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Nebraska Demographics & Population 2026

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, Nebraska had a total population of 1,978,707, with a median household income of $76,475, which is 5% lower than the national average. The poverty rate is 10.6%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Nebraska Quick Facts

Population 1,978,707
Median Household Income $76,475
Median Home Value $238,600
Poverty Rate 10.6%
Unemployment Rate 3.0%
Median Age 37.2 years
Homeownership Rate 66.5%
Affordability Ratio 3.1x
Bachelor's Degree+ 34.6%
High School Graduation 92.2%
Counties 93
Cities/Places 583
Population 1,978,707
Median Income $76,475 5% lower than national
Poverty Rate 10.6%
Unemployment 3.0%

How Nebraska Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population1,965,9261,978,707+0.7%
Median household income$74,985$76,475+2.0%
Median home value$223,800$238,600+6.6%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 13.9%
$25K-$50K 17.9%
$50K-$100K 30.9%
$100K+ 37.3%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
4.3%
$10K-$15K
3.1%
$15K-$20K
3.1%
$20K-$25K
3.3%
$25K-$30K
3.2%
$30K-$35K
3.7%
$35K-$40K
3.8%
$40K-$45K
3.6%
$45K-$50K
3.6%
$50K-$60K
7.3%
$60K-$75K
10.0%
$75K-$100K
13.5%
$100K-$125K
11.1%
$125K-$150K
7.8%
$150K-$200K
9.0%
$200K+
9.4%

Employment

3.0% Unemployment Rate National: 5.2%
68.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 66.5%
Renter 33.5%
Affordability Index Affordable
3.1x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,072/mo 16.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

41out of 100
Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Largest Cities in Nebraska

#CityPopulationMedian IncomePoverty
1Omaha488,837$73,20113.5%
2Lincoln294,856$71,86712.7%
3Bellevue64,510$85,4627.8%
4Grand Island52,884$63,79515.2%
5Kearney34,246$69,72412.4%
6Fremont27,567$71,15211.6%
7Norfolk26,054$58,88414.3%
8Papillion25,244$111,6795.3%
9Hastings25,008$64,04814.8%
10Columbus24,488$64,62611.3%

Richest Cities in Nebraska

#CityMedian IncomeHome ValueBachelor's+
1Buccaneer Bay$160,729$363,20031.1%
2Gretna$123,992$341,60050.4%
3Beaver Lake$121,607$393,10042.9%
4Papillion$111,679$311,00047.9%
5Waverly$111,632$316,60040.9%
6Valley$110,200$528,10051.2%
7Bennet$105,859$272,40047.3%
8Hickman$104,375$311,70043.2%
9Yutan$103,350$198,80026.8%
10Fort Calhoun$102,396$291,00026.2%

Most Affordable Cities in Nebraska

By home-value-to-income ratio (lower = more affordable). Min. population 1,000.

#CityRatioHome ValueIncome
1Wymore1.1x$64,200$57,090
2Superior1.3x$82,400$63,810
3Harvard1.5x$102,100$66,000
4Bayard1.6x$109,800$68,333
5Winnebago1.6x$66,600$41,447
6Gordon1.6x$97,400$59,226
7Auburn1.7x$98,800$57,531
8Falls City1.7x$89,800$51,706
9Bridgeport1.7x$105,100$60,404
10Shelton1.7x$142,100$81,278

Explore Nebraska Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

All Counties in Nebraska (93)

93 results
Douglas County590,736$80,39111.8%$266,100
Lancaster County326,696$74,79311.9%$275,200
Sarpy County197,389$103,3215.6%$314,100
Hall County62,536$69,25114.1%$224,600
Buffalo County50,579$75,9119.9%$246,400
Dodge County37,351$74,32911.0%$208,600
Scotts Bluff County35,843$63,61412.9%$168,500
Madison County35,532$63,12813.1%$208,500
Platte County34,716$71,5529.8%$223,900
Lincoln County33,802$65,14812.4%$189,500
Adams County31,052$68,36512.7%$193,100
Cass County27,161$91,8365.2%$254,900
Dawson County24,202$69,88010.8%$166,200
Saunders County23,048$94,0666.3%$271,700
Gage County21,629$67,24712.6%$174,000
Dakota County21,354$70,32911.5%$185,700
Washington County21,106$94,3966.4%$297,600
Seward County17,641$82,4447.4%$241,300
Otoe County16,241$82,1889.1%$201,600
Saline County14,650$79,9108.9%$197,400
York County14,286$77,7579.2%$189,400
Box Butte County10,714$68,89210.8%$166,600
Colfax County10,641$82,5306.9%$144,700
Red Willow County10,557$63,69714.0%$159,600
Custer County10,518$67,9067.1%$157,800
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All Cities & Places in Nebraska (583)

583 results
Omaha488,837$73,20113.5%$245,500
Lincoln294,856$71,86712.7%$264,000
Bellevue64,510$85,4627.8%$247,000
Grand Island52,884$63,79515.2%$218,600
Kearney34,246$69,72412.4%$244,600
Fremont27,567$71,15211.6%$214,700
Norfolk26,054$58,88414.3%$211,700
Papillion25,244$111,6795.3%$311,000
Hastings25,008$64,04814.8%$184,700
Columbus24,488$64,62611.3%$213,600
North Platte22,831$58,09715.4%$169,100
La Vista16,563$81,9617.5%$260,900
Scottsbluff14,376$56,35915.4%$137,700
South Sioux City13,907$68,22312.2%$174,700
Beatrice12,225$57,26417.4%$159,300
Lexington10,862$67,66613.8%$159,100
Chalco10,595$85,6724.8%$238,600
Gretna9,193$123,9924.2%$341,600
Gering8,550$75,09312.4%$186,500
York8,141$63,26511.5%$180,900
Alliance8,075$65,16012.8%$161,800
Blair7,914$81,4527.8%$221,500
Seward7,678$72,5649.6%$244,600
Crete7,527$77,20911.6%$223,500
Nebraska City7,369$67,11712.1%$162,000
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Download Nebraska Data

Free CSV downloads of Nebraska demographic data — no account or payment required. Files use official Census place names (e.g. "Springfield city", "Oakdale CDP"), so they match Census Bureau sources exactly.

📊
Cities Data (CSV) All cities: population, income, housing, race, education
📋
Counties Data (CSV) All counties: population, income, housing, race, education

Population Overview

Nebraska has a total population of 1,978,707, making it a smaller state in the nation. The median age is 37.2 years, 4% lower than the national median of 38.9 years.

Age Demographics

The median age in Nebraska is 37.2 years. This is 4% lower than the national median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Nebraska is $76,475. This is 5% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.6%. This is 15% lower than the national poverty rate of 12.4%. The unemployment rate is 3.0%. This is 42% lower than the national rate of 5.2%. The median home value is $238,600. Housing costs are 28% lower than the national median of $332,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.1x. 66.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% higher than the national average of 65.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Nebraska is White (non-Hispanic), making up 75.3% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 12.7%. The Black or African American population (4.6%) is well below the national average of 11.9%. The Asian population (2.6%) is well below the national average of 5.9%.

Education

34.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 3% lower than the national rate of 35.7%. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Nebraska come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Nebraska?

Nebraska has a total population of 1,978,707 according to the U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median income in Nebraska?

The median household income in Nebraska is $76,475, which is 5% lower than the national median of $80,734.

How many cities are in Nebraska?

Nebraska has 583 Census-designated places (cities, towns, and CDPs) and 93 counties.

What is the poverty rate in Nebraska?

The poverty rate in Nebraska is 10.6%, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

What is the largest city in Nebraska?

The largest city in Nebraska is Omaha with a population of 488,837.