Dawes County

General

Population:  8,199
Land area (sq. mi.):  1,396.39
Population per square mile:  5.9

Race & Age

Race  2020

White:  84.7%
African American:  2.0%
American Indian:  3.9%
Asian:  0.6%
Hispanic:  4.0%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander:  0.1%
Two or More Races:  4.4%

Age  2020

0-17:  17.6%
18-64:  62.8%
65+:  19.6%

Households

Total households:  3,325  2020
With one child:  320  2022
With 2+ children:  470  2022
With seniors (65+):  840  2022

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita:  $45,952  2021
% of Population in Poverty:  16.2%  2022
# of Housing Units:  4,002  2020
2023 housing unit building permits:  91
Owner-occupied rate:  63.2%  2020
Median home price:  $147,880  Q1 2024

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem):  29.9%  2021

Sources: National Association of Realtors, Nebraska Department of Revenue, Nebraska Legislature, Nebraska Library Commission, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Census Bureau (building permits), U.S. Census Bureau (demographics), U.S. Census Bureau (municipalities)

Employment, Schools, and Child Care

Unemployment rate:  2.0%  Sept. 2024

County Employment Website:  https://dawes-county.com/county-offices/hr-department/

High school graduate or higher:  94.0%  2020

School Districts:  Chadron Public Schools, Crawford Public Schools, Hay Springs Public Schools, Hemingford Public Schools, Sioux County Public Schools

Bachelor's degree or higher:  38.2%  2020

Community College Service Area:  Western Nebraska Community College

Countywide child care capacity:  15 providers; 268 children  2024

Find child care:  For a list of child care providers in your zip code, visit Nebraska DHHS or the Nebraska Resource and Referral System.

Dawes County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP):  $330,222,000  2022

Nonfarm Small Business Receipts:  $39,431,831  2021

Nonfarm Wage Income:  $116,581,000  2022

• Nonfarm small business receipts are reported by partnerships & sole proprietorships and do not include receipts reported by cooperative associations. Nonfarm wage income may include wages earned from Dawes County businesses by commuters or teleworkers residing outside of Nebraska.

Farm & Ranch Commodity Sales Receipts:  $78,212,000  2022

Farm & Ranch Operations (Non-Sales) Receipts:  $4,796,000  2022

• Farm & ranch receipt totals for commodity sales and operations are reported by producers operating principally in Dawes County and include those producers' receipts from production in other counties. The totals do not include receipts from sales and operations in Dawes County reported by producers operating principally in other counties.

Cattle Producers:  261

• Pastureland Cash Rent (avg.):  $16/acre  2024

Crop Producers:  79

• Dryland Cash Rent (avg.):  $30/acre  2024

Grain Elevators by Location (bushels capacity):

• Chadron: Legacy (514,000)
• (1 bushel = 56 lbs. corn/sorghum, 60 lbs. soybeans/wheat; % max. moisture = 18% beans, 15.5% corn, 14% sorghum/soybeans, 13.5% wheat)

Railroad Miles:  128.06 main, 18.99 side

• Places with Railroad Service:  Belmont, Chadron, Crawford, Marsland, Whitney

Farmers Market:  Crawford Farmers Market (July through September, Sundays 11:00 am- 2:00 pm)

Local Grain Market:  Click for today's grain prices in Dawes County

Electricity Providers:  Nebraska PPD, Niobrara Electric Association, Inc., Northwest Rural PPD

Wind Turbines Operating (MW):  1 turbine (100 MW)

Well Locations (Irrigation/Livestock), Soils, Groundwater & Surface Water

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells:  351  2024

Agricultural Wells per Square Mile:  0.25  2024

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation):  283  2024

Click for real time:

Groundwater level data on Carlson Rd. (16 mi. southeast of Chadron)

Sources: National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA), Nebraska Cooperative Council, Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Nebraska Department of Revenue, Nebraska Department of Transportation, Nebraska Office of the CIO, Nebraska Power Review Board, Nebraska Public Service Commission, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of the Treasury (IRS), Warehouse and Commodity Management Division (USDA)

2023 Levies and Valuation

County levy rate:  $0.3770 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied:  $4,183,759

Total local government property taxes levied:  $18,522,466

Total countywide taxable valuation:  $1,109,862,504

Federal PILT payment to Dawes County (FY2022):  $205,154 regarding 63,563 federally-owned acres

Federal SRS payment to Dawes County (FY 2022):  $63,563 regarding the Nebraska National Forest

Click here for all levy rates in Dawes County

County Levy and Taxation Laws

Levy limits

Since 1996, counties and other political subdivisions have been subject to the levy limits listed in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-3442 and Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-3443.

Statutes and regulations

Nebraska Revised Statutes (Chapter 77)

Nebraska Administrative Code (Title 350)

Local tax reductions, exemptions, and credits:

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-902(5)(a) (Deed "stamp tax" exemption): "The [stamp tax] shall not apply to: ... (5)(a) Deeds between spouses, between ex-spouses for the purpose of conveying any rights to property acquired or held during the marriage, or between parent and child, without actual consideration therefor."

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-201(2) (Valuation of agricultural land and horticultural land): "Agricultural land and horticultural land as defined in section 77-1359 shall constitute a separate and distinct class of property for purposes of property taxation, shall be subject to taxation, unless expressly exempt from taxation, and shall be valued at seventy-five percent of its actual value, except that for school district taxes levied to pay the principal and interest on bonds that are approved by a vote of the people on or after January 1, 2022, such land shall be valued at fifty percent of its actual value."

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-6703(1) (Tax credit for school district taxes paid): "(1) For taxable years beginning or deemed to begin on or after January 1, 2020, under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, there shall be allowed to each eligible taxpayer a refundable credit against the income tax imposed by the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967 or against the franchise tax imposed by sections 77-3801 to 77-3807. The credit shall be equal to the credit percentage for the taxable year, as set by the department under subsection (2) of this section, multiplied by the amount of school district taxes paid by the eligible taxpayer during such taxable year."

Sources: Nebraska Department of Revenue

State Senator-Elect: Tanya Storer

State Senator: Tom Brewer (District 43)

Standing Committees (click for scheduled committee hearings):

• Government, Military and Veterans Affairs (chairperson)
• Agriculture

Special Committees:

• State-Tribal Relations

Map and statistics for Legislative District 43

Map of all districts in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Dawes County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 15

Year Authorized: 1855

Year Organized: 1855

Etymology: James W. Dawes (Nebraska’s 6th governor)

     In the 1870s, the area that would become Dawes County was inhabited by two large divisions of the Sioux tribe: the Brules inhabited the land near the White River, while the Oglalas occupied territory just east of Fort Robinson. The lands were unsurveyed and considered by the government to be public domain, rather than the rightful lands of the Native Americans. At the time, the unwritten laws dictated that establishing a ranch entitled a man to sufficient range for his needs, including land already inhabited by indigenous tribes.

     In the 1880’s, railroads began expanding their lines through the territory while the government set about surveying the area for settlement. While open range ranching dominated the landscape for years, newly arrived homesteaders also began farming grain. By the 1890’s, the cowboy era ended as frontier lands were settled and barbed wire, railroads, and farmland reduced the open range.

     Dawes County was officially organized in 1885, when Sioux County was divided into Dawes and Sheridan County. The county was named for Governor James W. Dawes and was home to Fort Robinson, now a popular historical tourist attraction. A special election established Chadron as the county seat, and in 1887, county residents spent $35,000 (approximately $600,000 today) to construct a courthouse, which lasted until the present courthouse was built in 1936.

     Today, Dawes County is home to Chadron State College, parts of the Nebraska National Forest, and Chadron State Park. The county is also home to many different sectors of economic development—not only the traditional sectors of farming, ranching, manufacturing, and tourism, but also uranium mining.

Highlight an important program in your county in this space! Send an email to:

luke.bonkiewicz@nebraskacounties.org

Local Highlights

License Plate Number:  69

Time Zone:  Mountain

Number of Veterans:  586  2023

Zoned County:  Yes

Number of County-Owned Bridges:  48

Number of County-Owned Dams:  1

Election Data

General Election Turnout:  78.04%  2024

Total Registered Voters:  5,076  2024

Number of Precincts:  11  2022

Number of Election Day Polling Places:  All Voting by Mail

Intergovernmental Data

Emergency Mgt. Planning, Exercise and Training (PET) Region: Panhandle

Natural Resource District: Upper Republican NRD

State Lands (acres): Bighorn WMA (1,270.65), Bordeaux WMA, Box Butte Reservoir WMA (1,955), Chadron Creek Ranch WMA (2,529), Chadron State College (281), Chadron State Park (974.26), Fort Robinson State Park (22,332.72 Sioux & Dawes), Ponderosa WMA (4,831)

Federal Lands (acres): Ogalala National Grassland (94,397 Sioux & Dawes), Ogalala National Grassland (94,397 Dawes & Sioux), Pine Ridge Ranger District National Forest (40,947)

Sources: Nebraska Department of Transportation, Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, Nebraska Legislature, Nebraska Office of the CIO, Nebraska Secretary of State, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Election Assistance Commission, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (eCFR)