Dakota County, MN elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Dakota County: 9 seats on 3 elected bodies. 6 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County Board of Commissioners

Dakota County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Mike Slavik sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 2Joe Atkins sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 3Laurie Halverson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 4Bill Droste source
County Commissioner, District 5Liz Workman source
County Commissioner, District 6Mary Liz Holberg sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 7Mary Hamann-Roland source

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AttorneyKathryn M. Keena sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffJoe Leko sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Dakota County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 56 local governments in Dakota County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government11
Cities, towns, villages and townships (20 municipal, 13 township)330
School districts (school boards)90
Special districts (elected boards)130

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Dakota County

445,771people
38.6median ageU.S.: 38.9
$106,318 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
5.8%below the U.S.: 12.5%
45%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$381,000median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.6%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
10.1%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
5.9%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
4.2%U.S.: 8.4%
49.8%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
21.1%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 8.7% · White 72.7% · Black 7.7% · Asian 5.2% · Other or more than one race 5.8% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Dakota County

4.4%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.5%. Minnesota: 4.4%.
10,996people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
241,005people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
252,001in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Dakota County 0.0%1.7%3.3%5.0%6.6% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.4%10,996241,005252,001
August 20264.6%11,638239,129250,767
July 20264.4%11,153240,906252,059
June 20264.4%11,135241,038252,173
May 20263.9%9,690241,615251,305
April 20263.6%9,033241,200250,233
March 20264.3%10,812238,376249,188
February 20264.7%11,646238,388250,034
January 20264.6%11,599239,333250,932
December 20253.8%9,687243,327253,014
November 20253.8%9,702243,623253,325
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.5%8,961245,634254,595
August 20253.9%9,992244,333254,325
July 20253.8%9,633245,808255,441
June 20253.7%9,333245,971255,304
May 20253.3%8,497246,474254,971
April 20253.1%7,948246,832254,780
March 20253.5%8,865243,635252,500
February 20253.5%8,883243,221252,104
January 20253.3%8,343243,490251,833
December 20242.6%6,463244,538251,001
November 20242.5%6,327243,699250,026
October 20242.5%6,200244,138250,338
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.6%9,077244,759253,836
20242.9%7,162243,542250,704
20232.5%6,212242,833249,045
20222.1%5,254239,965245,219
20213.4%8,181233,264241,445
20206.3%15,385229,912245,297
20192.9%7,207237,234244,441
20182.6%6,349234,259240,608
20173.0%7,257231,876239,133
20163.4%8,039227,387235,426

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Minnesota's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.5% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Dakota County

132.9 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 223.5.
1,105.8 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 1,411.5.
5murders2025, 635 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2025635132.95,2841,105.8
2024694146.76,3881,349.9
2023753161.66,9131,483.9
2022833179.57,6041,638.9
2021831182.38,8621,944.0
2020620137.68,3961,863.7
2019563125.88,1791,827.8
2018638143.77,6961,733.3
2017639144.78,4301,909.5
2016697159.68,3441,911.1
By police agency (13)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Lakeville Police Department20257341180,095
Eagan Police Department20258688766,870
Burnsville Police Department202510796364,952
Apple Valley Police Department202510879455,025
Inver Grove Heights Police Department20256038436,327
Rosemount Police Department20251914431,932
Farmington Police Department2025126724,671
Hastings Police Department20252018722,591
West St. Paul Police Department20255983822,278
Northfield Police Department20253719521,442
South St. Paul Police Department20252226420,560
Dakota County Sheriff's Office2025265619,599
Mendota Heights Police Department202569411,489

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Minnesota · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.29 per 1,000 residents2025, 13 agencies serving 477,831 people.
616sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
205civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (13), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Dakota County Sheriff's Office8011619,599
Burnsville Police Department871964,952
Eagan Police Department701266,870
Lakeville Police Department651280,095
Apple Valley Police Department59955,025
Inver Grove Heights Police Department48436,327
West St. Paul Police Department40422,278
South St. Paul Police Department33720,560
Rosemount Police Department34431,932
Hastings Police Department30522,591
Northfield Police Department26621,442
Farmington Police Department24624,671
Mendota Heights Police Department20111,489
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20256161.2920513
20246041.2818513
20235981.2818013
20225881.2718313
20215751.2616113
20205731.2717113
20195591.2518913
20185561.2519013
20175431.2317913
20165421.2416913

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Dakota County County Attorney?
Kathryn M. Keena is the County Attorney of Dakota County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Dakota County Sheriff?
Joe Leko is the Sheriff of Dakota County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Dakota County commissioners?
Mike Slavik (District 1); Joe Atkins (District 2); Laurie Halverson (District 3); Bill Droste (District 4); Liz Workman (District 5); Mary Liz Holberg (District 6); Mary Hamann-Roland (District 7).
What is the population of Dakota County?
About 445,771 people, with a median age of 38.6; the median household income is $106,318 and 5.8% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Dakota County?
4.4% in September 2026 (preliminary): 10,996 people unemployed in a labor force of 252,001, against 3.5% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Dakota County?
56 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 20 municipal, 13 township, 9 school district and 13 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 21, 2025, from the Minnesota Legislative Manual (Blue Book) published by the Secretary of State; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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