The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 126,495, of whom 61,125 were men and 65,370 women; 16,976 or 13.42% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Dodola were the Oromo (91.76%), and the Amhara (6.14%); all other ethnic groups made up 2.1% of the population. Oromiffa was spoken as a first language by 90.33%, and 8.78% spoke Amharic; the remaining 0.89% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim, with 82.61% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 14.87% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 1.72% practiced traditional beliefs.