the industries where local employers compete hardest for skills. Several of the biggest employers pay well below the county average: retail trade ($33,744), accommodation and food services ($18,664). Jobs there are plentiful but the pay is lower than the headline average suggests.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate in Dawson County was 13.0%, 416% above the average of the state's counties (13.0% against 2.5%). The labour force (people working or looking for work) numbered 11,494. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 2.8% (2025M09) to 20.1% (2026M03); the latest month is preliminary and BLS revises it. These county rates are not seasonally adjusted, so compare the same month across years.
The median household income was $69,880 (ACS 2020–2024), 9% below the state median ($69,880 against $76,475). The guide covers 2 cities with this as the main county: Lexington, Cozad. Open any of them for rent, home values, commuting and climate. Within the county, median rent runs from $851 in Cozad to $966 in Lexington, so where you live matters as much as which county you pick.
Counties close to Dawson County in output are Dakota County, Scotts Bluff County, Washington County, Otoe County. Compare their jobs, pay and unemployment on their own pages.
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ | Rank among the 93 counties of Nebraska ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,202 | 13 of 93 |
| GDP 2024 | $2,217 million | 13 of 93 |
| GDP per resident | $91,607 | 33 of 93 |
| Jobs (QCEW 2024) | 11,864 | 13 of 93 |
| Average annual pay | $50,639 | 38 of 93 |
| Job change vs 2023 | +0.6% | 49 of 93 |
| Unemployment rate (lower is better) | 13.0% | 93 of 93 |
| Median household income | $69,880 | 40 of 93 |
Federal jobs in Nebraska (294) →All cities of NebraskaState guide: Nebraska
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
Cities of this guide whose main county is Dawson County.
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,925 | 44.1% | $54,247 | 4.03 |
| Retail trade | 1,153 | 13.0% | $33,744 | 0.97 |
| Accommodation and food services | 761 | 8.6% | $18,664 | 0.71 |
| Health care and social assistance | 576 | 6.5% | $38,333 | 0.34 |
| Wholesale trade | 406 | 4.6% | $67,994 | 0.87 |
| Construction | 404 | 4.5% | $57,444 | 0.65 |
| Administrative and waste services | 296 | 3.3% | $48,292 | 0.42 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 270 | 3.0% | $60,545 | 0.54 |
| Finance and insurance | 260 | 2.9% | $74,561 | 0.54 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 229 | 2.6% | $38,809 | 0.64 |
| Professional and technical services | 182 | 2.0% | $56,097 | 0.22 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 144 | 1.6% | $15,562 | 0.72 |
| Management of companies | 106 | 1.2% | $138,496 | 0.53 |
| Real estate and rental | 93 | 1.0% | $62,421 | 0.50 |
| Information | 57 | 0.6% | $72,086 | 0.26 |
| Utilities | 24 | 0.3% | $76,265 | 0.53 |
| Educational services | 12 | 0.1% | $37,109 | 0.05 |
A location quotient above 1 means the industry is more concentrated here than in the US. BLS withholds sectors with too few employers.
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Labour force | 11,494 |
| Employed residents | 10,001 |
| Unemployed residents | 1,493 |
| Unemployment rate | 13.0% |
| Jobs located in the county (QCEW) | 11,864 |
| Employer sites | 763 |
Residents employed and jobs located here differ: many residents commute to other counties.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP 2024 ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Unemployment ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 590,736 | $73,771 million | $124,879 | 340,716 | $67,868 | 2.6% |
| Lancaster County | 326,696 | $28,815 million | $88,202 | 175,346 | $59,332 | 2.3% |
| Sarpy County | 197,389 | $13,671 million | $69,261 | 80,883 | $58,661 | 2.3% |
| Hall County | 62,536 | $5,285 million | $84,513 | 35,986 | $54,305 | 3.6% |
| Buffalo County | 50,579 | $4,461 million | $88,193 | 28,148 | $51,993 | 2.2% |
| Dodge County | 37,351 | $3,064 million | $82,035 | 18,578 | $54,301 | 2.1% |
| Scotts Bluff County | 35,843 | $2,384 million | $66,499 | 15,975 | $51,713 | 2.8% |
| Madison County | 35,532 | $3,228 million | $90,859 | 22,011 | $55,267 | 2.1% |
| Platte County | 34,716 | $3,864 million | $111,300 | 20,010 | $55,317 | 2.0% |
| Lincoln County | 33,802 | $3,307 million | $97,822 | 14,738 | $52,150 | 2.1% |
| Adams County | 31,052 | $2,661 million | $85,695 | 15,862 | $51,967 | 2.5% |
| Cass County | 27,161 | $1,148 million | $42,265 | 6,142 | $51,481 | 2.5% |
| Dawson County | 24,202 | $2,217 million | $91,607 | 11,864 | $50,639 | 13.0% |
| Saunders County | 23,048 | $1,090 million | $47,304 | 5,914 | $49,905 | 2.0% |
| Gage County | 21,629 | $1,583 million | $73,210 | 8,677 | $48,917 | 2.2% |
| Dakota County | 21,354 | $2,419 million | $113,301 | 13,726 | $59,490 | 2.5% |
| Washington County | 21,106 | $1,898 million | $89,934 | 8,544 | $61,749 | 2.2% |
| Seward County | 17,641 | $1,090 million | $61,781 | 5,990 | $51,719 | 2.1% |
| Otoe County | 16,241 | $1,791 million | $110,287 | 6,224 | $53,027 | 2.3% |
| Saline County | 14,650 | $1,293 million | $88,293 | 6,653 | $54,910 | 2.5% |
| York County | 14,286 | $1,248 million | $87,355 | 7,644 | $53,721 | 2.0% |
| Box Butte County | 10,714 | $725 million | $67,655 | 3,720 | $46,253 | 2.7% |
| Colfax County | 10,641 | $1,023 million | $96,111 | 5,155 | $53,741 | 2.1% |
| Red Willow County | 10,557 | $737 million | $69,788 | 4,964 | $47,527 | 2.1% |
| Custer County | 10,518 | $882 million | $83,881 | 4,537 | $49,959 | 2.1% |
| Holt County | 10,102 | $913 million | $90,409 | 4,403 | $47,877 | 1.8% |
| Wayne County | 9,844 | $804 million | $81,717 | 4,188 | $45,234 | 2.2% |
| Cheyenne County | 9,533 | $687 million | $72,032 | 3,940 | $47,970 | 2.3% |
| Hamilton County | 9,464 | $927 million | $97,921 | 3,982 | $55,251 | 2.1% |
| Phelps County | 9,009 | $1,031 million | $114,403 | 4,827 | $57,718 | 2.0% |
| Cuming County | 8,975 | $1,074 million | $119,632 | 3,779 | $51,942 | 1.7% |
| Butler County | 8,424 | $584 million | $69,323 | 2,629 | $54,326 | 1.8% |
| Knox County | 8,363 | $874 million | $104,491 | 2,895 | $42,951 | 2.2% |
| Cedar County | 8,315 | $562 million | $67,614 | 2,789 | $44,563 | 1.8% |
| Keith County | 8,219 | $526 million | $64,040 | 3,344 | $46,634 | 2.1% |
| Dawes County | 8,140 | $395 million | $48,498 | 3,156 | $41,535 | 2.4% |
| Richardson County | 7,751 | $499 million | $64,419 | 2,345 | $43,201 | 2.1% |
| Merrick County | 7,724 | $554 million | $71,752 | 2,451 | $57,455 | 2.6% |
| Pierce County | 7,325 | $738 million | $100,728 | 1,967 | $47,779 | 1.6% |
| Jefferson County | 7,161 | $557 million | $77,774 | 3,371 | $48,125 | 2.3% |
| Nemaha County | 7,046 | $1,065 million | $151,115 | 2,968 | $67,430 | 2.6% |
| Burt County | 6,740 | $438 million | $64,917 | 1,780 | $44,275 | 2.7% |
| Kearney County | 6,713 | $618 million | $92,085 | 1,999 | $48,822 | 2.1% |
| Thurston County | 6,627 | $605 million | $91,343 | 3,471 | $57,494 | 2.6% |
| Howard County | 6,534 | $288 million | $44,124 | 1,570 | $43,289 | 3.0% |
| Antelope County | 6,305 | $777 million | $123,168 | 2,194 | $47,726 | 2.0% |
| Clay County | 6,095 | $469 million | $76,967 | 2,077 | $51,771 | 2.1% |
| Stanton County | 5,796 | $425 million | $73,318 | 1,264 | $82,398 | 2.0% |
| Dixon County | 5,545 | $480 million | $86,602 | 1,859 | $52,764 | 2.0% |
| Fillmore County | 5,541 | $560 million | $100,983 | 2,374 | $53,121 | 1.9% |
| Cherry County | 5,498 | $485 million | $88,194 | 2,323 | $41,350 | 1.7% |
| Boone County | 5,356 | $576 million | $107,485 | 2,452 | $50,753 | 1.7% |
| Johnson County | 5,261 | $253 million | $48,024 | 1,394 | $54,239 | 2.8% |
| Polk County | 5,225 | $467 million | $89,393 | 1,438 | $47,530 | 2.4% |
| Sheridan County | 5,014 | $437 million | $87,104 | 1,721 | $41,267 | 2.2% |
| Thayer County | 4,901 | $536 million | $109,266 | 2,190 | $51,087 | 2.0% |
| Furnas County | 4,568 | $300 million | $65,767 | 1,748 | $47,949 | 2.0% |
| Morrill County | 4,534 | $473 million | $104,295 | 1,550 | $48,331 | 2.8% |
| Nuckolls County | 4,087 | $384 million | $93,888 | 1,560 | $42,423 | 1.9% |
| Valley County | 4,066 | $385 million | $94,767 | 1,754 | $45,900 | 1.9% |
| Chase County | 3,671 | $434 million | $118,113 | 1,779 | $51,656 | 2.4% |
| Webster County | 3,360 | $364 million | $108,352 | 1,058 | $42,789 | 2.0% |
| Nance County | 3,324 | $216 million | $65,094 | 929 | $44,077 | 2.3% |
| Kimball County | 3,248 | $263 million | $81,108 | 1,497 | $50,226 | 2.1% |
| Sherman County | 2,967 | $158 million | $53,152 | 724 | $38,921 | 2.5% |
| Brown County | 2,869 | $266 million | $92,576 | 1,388 | $46,497 | 1.8% |
| Harlan County | 2,847 | $267 million | $93,913 | 853 | $45,165 | 1.7% |
| Franklin County | 2,846 | $125 million | $44,023 | 782 | $40,944 | 1.9% |
| Perkins County | 2,821 | $407 million | $144,356 | 1,123 | $54,156 | 2.0% |
| Hitchcock County | 2,569 | $182 million | $70,940 | 640 | $51,135 | 2.9% |
| Frontier County | 2,569 | $104 million | $40,542 | 814 | $41,952 | 3.0% |
| Pawnee County | 2,530 | $141 million | $55,702 | 707 | $46,548 | 2.2% |
| Greeley County | 2,202 | $192 million | $87,379 | 613 | $43,118 | 3.0% |
| Gosper County | 2,040 | $123 million | $60,230 | 452 | $50,932 | 2.9% |
| Deuel County | 1,847 | $88 million | $47,445 | 560 | $39,592 | 2.4% |
| Garden County | 1,761 | $107 million | $60,521 | 496 | $43,761 | 2.7% |
| Dundy County | 1,736 | $241 million | $138,694 | 590 | $50,438 | 1.8% |
| Garfield County | 1,718 | $114 million | $66,556 | 772 | $42,179 | 2.5% |
| Boyd County | 1,688 | $140 million | $82,811 | 560 | $36,958 | 2.3% |
| Rock County | 1,319 | $133 million | $101,177 | 461 | $44,871 | 2.1% |
| Sioux County | 1,171 | $129 million | $110,026 | 179 | $40,731 | 2.2% |
| Wheeler County | 847 | $97 million | $114,410 | 304 | $41,712 | 2.2% |
| Hayes County | 843 | $95 million | $112,241 | 190 | $38,284 | 2.7% |
| Keya Paha County | 822 | $53 million | $64,316 | 140 | $33,622 | 3.3% |
| Logan County | 773 | $40 million | $51,942 | 164 | $41,351 | 3.4% |
| Banner County | 742 | $49 million | $65,690 | 124 | $43,633 | 3.6% |
| Hooker County | 647 | $39 million | $59,975 | 264 | $33,709 | 4.4% |
| Grant County | 626 | $48 million | $76,944 | 283 | $39,072 | 2.3% |
| Loup County | 578 | $60 million | $103,450 | 112 | $35,595 | 3.3% |
| Thomas County | 564 | $50 million | $88,904 | 236 | $41,235 | 3.6% |
| Arthur County | 484 | $33 million | $68,558 | 89 | $33,169 | 2.9% |
| McPherson County | 475 | $33 million | $70,168 | 52 | $43,570 | 3.9% |
| Blaine County | 422 | $51 million | $120,280 | 127 | $44,736 | 1.6% |
24,202 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024).
$2,217 million in 2024 (BEA, current dollars).
13.0% in 2026M09 (BLS, not seasonally adjusted; the latest month may be revised).
11,864 jobs on average in 2024 with an average annual pay of $50,639 (BLS QCEW).