Red Willow County, Nebraska Demographics 2026

Name: Red Willow County, Nebraska Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Red Willow County, Nebraska has a population of 10,557, the 24th most populous county in Nebraska. The median household income is $63,697 and the median home value is $159,600. The poverty rate is 14.0%.

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

Red Willow County Quick Facts

Population 10,557

Median Household Income $63,697

Median Home Value $159,600

Poverty Rate 14.0%

Unemployment Rate 1.4%

Median Age 41.6 years

Homeownership Rate 73.0%

Affordability Ratio 2.5x

Bachelor's Degree+ 24.8%

High School Graduation 93.1%

Cities/Places 5

Population 10,557 24th of 93

Median Income $63,697 17% lower than state

Poverty Rate 14.0%

Unemployment 1.4%

How Red Willow County Changed

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

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	10,611	10,557	-0.5%
Median household income	$60,000	$63,697	+6.2%
Median home value	$143,500	$159,600	+11.2%

Median Household Income

Red Willow

$63,697

$76,475

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Red Willow

$159,600

$238,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.1%

$25K-$50K 24.8%

$50K-$100K 29.8%

$100K+ 28.3%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.8%

$10K-$15K

6.6%

$15K-$20K

4.4%

$20K-$25K

2.3%

$25K-$30K

3.9%

$30K-$35K

4.4%

$35K-$40K

4.2%

$40K-$45K

9.1%

$45K-$50K

3.2%

$50K-$60K

5.3%

$60K-$75K

8.8%

$75K-$100K

15.8%

$100K-$125K

8.6%

$125K-$150K

7.0%

$150K-$200K

6.2%

$200K+

6.6%

Employment

1.4% Unemployment Rate State: 3.0%|National: 5.2%

62.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 73.0%

Renter 27.0%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.5x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $819/mo 15.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.4%

18-34

19.3%

35-54

23.0%

55-74

26.1%

75+

9.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Red Willow County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
McCook	7,314	$56,917	17.3%	$154,300
Indianola	512	$55,481	5.7%	$91,000
Bartley	352	N/A	5.4%	$86,600
Danbury	70	$47,000	18.6%	$103,100
Lebanon	33	N/A	21.2%	$61,900

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

Population Overview

Red Willow County is located in Nebraska with a total population of 10,557. It is the 24th most populous county out of 93 in Nebraska. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Red Willow County is 41.6 years. This is 12% higher than the state median of 37.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Red Willow County is $63,697. This is 17% lower than the state median of $76,475. It is also 21% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.0%. This is 32% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The unemployment rate is 1.4%. This is 54% lower than the state rate of 3.0%. The median home value is $159,600. Housing costs are 33% lower than the state median of $238,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Red Willow County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 73.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Red Willow County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 88.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 6.3%. The Black or African American population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 4.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (6.3%) is well below the state average of 12.7%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 2.6%.

Education

24.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 28% 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 93.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Red Willow County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Red Willow County, Nebraska?

Red Willow County has a population of 10,557, making it the 24th most populous county in Nebraska.

What is the median income in Red Willow County?

The median household income in Red Willow County is $63,697 with a poverty rate of 14.0%.

How many cities are in Red Willow County, Nebraska?

Red Willow County contains 5 Census-designated places.