Dawes County, Nebraska

Dawes County, Nebraska
County
The Dawes County Courthouse in Chadron
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Coordinates: 42°42′47″N 103°08′08″W / 42.713038°N 103.135436°W / 42.713038; -103.135436
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	February 19, 1885
Named after	James W. Dawes
Seat	Chadron
Largest city	Chadron
Area
• Total	1,400.976 sq mi (3,628.51 km2)
• Land	1,396.437 sq mi (3,616.76 km2)
• Water	4.539 sq mi (11.76 km2)  0.32%
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,199
• Estimate  (2025)	7,858
• Density	5.871/sq mi (2.267/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Area code	308
Congressional district	3rd
Website	dawescounty.ne.gov
• Nebraska county number 23[1] • Nebraska license plate prefix 69[2]

Dawes County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,199,^[3] and was estimated to be 7,858 in 2025.^[4] The county seat and the largest city is Chadron.^[5]

In the Nebraska license plate system, Dawes County was represented by the prefix "69" (as it had the 69th-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Dawes County was created on February 19, 1885;^[6] it was named for James W. Dawes, the Nebraska Governor at the time.^[7]

Dawes County was a part of the unorganized area of northwestern Nebraska until February 19, 1877, when it became a part of Sioux County from which it was separated February 19, 1885, and was given its present name.^[8]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,400.976 square miles (3,628.51 km²), of which 1,396.437 square miles (3,616.76 km²) is land and 4.539 square miles (11.76 km²) (0.32%) is water.^[9] It is the 9th-largest county in Nebraska by total area.^[10]

Dawes County lies on the north border of Nebraska. Its north boundary line abuts the south boundary line of the state of South Dakota.

Since it lies in the western part of Nebraska, Dawes County residents observe Mountain Time. The eastern two-thirds of the state observes Central Time.

• Chadron City Transit

• Nebraska National Forest (part)
• Pine Ridge National Recreation Area
• Oglala National Grassland (part)

• Box Butte Reservoir State Recreation Area
• Chadron State Park
• Fort Robinson State Park (part)
• Chadron Creek Ranch State Wildlife Management Area
• Bordeaux State Wildlife Management Area
• Bighorn State Wildlife Management Area
• Ponderosa State Wildlife Management Area

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	9,722		—
1900	6,215		−36.1%
1910	8,254		32.8%
1920	10,160		23.1%
1930	11,493		13.1%
1940	10,128		−11.9%
1950	9,708		−4.1%
1960	9,536		−1.8%
1970	9,761		2.4%
1980	9,609		−1.6%
1990	9,021		−6.1%
2000	9,060		0.4%
2010	9,182		1.3%
2020	8,199		−10.7%
2025 (est.)	7,858	[11]	−4.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[12] 1790–1960[13] 1900–1990[14] 1990–2000[15] 2010–2020[4]

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 8,199. The median age was 36.7 years. 19.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.9 males age 18 and over.^[16][17]

The racial makeup of the county was 86.2% White, 2.0% Black or African American, 4.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.5% from some other race, and 5.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.0% of the population.^[17]

60.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 39.9% lived in rural areas.^[18]

There were 3,325 households in the county, of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[16]

There were 4,002 housing units, of which 16.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 63.2% were owner-occupied and 36.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.1%.^[16]

As of the 2000 census, there were 9,060 people, 3,512 households, and 2,086 families in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile (2.3 people/km²). There were 4,004 housing units at an average density of 3 units per square mile (1.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.34% White, 0.81% Black or African American, 2.88% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.03% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. 2.43% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 38.0% were of German, 9.9% English, 9.2% Irish and 7.4% American ancestry.

There were 3,512 households, out of which 26.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.50% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.60% were non-families. 31.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.87.

The county population contained 21.20% under the age of 18, 23.40% from 18 to 24, 20.40% from 25 to 44, 20.30% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,476, and the median income for a family was $41,092. Males had a median income of $29,162 versus $17,404 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,353. About 9.80% of families and 18.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.40% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.

• Chadron (county seat)
• Crawford

• Whitney

• Belmont

Dawes County voters have been reliably Republican for decades; in no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).

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

• Brown, Franz Karl. "The farmers of Dawes County, Nebraska" (MS thesis. California State University, Northridge, 1987) online.
• Pinney, Patricia M. (1985). Dawes County Nebraska: The First 100 Years. Dallas, Texas: Curtis Media Corp. ISBN 978-1-881070-35-1.
• Sandstrom, Michael. "Travails Of The 'Magic City' The Great Depression in Dawes County." Nebraska History Fall2021, Vol. 102 Issue 3, pp 132–151.
• The Louis Berger Group, Inc. (2005). Dawes County Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey (PDF). Lincoln, Nebraska: Nebraska State Historical Society. Archived from the original on November 16, 2006.

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