Dawes County is a county in Nebraska, United States, on the state’s northern border with South Dakota. It had a population of 8,199 at the 2020 census and covers 1,401 square miles (3,628 km2) centred near 42°43′N 103°08′W.
Chadron is the county seat, and its postal code is 69337. The county has two cities, one village, and five unincorporated communities. Dawes County lies in the Mountain Time zone, unlike most of Nebraska.
Towns & Villages in Dawes County
Dawes County contains eight named places: two incorporated cities, one village, and five unincorporated communities, plus the abandoned townsite of Belmont. Chadron, the county seat, is home to nearly two-thirds of the county’s population.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chadron | City · seat | 5,206 | 69337 |
| Crawford | City | 840 | 69339 |
| Whitney | Village | 62 | 69367 |
| Marsland | Unincorp. | — | 69354 |
| Bordeaux | Unincorp. | — | 69337 |
| Horn | Unincorp. | — | 69337 |
| Pine Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Belmont | Unincorp. (ghost town) | — | — |
Pine Ridge is a locale name shared with the wider Pine Ridge escarpment that gives the region its character; it is not the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, which lies across the state line in South Dakota.
ZIP Codes
- 69337 — Chadron (also serves Bordeaux and Horn)
- 69339 — Crawford
- 69354 — Marsland
- 69367 — Whitney
Pine Ridge and the former townsite of Belmont have no ZIP code of their own; mail there is routed through Chadron.
Geography
Dawes County sits in the Pine Ridge region of northwestern Nebraska, where pine-covered buttes and canyons rise several hundred feet above the surrounding plains. The White River crosses the county west to east, and the Pine Ridge Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forest and Chadron State Park both lie within its borders.
Dawes County borders five counties. Sioux County lies to the west, and Sheridan County lies to the east. Box Butte County lies to the south, while South Dakota’s Fall River County lies to the northwest and Oglala Lakota County lies to the northeast.
Demographics
Dawes County recorded 8,199 residents at the 2020 census, giving a density of roughly 5.9 people per square mile of land. Chadron, with 5,206 residents, and Crawford, with 840, are the county’s two largest communities, together holding nearly three-quarters of the population. Nebraska’s statewide median household income was 74,590 dollars in the 2023 American Community Survey; Dawes County, a rural county built on ranching, education and public-sector employment rather than high-wage industry, runs below that figure.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle ranching and hay production anchor the county’s rural economy, and grain and feed operations support it around Crawford and Marsland. Chadron is the county’s employment center: Chadron State College, the region’s public four-year college, and Chadron Community Hospital are among its largest employers, alongside county and federal government offices tied to the Nebraska National Forest and Fort Robinson State Park. Chadron hosts the Fur Trade Days festival each July, a rodeo and parade tradition tied to the area’s fur-trapping and ranching history.
History
Dawes County was organized on February 19, 1885, and named for James W. Dawes, who was governor of Nebraska at the time. Fort Robinson, just west of Crawford, was established in 1874 as a U.S. Army post to oversee the nearby Red Cloud Agency; the Lakota leader Crazy Horse was killed there in September 1877. The fort later served as a horse-breeding station and, during the Second World War, held Italian and German prisoners of war and a K-9 dog-training center. It is now Fort Robinson State Park.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 20 and U.S. Highway 385 cross at Chadron, the county’s main road junction.
- Alliance, Nebraska — about 55 miles south
- Scottsbluff, Nebraska — about 85 miles southwest
- Rapid City, South Dakota — about 95 miles north
- Gering, Nebraska — about 90 miles southwest
Chadron Municipal Airport offers general-aviation service; the nearest airports with scheduled commercial flights are Western Nebraska Regional Airport in Scottsbluff and Rapid City Regional Airport in South Dakota.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Dawes County, Nebraska?
It is in the northwestern corner of Nebraska, on the South Dakota state line, in the Pine Ridge region.
What is the population of Dawes County?
Dawes County had a population of 8,199 at the 2020 census.
How big is Dawes County?
The county covers 1,401 square miles (3,628 km2), of which about 1,396 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Dawes County?
Chadron is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns are in Dawes County?
The county has two cities (Chadron and Crawford), one village (Whitney), and several smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Dawes County?
The main ZIP codes are 69337 (Chadron), 69339 (Crawford), 69354 (Marsland) and 69367 (Whitney).
What happened at Fort Robinson in Dawes County?
Fort Robinson, near Crawford, was a U.S. Army post where the Lakota leader Crazy Horse was killed in 1877; it is now a state park.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.