Dakota County vs Washington County
Dakota County, Minnesota versus Washington County, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Washington County edges out Dakota County on overall objective livability (47 vs 42 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Dakota County | Washington County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $101k | $111k |
| Cost of Living | $54k | $59k |
| Home Value | $341k | $379k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.01% | 1.00% |
| Income Tax | 9.88% | 9.71% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.92% | 15.80% |
| Unemployment | 3.7% | 3.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 16°F | 16°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.5 in | 32.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 45.5 in | 45.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 182 days | 182 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 98 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 89.5 | 83.9 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 64.3 | 60.4 |
| Violent Crime | 559/100k | 306/100k |
| Property Crime | 1681/100k | 1161/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 439,179 | 268,651 |
| Median Age | 38.4 | 39.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.38 | 0.33 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+14 | Even |
| White (%) | 75.4% | 79.8% |
| Black (%) | 7.0% | 4.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.7% | 4.6% |
| Asian (%) | 5.1% | 6.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.8% | 3.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 9.8/20 | 8.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 16 mi | 19 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.2% | 93.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.23 | 6.22 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Dakota County or Washington County more affordable?
- Dakota County has the lower cost of living: its index is $54k, compared with Dakota County's $54k and Washington County's $59k. Median rent is $1k in Dakota County versus $2k in Washington County.
- Is Dakota County or Washington County safer?
- Washington County has the lower violent crime rate. Dakota County reports 559/100k and Washington County reports 306/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Dakota County or Washington County?
- The median home value is $341k in Dakota County and $379k in Washington County, so homes are more affordable in Dakota County.