Dakota County vs Washington County
A side-by-side comparison of Dakota County and Washington County: population, income, housing, and more.
Dakota County and Washington 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 272,298 in Washington County). Washington County has the higher median household income ($114,457 vs $105,212 in Dakota County). Washington County has the higher median home value ($400,900 vs $362,100 in Dakota County).
Population, income & housing
| Dakota County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 442,204 | 272,298 |
| Median age | 38.4 yrs | 39.9 yrs |
| Median household income | $105,212 | $114,457 |
| Median home value | $362,100 | $400,900 |
| Median gross rent | $1,497 | $1,637 |
| Housing units | 176,447 | 107,035 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.4% | 81.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.6% | 48.9% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.3% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Dakota County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 421,453 → 442,204 (+4.9%) | 255,938 → 272,298 (+6.4%) |
| Median household income | $86,036 → $105,212 (+22.3%) | $96,671 → $114,457 (+18.4%) |
| Median home value | $266,000 → $362,100 (+36.1%) | $289,400 → $400,900 (+38.5%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,174 → $1,497 (+27.5%) | $1,307 → $1,637 (+25.2%) |
Dakota County
421,453442,204
$86,036$105,212
$266,000$362,100
$1,174$1,497
Washington County
255,938272,298
$96,671$114,457
$289,400$400,900
$1,307$1,637
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Dakota County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.1% | 5.7% |
| 5 to 17 | 18.1% | 18.5% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.7% | 7.7% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.1% | 13.9% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.5% | 13.0% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.3% | 13.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.3% | 9.7% |
| 75 and over | 6.1% | 6.5% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Dakota County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 73.8% | 78.4% |
| Black or African American | 7.2% | 4.8% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 5.1% | 7.3% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Two or more races | 4.6% | 3.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.4% | 5.1% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Dakota County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 4.5% | 3.7% |
| High school graduate | 19.7% | 18.7% |
| Some college or associate's | 31.2% | 28.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 29.9% | 31.4% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 14.7% | 17.5% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Dakota County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 69.7% | 68.5% |
| Carpooled | 7.3% | 7.2% |
| Public transit | 1.7% | 0.8% |
| Walked | 1.3% | 0.9% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 18.9% | 21.5% |
| Other means | 0.9% | 0.9% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Dakota County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 58.5% | 67.6% |
| 1-unit, attached | 17.3% | 16.2% |
| 2 to 4 units | 2.9% | 2.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 4.2% | 2.6% |
| 20 or more units | 15.3% | 9.5% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.8% | 1.7% |
Poverty & households
| Dakota County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 5.0% |
| Average household size | 2.56 | 2.60 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 24 | 24 |
| Median year structure built | 1988 | 1992 |
Full profiles
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