Dawson County, Nebraska
Encyclopedia
Dawson County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Nebraska
. As of 2010, the population was 24,326. Its county seat
is Lexington
.
Dawson County is part of the Lexington, Nebraska, Micropolitan Statistical Area.
In the Nebraska license plate system, Dawson County is represented by the prefix 18 (it had the eighteenth-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).
, the county has a total area of 1019 square miles (2,639.2 km²), of which 1013 square miles (2,623.7 km²) is land and 6 square miles (15.5 km²) (0.62%) is water.
, while others believe that it was named after Jacob Dawson, an early Nebraska settler.
of 2000, there were 24,365 people, 8,824 households, and 6,273 families residing in the county. The population density
was 24 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 9,805 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.32% White
, 0.31% Black
or African American
, 0.67% Native American
, 0.66% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 14.49% from other races
, and 1.53% from two or more races. 25.36% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 32.0% were of German
, 6.7% American
, 6.7% Irish
and 6.4% English
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 8,824 households out of which 35.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.80% were married couples
living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the county the population was spread out with 29.20% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 101.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,132, and the median income for a family was $42,224. Males had a median income of $26,865 versus $20,569 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $15,973. About 8.60% of families and 10.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.20% of those under age 18 and 9.20% of those age 65 or over.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. As of 2010, the population was 24,326. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Lexington
Lexington, Nebraska
Lexington is a city in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 10,230 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dawson County. Lexington is located in southern Nebraska, on the Platte River, southeast of North Platte. It sits along the route of U.S. Route 30 and the Union...
.
Dawson County is part of the Lexington, Nebraska, Micropolitan Statistical Area.
In the Nebraska license plate system, Dawson County is represented by the prefix 18 (it had the eighteenth-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 1019 square miles (2,639.2 km²), of which 1013 square miles (2,623.7 km²) is land and 6 square miles (15.5 km²) (0.62%) is water.
Major highways
-
Interstate 80Interstate 80 in NebraskaIn the U.S. state of Nebraska, Interstate 80 runs west from Omaha to the Wyoming state border, ultimately terminating in San Francisco, California. When it completed construction of the stretch of Interstate 80 spanning the state on October 19, 1974, Nebraska was the first state in the nation to... -
U.S. Highway 30U.S. Route 30 in NebraskaIn the U.S. state of Nebraska, U.S. Highway 30 is a highway which goes between the Wyoming border west of Bushnell to the Iowa border east of Blair. Much of the highway in Nebraska is a former route of the Lincoln Highway and has been given the designation of Lincoln Highway Scenic and Historic... -
U.S. Highway 283 -
Nebraska Highway 21Nebraska Highway 21Nebraska Highway 21 is a highway in central Nebraska. Its southern terminus is at Nebraska Highway 23 east of Eustis. Its northern terminus is at an intersection with Nebraska Highway 2 and Nebraska Highway 92 in Broken Bow.-Route description:... -
Nebraska Highway 23Nebraska Highway 23Nebraska Highway 23 is a highway in southwestern Nebraska. Its western terminus is on the Colorado border at Venango, where the highway continues west as Colorado State Highway 23. Its eastern terminus is at Holdrege at an intersection with U.S. Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 34.-Route... -
Nebraska Highway 40Nebraska Highway 40Nebraska Highway 40 is a highway in central Nebraska. It has a length of . It has a western terminus at Nebraska Highway 92 in Arnold and an eastern terminus north of Kearney at an intersection with Nebraska Highway 10.-Route description:... -
Nebraska Highway 47Nebraska Highway 47Nebraska Highway 47 is a highway in Nebraska. It is a highway split into two segments. The southern segment runs for between Nebraska Highway 89 near Wilsonville and U.S. Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 34 in Cambridge...
Adjacent counties
- Buffalo County, NebraskaBuffalo County, Nebraska-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,259 people, 15,930 households, and 10,227 families residing in the county. The population density was 44 people per square mile . There were 16,830 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
- (East) - Phelps County, NebraskaPhelps County, Nebraska-History:Phelps County was formed in 1873. It was named after William Phelps, an early settler in this area.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 9,747 people, 3,844 households, and 2,683 families residing in the county. The population density was 18 people per square mile . There...
- (Southeast) - Gosper County, NebraskaGosper County, Nebraska-History:Gosper County was formed in 1873. It was named after John J. Gosper, a Secretary of State of Nebraska.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,143 people, 863 households, and 655 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile . There were...
- (South) - Frontier County, NebraskaFrontier County, Nebraska-History:Frontier County was formed in 1872. It was named for its location along the frontier border in the late 19th century.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 3,099 people, 1,192 households, and 828 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square...
- (Southwest) - Lincoln County, NebraskaLincoln County, Nebraska-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 34,632 people, 14,076 households, and 9,444 families residing in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile . There are 15,438 housing units in Lincoln....
- (West) - Custer County, NebraskaCuster County, Nebraska-History:Custer County was formed in 1877. It was named after General George Armstrong Custer, who was killed at the Battle of Little Bighorn.-Demographics:...
- (North)
History
Dawson County was formed in 1860. Sources differ on the origin of its name: some hold that it was named after a Democratic Pennsylvania Congressman, John Littleton DawsonJohn Littleton Dawson
John Littleton Dawson was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Dawson was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania and grew up in Brownsville, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Washington College with a degree in law, was granted admission to the bar in 1835, and ran a...
, while others believe that it was named after Jacob Dawson, an early Nebraska settler.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 24,365 people, 8,824 households, and 6,273 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 24 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 9,805 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.32% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.31% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.67% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.66% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 14.49% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.53% from two or more races. 25.36% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 32.0% were of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 6.7% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 6.7% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
and 6.4% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 8,824 households out of which 35.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.80% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the county the population was spread out with 29.20% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 101.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,132, and the median income for a family was $42,224. Males had a median income of $26,865 versus $20,569 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $15,973. About 8.60% of families and 10.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.20% of those under age 18 and 9.20% of those age 65 or over.
Cities
- CozadCozad, NebraskaCozad is a city in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 3,977 at the 2010 census. The town is on the Great Plains of central Nebraska, along the Union Pacific Railroad and U.S. Highway 30, just north of the Platte River...
- GothenburgGothenburg, NebraskaGothenburg is a city in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Lexington, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,619 at the 2000 census.-History:...
- LexingtonLexington, NebraskaLexington is a city in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 10,230 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dawson County. Lexington is located in southern Nebraska, on the Platte River, southeast of North Platte. It sits along the route of U.S. Route 30 and the Union...
Villages
- EddyvilleEddyville, NebraskaEddyville is a village in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Lexington, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 96 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Eddyville is located at ....
- FarnamFarnam, NebraskaFarnam is a village in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Lexington, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 223 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Farnam is located at ....
- OvertonOverton, NebraskaOverton is a village in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Lexington, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 646 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Overton is located at ....
- SumnerSumner, NebraskaSumner is a village in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Lexington, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 237 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sumner is located at ....
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Dawson County, Nebraska