Dodge Center, MN

City in Dodge County, MN, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

2,880

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

38.1

years ∙ half population younger than 38.1, half older

Diversity Index

21.6%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

3.2%

foreign-born population

96.8%Native

3.2% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Dodge Center is a city within Dodge County, Minnesota, United States.

Location

City in Dodge County, MN, US

Co-ordinates

DEC44.028522° N, 92.852159° W

DMS44° 01′ 42.68″ N, 92° 51′ 07.77″ W

Population Density & area

1,195/sq mi (460.8/km²)

Total Area

2.41 sq mi (6.25 km²)

Land Area

2.41 sq mi (6.25 km²) · 99.98%

Water Area

0 sq mi (0 km²) · 0.02%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

51.3% male

Male 51.3%

Female 48.7%

males per 100 females

Dodge Center 105.3

Dodge County 103.7

Minnesota 100.4

Nativity

3.2%

foreign-born population

96.8%Native

3.2% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Dodge Center 3.2%

Dodge County 2.9%

Minnesota 8.7%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

38.1

years ∙ half population younger than 38.1, half older

Dodge Center

38.1

Dodge County

38.7

Minnesota

38.8

Dependency ratio

55.3

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Dodge Center 55.3

Dodge County 69.5

Minnesota 67.1

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Dodge Center	Dodge County	Minnesota
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	21.1%	25.1%	22.9%
Working age (18-64)	64.4%	59%	59.8%
Senior (65+)	14.5%	15.9%	17.3%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	55.3	69.5	67.1
Child dependency ratio	32.7	42.5	38.2
Old-age dependency ratio	22.6	27	28.9

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

88.1%

Black

Asian

1.6%

Hispanic

8.5%

Other

1.8%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

21.6%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Dodge Center 21.6%

Dodge County 19.7%

Minnesota 41%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Dodge Center population

	Dodge Center	Dodge County	Minnesota
Hispanic or Latino	8.5%	5.4%	6.4%
Mexican	6.5%	3.9%	3.9%
Puerto Rican	0.2%	0.1%	0.3%
Cuban	0%	0.1%	0.1%
Other Hispanic / Latino	1.7%	1.4%	2%
Not Hispanic or Latino	91.5%	94.6%	93.6%
One race	90.1%	91.6%	89.1%
White	88.1%	89.4%	75.9%
Black or African American	0%	1.1%	6.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.5%	0.1%	0.7%
Asian	1.6%	0.5%	5.1%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
Some Other Race	0%	0.5%	0.5%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	1.4%	3%	4.5%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

67% family

Family 67%

Non family 33%

% family households

Dodge Center 67%

Dodge County 69.7%

Minnesota 62.3%

Average household size

2.46

persons per household

Dodge Center

2.46

Dodge County

2.58

Minnesota

2.43

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Dodge Center population

	Dodge Center	Dodge County	Minnesota
Total households	1,153	8,083	2,307,955
Average houshold size	2.46	2.58	2.43
Family households	772	5,633	1,438,404
Average family size	2.82	3.03	3.04
Married couple family	594	4,711	1,129,003
Other families	178	922	309,401
Male householder	85	282	102,922
Female householder	93	640	206,479
Non-family households	381	2,450	869,551
One-person households	243	1,924	686,475
Male householder	161	849	320,418
Senior (65+) living alone	26	215	97,557
Female householder	82	1,075	366,057
Senior (65+) living alone	52	589	186,557
Other living arrangements	138	526	183,076

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

1,209

housing units

Dodge Center 1,209

Dodge County 8,484

Minnesota 2,545,030

Occupancy status

95.4% occupied

Occupied 95.4%

Vacant 4.6%

vacancy rate

Dodge Center 4.6%

Dodge County 4.7%

Minnesota 9.3%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

84.5%

Single family houses

84.5%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

10.2%

Mobile homes

5.3%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1980

Half of houses were built before 1980, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

18.3%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

21.6%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

34.1%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

26.1%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Dodge Center	Dodge County	Minnesota
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	6.2	6.8	6.1
1–3 rooms	6.7%	5.3%	14.9%
4–6 rooms	48%	39.4%	41.4%
7+ rooms	45.3%	55.4%	43.7%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	0.5%	1%	2.7%
1 bedroom	6.5%	3.8%	11.4%
2 bedrooms	25.5%	17.6%	24.5%
3 bedrooms	36.5%	39.8%	32.2%
4+ bedrooms	31.1%	37.8%	29.1%
At a glance
Median year built	1980	1980	1979
Total housing units	1,209	8,484	2,545,030

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

81.4% owners

Renter-occupied 18.6%

Owner-occupied 81.4%

homeownership rate

Dodge Center 81.4%

Dodge County 86.6%

Minnesota 72.2%

Average household size

2.63

Owner-occupied

1.69

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Dodge Center 2.63

Dodge County 2.67

Minnesota 2.59

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Dodge Center	Dodge County	Minnesota
Total occupied units	1,153	8,083	2,307,955
Year moved in
2020 or later	18.3%	17.6%	23.8%
2010 to 2019	44%	36.8%	38.9%
2000 to 2009	18.9%	21.9%	16.1%
1999 or earlier	18.8%	23.8%	21.2%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	100%	98.7%	97.7%
1.01 to 1.50	0%	1.2%	1.5%
1.51 or more	0%	0.1%	0.8%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	2.1%	3.8%	6.7%
1 vehicle	20.4%	21.1%	30.8%
2 vehicles	48.7%	38.2%	39.5%
3 or more vehicles	28.8%	36.9%	23.1%
House heating fuel used
Gas	88.3%	86.4%	75.9%
Electricity	8.5%	8.3%	19.4%
Solar	0%	0%	0.1%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0%	0.9%	1.3%
All other fuels	1.5%	3.2%	2.5%
No fuel used	1.6%	1.1%	0.9%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0%	0.4%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.6%	0.5%	0.7%
No telephone service available	0%	0.6%	0.7%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$197,600

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Dodge Center

$197,600

Dodge County

$287,700

Minnesota

$329,300

Housing Cost Burden

15.3%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

15.3%

Owners without a mortgage

15.2%

Renters

14.2%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Dodge Center	Dodge County	Minnesota
Property value
Median Value	$197,600	$287,700	$329,300
Under $100,000	9.6%	7.5%	7.7%
$100,000 - $200,000	41.1%	17.3%	13.3%
$200,000 - $300,000	21.6%	29%	22.6%
$300,000 - $500,000	25.3%	32.7%	36.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	1.5%	12.5%	17%
$1,000,000 and more	0.9%	1.1%	2.6%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	64.8%	63.6%	64%
Without a mortgage	35.2%	36.4%	36%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,552	$1,871	$1,947
Without a mortgage	$705	$717	$698
Gross rent
Median rent	$1,012	$1,020	$1,280

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

16.7%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Dodge Center 16.7%

Dodge County 30.2%

Minnesota 39.4%

Adults without a high school diploma

3.3%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Dodge Center 3.3%

Dodge County 4.6%

Minnesota 6.1%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

537

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

7.1%

K–12

69.3%

College / Undergraduate

16.2%

Graduate / Professional

7.4%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

19.9%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Dodge Center

19.9%

Dodge County

27.9%

Minnesota

39.1%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Dodge Center	Dodge County	Minnesota
Total enrolled (age 3+)	537	5,293	1,385,086
Nursery / preschool	7.1%	7.7%	6.2%
K–12	69.3%	75.5%	69.9%
Kindergarten	6.5%	5.9%	5.2%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	11%	21.5%	20.6%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	24.8%	21.8%	21.7%
High School: Grades 9–12	27%	26.3%	22.4%
College or graduate school	23.6%	16.8%	23.9%
College, undergraduate	16.2%	13.1%	18.8%
Graduate, professional school	7.4%	3.7%	5.1%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	19.9%	27.9%	39.1%
School type
Public school	96.8%	90.7%	83.3%
Private school	3.2%	9.3%	16.7%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

1,967

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

9th-12th, no diploma

3.3%

HS graduate

38.6%

Some college no degree

25.8%

Associates degree

15.7%

Bachelors degree

10.3%

Graduate or professional degree

6.4%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

* The Census Bureau did not publish education attainment by gender data for Dodge Center due to an insufficient sample size to produce reliable estimates.

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

—% · —%

9th-12th, no diploma

79.7% · 20.3%

HS graduate

58.7% · 41.3%

Some college no degree

45.6% · 54.4%

Associates degree

44.5% · 55.5%

Bachelors degree

36% · 64%

Graduate or professional degree

37.6% · 62.4%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Dodge Center	Dodge County	Minnesota
Population (25+)	1,967	14,180	3,923,744
Less than 9th grade	0%	1.7%	2.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	3.3%	2.9%	3.4%
High school diploma or GED	38.6%	28.5%	23.3%
Some college, no degree	25.8%	21.6%	19.5%
Associate's degree	15.7%	15.1%	11.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	16.7%	30.2%	39.4%
Bachelor's degree	10.3%	21.5%	25.6%
Graduate or professional	6.4%	8.8%	13.8%
High School or higher	96.7%	95.4%	93.9%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$59,193

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$59,338

HS graduate

$52,850

Some college or associates

$56,875

Bachelors degree

$71,806

Graduate or professional degree

$73,750

Poverty Rate

1.6%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

HS graduate

6.5%

Some college or associates

3.2%

Bachelors degree or higher

1.6%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Dodge Center	Dodge County	Minnesota
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$59,193	$58,792	$58,615
Less than high school graduate	$59,338	$47,065	$36,257
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$52,850	$51,148	$42,951
Some college or associate's degree	$56,875	$53,902	$51,845
Bachelor's degree	$71,806	$70,139	$73,301
Graduate or professional degree	$73,750	$79,952	$89,644
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	0%	15.9%	23.7%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	6.5%	6.5%	12.3%
Some college or associate's degree	3.2%	7.5%	7.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	1.6%	1.9%	3.2%

Insights for Dodge Center, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

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