Saline County, Nebraska Demographics 2026

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

Saline County, Nebraska has a population of 14,650, the 20th most populous county in Nebraska. The median household income is $79,910 and the median home value is $197,400. The poverty rate is 8.9%.

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

Saline County Quick Facts

Population 14,650

Median Household Income $79,910

Median Home Value $197,400

Poverty Rate 8.9%

Unemployment Rate 2.9%

Median Age 37.3 years

Homeownership Rate 75.9%

Affordability Ratio 2.5x

Bachelor's Degree+ 21.8%

High School Graduation 82.3%

Cities/Places 8

Population 14,650 20th of 93

Median Income $79,910 4% higher than state

Poverty Rate 8.9%

Unemployment 2.9%

How Saline 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	14,642	14,650	+0.1%
Median household income	$77,027	$79,910	+3.7%
Median home value	$180,700	$197,400	+9.2%

Median Household Income

Saline

$79,910

$76,475

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Saline

$197,400

$238,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 10.5%

$25K-$50K 19.5%

$50K-$100K 34.8%

$100K+ 35.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

1.5%

$10K-$15K

1.8%

$15K-$20K

4.2%

$20K-$25K

3.0%

$25K-$30K

2.5%

$30K-$35K

2.7%

$35K-$40K

6.7%

$40K-$45K

4.4%

$45K-$50K

3.2%

$50K-$60K

6.9%

$60K-$75K

8.7%

$75K-$100K

19.1%

$100K-$125K

11.4%

$125K-$150K

10.0%

$150K-$200K

6.8%

$200K+

7.0%

Employment

2.9% Unemployment Rate State: 3.0%|National: 5.2%

68.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 75.9%

Renter 24.1%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.5x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $914/mo 13.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

26.1%

18-34

21.5%

35-54

25.3%

55-74

20.8%

75+

6.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

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

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Saline County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Crete	7,527	$77,209	11.6%	$223,500
Wilber	1,936	$84,712	8.6%	$185,700
Friend	1,155	$90,909	6.1%	$173,800
Dorchester	550	$74,286	2.0%	$163,200
De Witt	437	$80,526	3.9%	$136,900
Western	215	$53,750	5.1%	$70,000
Swanton	93	$61,146	14.0%	$112,500
Tobias	61	$61,250	16.7%	$102,500

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

Saline County is located in Nebraska with a total population of 14,650. It is the 20th most populous county out of 93 in Nebraska. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Saline County is 37.3 years. This is about the same as the state median of 37.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Saline County is $79,910. This is 4% higher than the state median of $76,475. It is also 1% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.9%. This is 16% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The unemployment rate is 2.9%. This is 4% lower than the state rate of 3.0%. The median home value is $197,400. Housing costs are 17% lower than the state median of $238,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Saline County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 75.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% higher than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Saline County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 64.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 29.5%. The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 4.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (29.5% vs 12.7%).

Education

21.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 37% 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 82.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Saline 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 Saline County, Nebraska?

Saline County has a population of 14,650, making it the 20th most populous county in Nebraska.

What is the median income in Saline County?

The median household income in Saline County is $79,910 with a poverty rate of 8.9%.

How many cities are in Saline County, Nebraska?

Saline County contains 8 Census-designated places.