Howard City (Boelus), Nebraska Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 186, Howard City (Boelus)'s ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Howard City (Boelus) is a small community located in Nebraska, within Howard County. The total population is 186. It ranks as the 366th most populous out of 583 Census-designated places in Nebraska.

Age Demographics

The median age in Howard City (Boelus) is 50.9 years. This is 37% higher than the state median of 37.2 years. 17.2% 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 Howard City (Boelus) is $68,750. This is 10% lower than the state median of $76,475. It is also 15% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.7%. This is 9% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The unemployment rate is 2.9%. This is 5% lower than the state rate of 3.0%. The median home value is $80,000. Housing costs are 66% lower than the state median of $238,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.2x, Howard City (Boelus) is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 79.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% higher than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Howard City (Boelus) has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 10.2%.

Education

20.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 39% lower than the state rate of 34.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Howard City (Boelus), Nebraska is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Nebraska state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 583 Census-designated places in Nebraska. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.