Dakota County vs Ramsey County
A side-by-side comparison of Dakota County and Ramsey County: population, income, housing, and more.
Dakota County and Ramsey County are counties in Minnesota. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Ramsey County has the higher population (544,438 vs 442,204 in Dakota County). Dakota County has the higher median household income ($105,212 vs $81,004 in Ramsey County). Dakota County has the higher median home value ($362,100 vs $304,900 in Ramsey County).
Population, income & housing
| Dakota County | Ramsey County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 442,204 | 544,438 |
| Median age | 38.4 yrs | 35.9 yrs |
| Median household income | $105,212 | $81,004 |
| Median home value | $362,100 | $304,900 |
| Median gross rent | $1,497 | $1,298 |
| Housing units | 176,447 | 231,606 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.4% | 61.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.6% | 45.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.7% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Dakota County | Ramsey County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 421,453 → 442,204 (+4.9%) | 544,442 → 544,438 (-0.0%) |
| Median household income | $86,036 → $105,212 (+22.3%) | $64,660 → $81,004 (+25.3%) |
| Median home value | $266,000 → $362,100 (+36.1%) | $229,600 → $304,900 (+32.8%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,174 → $1,497 (+27.5%) | $1,007 → $1,298 (+28.9%) |
Dakota County
421,453442,204
$86,036$105,212
$266,000$362,100
$1,174$1,497
Ramsey County
544,442544,438
$64,660$81,004
$229,600$304,900
$1,007$1,298
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Dakota County | Ramsey County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.1% | 6.4% |
| 5 to 17 | 18.1% | 16.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.8% | 16.0% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.1% | 13.5% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.5% | 10.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.3% | 11.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.3% | 9.2% |
| 75 and over | 6.1% | 6.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Dakota County | Ramsey County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 73.8% | 58.7% |
| Black or African American | 7.2% | 12.0% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Asian | 5.1% | 14.9% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.4% | 8.2% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Dakota County | Ramsey County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 4.5% | 8.5% |
| High school graduate | 19.7% | 20.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 31.2% | 25.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 29.9% | 27.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 14.7% | 18.1% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Dakota County | Ramsey County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 69.7% | 63.6% |
| Carpooled | 7.3% | 8.9% |
| Public transit | 1.7% | 4.5% |
| Walked | 1.3% | 2.8% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.7% |
| Worked from home | 18.9% | 18.3% |
| Other means | 0.9% | 1.3% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Dakota County | Ramsey County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 58.5% | 52.1% |
| 1-unit, attached | 17.3% | 7.5% |
| 2 to 4 units | 2.9% | 6.7% |
| 5 to 19 units | 4.2% | 9.5% |
| 20 or more units | 15.3% | 22.8% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.8% | 1.3% |
Poverty & households
| Dakota County | Ramsey County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 12.4% |
| Average household size | 2.56 | 2.41 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 24 | 22 |
| Median year structure built | 1988 | 1965 |
Full profiles
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