Dawes County, Nebraska

Dawes County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,199, and was estimated to be 7,858 in 2025.

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).

History

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

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.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.32%) is water. It is the 9th-largest county in Nebraska by total area.

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.

Major highways

20px Nebraska Highway 2
20px Nebraska Highway 71

Transit

Chadron City Transit

Adjacent counties

Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota - northeast
Sheridan County - east
Box Butte County - south
Sioux County - west
Fall River County, South Dakota - northwest

National protected areas

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

State protected areas

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

Demographics

2020 census

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.

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.

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.