Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska Demographics 2026

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

Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska has a population of 35,843, the 7th most populous county in Nebraska. The median household income is $63,614 and the median home value is $168,500. The poverty rate is 12.9%.

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

Scotts Bluff County Quick Facts

Population 35,843

Median Household Income $63,614

Median Home Value $168,500

Poverty Rate 12.9%

Unemployment Rate 2.7%

Median Age 40.3 years

Homeownership Rate 69.3%

Affordability Ratio 2.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 27.0%

High School Graduation 90.8%

Cities/Places 10

Population 35,843 7th of 93

Median Income $63,614 17% lower than state

Poverty Rate 12.9%

Unemployment 2.7%

How Scotts Bluff 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	35,937	35,843	-0.3%
Median household income	$60,960	$63,614	+4.4%
Median home value	$161,400	$168,500	+4.4%

Median Household Income

Scotts Bluff

$63,614

$76,475

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Scotts Bluff

$168,500

$238,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 18.0%

$25K-$50K 21.5%

$50K-$100K 32.8%

$100K+ 27.7%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.2%

$10K-$15K

4.4%

$15K-$20K

4.2%

$20K-$25K

5.2%

$25K-$30K

4.2%

$30K-$35K

5.4%

$35K-$40K

5.6%

$40K-$45K

2.8%

$45K-$50K

3.5%

$50K-$60K

7.7%

$60K-$75K

11.1%

$75K-$100K

14.0%

$100K-$125K

8.6%

$125K-$150K

7.8%

$150K-$200K

6.8%

$200K+

4.4%

Employment

2.7% Unemployment Rate State: 3.0%|National: 5.2%

63.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 69.3%

Renter 30.7%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.6x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $909/mo 17.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

24.2%

18-34

19.8%

35-54

22.7%

55-74

24.4%

75+

8.9%

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 Scotts Bluff County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Scottsbluff	14,376	$56,359	15.4%	$137,700
Gering	8,550	$75,093	12.4%	$186,500
Mitchell	1,962	$54,150	11.1%	$122,300
Morrill	880	$47,143	15.7%	$141,400
Terrytown	793	$43,618	31.4%	$114,100
Minatare	712	$38,125	23.6%	$80,500
Lyman	291	$55,047	20.3%	$68,300
Melbeta	146	$47,000	10.3%	$90,000
Henry	94	$79,750	3.2%	$92,500
McGrew	67	$35,833	13.4%	$68,800

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

Scotts Bluff County is located in Nebraska with a total population of 35,843. It is the 7th most populous county out of 93 in Nebraska. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Scotts Bluff County is 40.3 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 37.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Scotts Bluff County is $63,614. 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 12.9%. This is 22% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The unemployment rate is 2.7%. This is 12% lower than the state rate of 3.0%. The median home value is $168,500. Housing costs are 29% lower than the state median of $238,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Scotts Bluff County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 69.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% higher than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Scotts Bluff County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 70.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 23.9%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 4.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (23.9% vs 12.7%). The Asian population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 2.6%.

Education

27.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 22% 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 90.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Scotts Bluff 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 Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska?

Scotts Bluff County has a population of 35,843, making it the 7th most populous county in Nebraska.

What is the median income in Scotts Bluff County?

The median household income in Scotts Bluff County is $63,614 with a poverty rate of 12.9%.

How many cities are in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska?

Scotts Bluff County contains 10 Census-designated places.