Dakota County vs St. Louis County
A side-by-side comparison of Dakota County and St. Louis County: population, income, housing, and more.
Dakota County and St. Louis County are counties in Minnesota. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Dakota County has the higher population (442,204 vs 200,056 in St. Louis County). Dakota County has the higher median household income ($105,212 vs $69,455 in St. Louis County). Dakota County has the higher median home value ($362,100 vs $208,500 in St. Louis County).
Population, income & housing
| Dakota County | St. Louis County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 442,204 | 200,056 |
| Median age | 38.4 yrs | 41.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $105,212 | $69,455 |
| Median home value | $362,100 | $208,500 |
| Median gross rent | $1,497 | $970 |
| Housing units | 176,447 | 103,924 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.4% | 72.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.6% | 32.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Dakota County | St. Louis County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 421,453 → 442,204 (+4.9%) | 199,759 → 200,056 (+0.1%) |
| Median household income | $86,036 → $105,212 (+22.3%) | $55,646 → $69,455 (+24.8%) |
| Median home value | $266,000 → $362,100 (+36.1%) | $157,900 → $208,500 (+32.0%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,174 → $1,497 (+27.5%) | $770 → $970 (+26.0%) |
Dakota County
421,453442,204
$86,036$105,212
$266,000$362,100
$1,174$1,497
St. Louis County
199,759200,056
$55,646$69,455
$157,900$208,500
$770$970
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Dakota County | St. Louis County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.1% | 4.7% |
| 5 to 17 | 18.1% | 14.0% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.7% | 12.2% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.8% | 11.5% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.1% | 11.8% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.5% | 10.9% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.3% | 14.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.3% | 12.7% |
| 75 and over | 6.1% | 8.2% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Dakota County | St. Louis County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 73.8% | 89.9% |
| Black or African American | 7.2% | 1.6% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 1.6% |
| Asian | 5.1% | 1.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 4.6% | 3.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.4% | 1.9% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Dakota County | St. Louis County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 4.5% | 5.0% |
| High school graduate | 19.7% | 25.3% |
| Some college or associate's | 31.2% | 37.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 29.9% | 20.7% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 14.7% | 11.8% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Dakota County | St. Louis County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 69.7% | 76.1% |
| Carpooled | 7.3% | 7.4% |
| Public transit | 1.7% | 1.6% |
| Walked | 1.3% | 3.6% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Worked from home | 18.9% | 9.9% |
| Other means | 0.9% | 0.9% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Dakota County | St. Louis County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 58.5% | 74.1% |
| 1-unit, attached | 17.3% | 1.7% |
| 2 to 4 units | 2.9% | 7.3% |
| 5 to 19 units | 4.2% | 4.0% |
| 20 or more units | 15.3% | 8.9% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.8% | 4.0% |
Poverty & households
| Dakota County | St. Louis County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 13.4% |
| Average household size | 2.56 | 2.22 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 24 | 20 |
| Median year structure built | 1988 | 1962 |
Full profiles
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