Dakota County vs Washington County, MN: growth, jobs and income compared
Washington County is growing faster than Dakota County: +1.4% vs +0.9% between 2024 and 2025. Dakota County gained 3,955 residents and Washington County gained 3,901 residents (Census Bureau population estimates).
Data as of 2025 · updated
Side by side
| Measure | Dakota County | Washington County |
|---|---|---|
| Population2025 | 457,710 Larger | 286,895 |
| Population change2020–25 | +3.9% | +6.9% Higher |
| Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025 | 3.2 | 10.6 Higher |
| Private-sector job growth2018–23 | −1.2% | +16.5% Higher |
| Median household income2020–24 | $106,318 | $115,345 Higher |
| Unemployment rate2025 | 3.6% | 3.4% Lower |
| New homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025 | 5.1 | 8.3 Higher |
The tag marks the stronger figure in each row: the higher one, or the lower one for the unemployment rate ("Larger" is only the head count). Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.
The two counties share a border, and both are part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area.
Each county in full
Get the full report for either county — $99 each
The County Growth and Demographics Report for one county as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.
See a full 5-page sample (PDF) · Other counties and options
Every purchase also includes a CSV of every table in the report, ready for a spreadsheet.
- Not useful? Email us within 14 days for a full refund
- Sold by Simply Stats LLC (NC)
- Secure Stripe checkout (Apple Pay/Google Pay)
- Instant PDF download
- PDF + CSV of every table
Refund terms: Terms. · How we compute every number
Questions
Is Dakota County or Washington County growing faster?
Washington County is growing faster than Dakota County: +1.4% vs +0.9% between 2024 and 2025. Dakota County gained 3,955 residents and Washington County gained 3,901 residents (Census Bureau population estimates).
Which has the higher median household income, Dakota County or Washington County?
Washington County: $115,345, against $106,318 in Dakota County (American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–24).
Which has the lower unemployment rate, Dakota County or Washington County?
Washington County: 3.4%, against 3.6% in Dakota County (2025 annual average, BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics).
Where they rank in the state
- Minnesota counties by population growth
- Minnesota counties by net domestic migration per 1,000 residents
- Minnesota counties by private-sector job growth
- Minnesota counties by median household income
- Minnesota counties by lowest unemployment rate
- Minnesota counties by new homes permitted per 1,000 residents
More comparisons
Sources and method
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.