Dakota County is a great place to live with a high quality of life, popular amenities like parks and the library, and strong confidence in county government services, according to the 2025 Resident Survey.
The survey, conducted every three years, helps the Dakota County Board of Commissioners and staff identify priorities, set the budget and make decisions about programs and services.
“This survey confirms that Dakota County provides quality services at good value for our taxpayers," Board Chair Mike Slavik said. “We're pleased to see residents approve of the many services we provide. We'll use this survey and other public feedback to continue improving the important work we do."
Residents' strongest approval was for the county's efforts to support the quality of life here and to provide information to residents.
Dakota County ranked much higher than peer counties in key areas — providing value of services for county taxes paid, acting in the best interest of the community, the county as a place to work, outdoor recreation opportunities, economic health of Dakota County, employment opportunities, affordable housing availability and overall reputation of the county. The county was also ranked higher at managing tax dollars.
The survey also found:
- Dakota County ranked third among 34 comparable counties for the value of services for county taxes paid.
- Parks and the library are among the most popular county services. Parks were rated as good or excellent by 97 percent of respondents. The library reported a similar result and scored much higher than the national benchmark.
- Public safety scores are strong, including residents' views of sheriff's office patrol and park protection and the county attorney's office prosecution of felony or other serious crimes.
- Most residents approve of the job the county board is doing. Commissioners' approval rating has remained consistent since the first survey in 2001.
- Housing affordability topped the list of concerns in this year's survey. The county has made housing a priority, and it supports affordable housing in many ways.
The survey was conducted January–March, and results were released this summer. There were 786 completed surveys — 433 completed on paper and 353 taken online. The survey accounts for age, gender, ethnicity, annual income and housing type. It also includes input from residents in each of the seven county commissioner districts. The survey is statistically significant, so it's a reliable indicator of residents' views.
Dakota County works with four other Minnesota counties — Olmsted, Scott, St. Louis and Washington — to develop the survey with Polco, a national civic polling company.
View the complete Residential Survey.