Dawes County, Nebraska

Dawes County
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°43′N 103°08′W / 42.71°N 103.14°W / 42.71; -103.14
Country United States
State Nebraska
FoundedFebruary 19, 1885
Named afterJames W. Dawes
SeatChadron
Largest cityChadron
Area
  Total
1,401 sq mi (3,630 km2)
  Land1,396 sq mi (3,620 km2)
  Water4.6 sq mi (12 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
8,199
  Estimate 
(2022)
8,241
  Density5.9/sq mi (2.3/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
  Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.dawes-county.com

Dawes County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 8,199. Its county seat is Chadron. The county was formed in 1885; it was named for James W. Dawes, the Nebraska Governor at the time. In the Nebraska license-plate system, Dawes County is represented by the prefix 69 (it had the 69th-largest number of vehicles registered when the license-plate system was established in 1922).