# Dakota County, Minnesota *County in east central Minnesota, United States* Dakota County lies in east central [[Minnesota]] and is the state's third-most populous county. Its county seat is [[Hastings]].[^1] The 2020 census counted 439,882 residents, and a 2025 estimate put the population at 455,710.[^1] The county takes its name from the [[Dakota]] Sioux bands who lived in the area. United States Census records spell the name "Dahkotah" until 1851.[^2] [[Lakeville]] is its largest city, ranking ninth among Minnesota cities and fifth among Twin Cities suburbs. The county belongs to the Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington, MN–WI Metropolitan Statistical Area, which ranks sixteenth in size among U.S. metropolitan areas with roughly 3.71 million people.[^3] The [[Minnesota River]] and the [[Mississippi River]] bound the county on the north, and Wisconsin borders it on the east.[^3] The county's early history centered on the confluence of the two rivers. The site mattered strategically to United States expansion and was a meeting place of the Dakota and Ojibwe nations, both of which held it sacred.[^4] ## History Events at [[Mendota]], within the county, bore on the state's later course. Materials from the area went into the construction of [[Fort Snelling]] across the river.[^5] The [[Treaty of Mendota]], signed there, ceded Dakota land for the [[Minnesota Territory]].[^5] After World War II, the center of influence moved west. Interstate 35 linked the county's western half to [[Minneapolis]] and Saint Paul, and commuter suburbs expanded.[^6] In the 1600s, [[Mdewakanton]] Dakota fled their ancestral home at Mille Lacs Lake in northern Minnesota as the Ojibwe nation expanded westward. According to Dakota tradition, their ancestors then drove out the Iowa, whom they found settled at the mouth of the Minnesota River.[^7] The French explorer Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut, contacted the Mdewakanton in 1680. Joseph Nicollet later contacted the Mendota band of the Mdewakanton, south of the Minnesota River.[^7] Taoyateduta, also known as [[Little Crow]], led the Mendota band in northern Dakota County. Upstream to the southwest, around 1750, Chief Black Dog founded a village of 600 people on the isthmus between the Minnesota River and the lake later named Black Dog Lake after him. The site is near the present Black Dog Power Plant.[^8] In 1805, after explorers had published accounts of their expeditions, [[Zebulon Pike]] negotiated for military territory.[^9] ## Politics and government ### Local government A Board of Commissioners of seven members governs the county. As of August 25, 2025, its members were:[^10] - [[Mike Slavik]] (District 1) - Joe Atkins (District 2) - Laurie Halverson (District 3) - William Droste (District 4) - [[Liz Workman]] (District 5) - Mary Liz Holberg (District 6) - Mary Hamann-Roland (District 7) Voters elect the county [[sheriff]], Joe Leko, and the [[county attorney]], Kathryn M. Keena.[^11] The library system and the community development agency have appointed boards, as do several advisory bodies. The Soil and Water Conservation District has an elected board.[^11] ### Politics The county's voters have leaned Democratic. From 1960 through 2020, the county chose the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] nominee in 71% of national elections.[^12] ## Geography The land is made up of low rolling hills that slope toward the river valleys. The highest point is Buck Hill in [[Burnsville]], at 1,168 feet above sea level.[^13] The county covers 587 square miles (1,520 km²). Of that, 562 square miles (1,460 km²) is land and 25 square miles (65 km²), or 4.2%, is water.[^13] ### Rivers Several local, state and federal agencies share management of and jurisdiction over the rivers. The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge takes in most of the Minnesota River bank. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources jointly manage its fish, wildlife and parkland.[^14] The Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District supports the county's six watershed management organizations:[^14] - Black Dog WMO - Gun Club Lake WMO - Lower Minnesota River Watershed District - Lower Mississippi WMO - North Cannon River WMO - Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization The rivers run past or through these communities:[^15] - **Mississippi River:** Mendota Heights, Lilydale, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, [[Rosemount]] and Hastings. - **Minnesota River:** Burnsville, [[Eagan]], Mendota Heights and Mendota. - **Vermillion River:** from [[Farmington]] through Empire to Hastings. - **Cannon River:** past Randolph and through Randolph Township. ## Economy The county developed as a bedroom community for Minneapolis and Saint Paul, and 54% of its residents work outside it.[^16] Like many metropolitan counties, it continues to draw industry and jobs from the core cities.[^6] ## Demographics ### 2020 census The 2020 census recorded 439,882 residents, with a median age of 38.6 years. Residents under 18 made up 24.4% of the population, and those 65 or older made up 14.8%.[^17] There were 95.9 males for every 100 females, and 93.2 males for every 100 females among adults. Urban areas held 95.0% of residents and rural areas 5.0%.[^17] The census counted 168,008 households:[^18] - 33.0% included children under 18. - 53.6% were married-couple households. - 24.7% consisted of individuals. The county had 173,469 housing units, of which 3.1% were vacant. Owners occupied 74.0% of occupied units and renters 26.0%. Homeowner and rental vacancy rates were 0.6% and 4.8%.[^18] ### 2010 census The 2010 census recorded 398,552 residents. Of these, 195,661 (49.1%) were male and 202,891 (50.9%) were female, and the median age was 36.8 years.[^19] By race and ethnicity, the census reported the county as:[^19] - 85.2% White (82.3% non-Hispanic White) - 4.7% Black or African American - 4.4% Asian - 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native - 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander ## Education Several of the state's largest school districts are in the county, and the source describes some of their superintendents as among the highest paid. Independent School District 196 (Rosemount–[[Apple Valley]]–Eagan) enrolls more than 29,000 students and ranks third in size in Minnesota.[^20] Other districts include:[^20] - Independent School District 191 (Burnsville–Eagan–[[Savage]]) - Independent School District 194 (Lakeville–Elko–New Market) - Independent School District 197 (West St. Paul–Mendota Heights–Eagan) - Independent School District 200 (Hastings) - Special School District 6 (South St. Paul) Dakota County Technical College and Inver Hills Community College are in the county.[^21] The county library system has ten branches: Burnhaven (Burnsville), Farmington, Galaxie (Apple Valley), Heritage (Lakeville), Inver Glen (Inver Grove Heights), Pleasant Hill (Hastings), Robert Trail (Rosemount), Kaposia (South St. Paul), Wentworth (West St. Paul) and Wescott (Eagan).[^21] ## Communities Several sites from Minnesota's early history are in the county. The Treaty of Mendota, signed at Mendota, opened southern Minnesota to settlement, and leading Saint Paul businessmen built mansions there.[^22] Rail long tied the county to the state capital. Much of its present growth, however, followed the expansion of Minneapolis's population, which sped up during the post-World War II boom of the 1960s.[^22] Demand for housing and two interstates, I-35W to Minneapolis and I-35E to St. Paul, concentrated growth in the northern part of the county.[^22] The following cities are identified with the Twin Cities as part of "the Cities":[^22] - Burnsville - Eagan - Apple Valley - Lakeville - Rosemount - Hastings - Inver Grove Heights - Mendota Heights - West St. Paul - South St. Paul Burnsville and Eagan are nearly built out. They now attract major development in their own right rather than serving only as residential suburbs.[^22] The southern part of the county keeps a rural character. Small towns there include Farmington, Coates, Vermillion, Hampton, Randolph and Miesville, where street grids and housing from the early 20th century remain.[^23] Hastings, the county seat, spans both banks of the Mississippi and was historically connected to Saint Paul by rail. On the southern border, Northfield, which lies in Rice County, has expanded north into Dakota County.[^23] ## Infrastructure ### SMART training center County officials began designing a law-enforcement training center in 2016–2017. In 2018 the [[Minnesota Legislature]] approved $6.2 million in bonds for the project, and the county added $6.6 million in its own bonds.[^24] The county opened the Safety and Mental Health Alternative Response Training (SMART) center in September 2021. The 35,000-square-foot facility is in Inver Grove Heights, along Highway 52.[^25] It trains law enforcement officers from across the state in crisis response, de-escalation and related skills. Training takes place in five furnished rooms that simulate real-world situations.[^25] The building also houses the Dakota County Electronic Crimes Unit and the Dakota County Drug Task Force. Congressperson [[Angie Craig]] and other local politicians attended the ribbon-cutting.[^25] ## Notable people People associated with the county include:[^26] - [[Pierce Butler (judge)|Pierce Butler]], a justice of the United States Supreme Court. - [[Henry Hastings Sibley]], the first [[Governor of Minnesota]]. - [[Harold Stassen]], a Republican former Governor of Minnesota. He served as an aide to Admiral "Bull" Halsey and to President [[Dwight Eisenhower]], and took part in drafting the United Nations Charter. - Ignatius Donnelly, politician. - Steven Engler, politician. - David Knutson, Minnesota State Senator for District 37 from 2003 to 2004. - William Gates LeDuc, pioneer, politician and brevet brigadier general. - Michael Busch, born and raised in Inver Grove Heights, who has played Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs since 2024. ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, lead (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — location, population rank, county seat, 2020 census count of 439,882, 2025 estimate of 455,710. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, lead (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — namesake and census spelling "Dahkotah" until 1851. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, lead (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — largest city Lakeville, metropolitan statistical area and size, river and Wisconsin borders. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, History section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, Dakota and Ojibwe convergence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, History section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Mendota, Fort Snelling materials, Treaty of Mendota land cession. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^6]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, History section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — post-war westward shift, Interstate 35, absorption of industry and jobs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^7]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, History section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Mdewakanton departure from Mille Lacs, displacement of the Iowa, 1680 contact by du Lhut, contact by Nicollet. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^8]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, History section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Taoyateduta (Little Crow), Black Dog village of 600 c. 1750. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^9]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, History section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Zebulon Pike's 1805 negotiation for military territory. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^10]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Politics and government section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Board of Commissioners membership as of August 25, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^11]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Politics and government section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — elected sheriff and county attorney; appointed and elected boards. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^12]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Politics and government section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Democratic share of national elections since 1960, as of 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^13]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Geography section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — terrain, Buck Hill elevation, total, land and water area. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^14]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Geography section, Rivers (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — agency jurisdiction, wildlife refuge, six watershed management organizations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^15]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Geography section, Rivers (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — river adjacency by municipality. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^16]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Economy section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — 54% of residents work outside the county. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^17]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Demographics section, 2020 census (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — population, median age, age shares, sex ratios, urban and rural shares. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^18]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Demographics section, 2020 census (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — households, housing units, tenure, vacancy rates. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^19]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Demographics section, 2010 census (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — 2010 population, sex, median age, race and ethnicity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^20]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Education section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — school districts, superintendent pay, ISD 196 enrollment and rank. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^21]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Education section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — colleges and library branches. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^22]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Communities section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Mendota, post-war growth, I-35W and I-35E, northern cities. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^23]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Communities section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — southern small towns, Hastings, Northfield. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^24]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Infrastructure section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — SMART center design dates and 2018 state and county bond amounts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^25]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Infrastructure section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — September 2021 opening, size, location, training function, tenant units, ribbon-cutting. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota [^26]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dakota County, Minnesota*, Notable people section (rev. 1378221318, retrieved 2026-10-25) — listed persons and roles. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_County,_Minnesota