Perkins County, Nebraska Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Perkins County is located in Nebraska with a total population of 2,835. It is the 68th most populous county out of 93 in Nebraska. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Perkins County is 41.0 years. This is 11% higher than the state median of 37.1 years. 10.1% 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 Perkins County is $67,500. This is 10% lower than the state median of $74,985. It is also 14% 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 1.6%. This is 48% lower than the state rate of 3.0%. The median home value is $149,200. Housing costs are 33% lower than the state median of $223,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Perkins County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 77.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% higher than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Perkins County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (5.1%) is well below the state average of 12.3%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

25.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 25% 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 92.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Perkins 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.