Hooker County, Nebraska Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Hooker County is located in Nebraska with a total population of 613. It is the 89th most populous county out of 93 in Nebraska. The county encompasses 1 Census-designated place.

Age Demographics

The median age in Hooker County is 44.8 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 37.1 years. 15.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Hooker County is $45,854. This is 39% lower than the state median of $74,985. It is also 42% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 7.7%. This is 26% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.3%. The unemployment rate is 3.9%. This is 32% higher than the state rate of 3.0%. The median home value is $85,400. Housing costs are 62% lower than the state median of $223,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, Hooker County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 59.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% lower than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Hooker County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.1% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 1.8%. The Black or African American population (1.8%) is well below the state average of 4.6%.

Education

20.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 39% lower than the state rate of 34.1%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Hooker County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against Nebraska and 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.