Map the Block › Places › Nebraska › Dawson County
What are the crime rate and median income in Dawson County, Nebraska?
FBI reports put Dawson County at 0.99 violent crimes per 1,000 people a year over 2021-2025, 60% lower than the rate for Nebraska (2.5). Households here have a median income of $69,880 and the unemployment rate was 16.4% in August 2026. Population: about 24,202 (Census, 2020-2024).
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Dawson County?
Over 2021-2025, the county's police agencies sent the FBI reports of about 24 violent and 209 property crimes per year. The violent rate, 0.99 per 1,000 people, is 60% lower than the Nebraska rate (2.5); nationally it is 3.7. Property crime ran at 8.7 per 1,000, against 17.4 statewide.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Dawson County | Per 1,000 | Nebraska per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 24 | 0.99 | 2.5 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 1 | 0.04 | 0.03 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 5 | 0.21 | 0.52 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.08 | 0.25 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 16 | 0.66 | 1.7 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 209 | 8.7 | 17.4 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 20 | 0.83 | 1.7 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 178 | 7.3 | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 12 | 0.48 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (4 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Dawson County?
Half of households in Dawson County make more than $69,880 and half make less; across Nebraska the midpoint is $76,475. Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $166,200, and the median rent is $925 a month. 6.2% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 8.2%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 16.4% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 1,956 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Dawson County | Nebraska | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,202 | 1,978,707 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $69,880 | $76,475 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $166,200 | $238,600 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $925 | $1,072 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 1.4% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 10.8% | 10.6% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 6.2% | 8.2% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 17.6% | 34.6% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 66.4% | 66.5% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 35.6 | 37.2 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 83.7% | 90.6% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 9.9% | 7.2% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Dawson County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Dawson County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively Low”. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists no Superfund site in Dawson County, active or completed (October 2026).
High-hazard dams
The National Inventory of Dams lists 2 high-hazard dams in Dawson County. 1 is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory in condition, 1 Satisfactory or Fair. The two tallest are Spring Creek 19-B (60 ft) and Lake Helen Dam (27 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
5 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 2,368,608 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Dawson County was covered by 2 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Severe Storm 1, Flood 1), not counting COVID-19. Of 10 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 2 (moderate). NHTSA counted 3 traffic deaths in the county in 2024.
Is there road construction in Dawson County?
Dawson County had 10 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (all active that day). Roads listed: I-80, NE 47 and NE 24D Link. 8 are on interstates. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Dawson County?
Federal school lists show 19 public and 1 private schools in the county. 2 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 7 fire or EMS stations and 4 police or sheriff stations. 1 state park or recreation area: Gallagher Canyon State Recreation Area.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Dawson County
Gun shops
4 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Dawson County, plus 5 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). On the ATF list: Bob's True Value (Lexington), Heartland Hunting & Gun Supply LLC (Cozad), Platte Valley Arsenal LLC (Gothenburg) and Walmart #637 (Lexington).
Liquor stores
4 liquor stores are on the map in Dawson County: Cork and Cap (Cozad), Ok Bottle Shop (Gothenburg), Thrifty's Gas & Liquor (Lexington) and Tom's Midwest Liquor (Lexington).
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Dawson County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Dawson County?
Dawson County averaged 24 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 0.99 per 1,000 residents, 60% lower than the Nebraska rate (2.5). The property-crime rate was 8.7 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Dawson County?
$69,880 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $76,475 for Nebraska and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Dawson County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 16.4% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 1,956 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Dawson County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Dawson County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively Low”. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here.
Is there road construction in Dawson County right now?
Dawson County had 10 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (all active that day). Roads listed: I-80, NE 47 and NE 24D Link. 8 are on interstates.
How many nursing homes are in Dawson County?
2 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Dawson County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo County | 50,579 | 2.4 | $75,911 |
| Custer County | 10,518 | 0.62 | $67,906 |
| Frontier County | 2,569 | 0.69 | $70,132 |
| Gosper County | 2,040 | 0.33 | $77,500 |
| Lincoln County | 33,802 | 1.4 | $65,148 |
| Phelps County | 9,009 | 1.1 | $68,919 |
More: Nebraska statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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