What is the unemployment rate in Dakota County, MN right now?
Refreshed monthly
Unemployment in Dakota County, MN was at 4.4% in July 2026. That's a 0.6 percentage point increase from a year before. The unemployment rate is the percentage of people in the labor force who are actively looking for work but not currently employed. It's a common way to measure the health of the job market and economy.
In July 2026,
4.4%
of the labor force was unemployed in Dakota County, MN
July 2026 had a
+0.6
percentage point change from July 2025
County-level unemployment statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not account for fluctuations due to seasonal employment patterns, such as tourism or agriculture. That means the data may show large changes month to month. It is important to view this local data with a long-term lens.
The unemployment rate in Dakota County, MN was higher in July 2026 compared with July 2025.
Not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, January 2019 to July 2026
Unemployment rates differ between areas within states due to various factors. Counties with many job opportunities and different industries often have lower unemployment rates. In rural areas, or places where industries are shrinking, the rate can be higher. Seasonal work in industries like tourism or farming can lead to unemployment rising or falling. Population changes and local policies also play a role in how many people are employed.
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How does unemployment in Dakota County, MN compare to other counties?
The latest county-level data from July 2026 shows that Dakota County, MN's unemployment rate was ranked 61st out of 87 counties in Minnesota, from highest to lowest.
Unemployment rates in Minnesota counties ranged from 3.2% to 7.6% in July 2026.
Not seasonally adjusted
Unemployment rate, by county in Minnesota (July 2026)
| 1. | Clearwater County, MN | 7.6% |
| 2. | Mahnomen County, MN | 7% |
| 3. | Red Lake County, MN | 6.9% |
| 4. | Koochiching County, MN | 6.7% |
| 5. | Pine County, MN | 6.5% |
| 6. | Kanabec County, MN | 6.4% |
| 7. | Renville County, MN | 6.2% |
| 8. | Cottonwood County, MN | 6.1% |
| 9. | Itasca County, MN | 6.1% |
| 10. | Yellow Medicine County, MN | 6% |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
