Seward County, Nebraska Demographics 2026

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

Seward County, Nebraska has a population of 17,641, the 18th most populous county in Nebraska. The median household income is $82,444 and the median home value is $241,300. The poverty rate is 7.4%.

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

Seward County Quick Facts

Population 17,641

Median Household Income $82,444

Median Home Value $241,300

Poverty Rate 7.4%

Unemployment Rate 2.1%

Median Age 38.0 years

Homeownership Rate 72.0%

Affordability Ratio 2.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 33.2%

High School Graduation 94.7%

Cities/Places 11

Population 17,641 18th of 93

Median Income $82,444 8% higher than state

Poverty Rate 7.4%

Unemployment 2.1%

How Seward 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	17,636	17,641	+0.0%
Median household income	$81,122	$82,444	+1.6%
Median home value	$232,400	$241,300	+3.8%

Median Household Income

Seward

$82,444

$76,475

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Seward

$241,300

$238,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 10.8%

$25K-$50K 15.9%

$50K-$100K 34.2%

$100K+ 39.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

2.0%

$10K-$15K

3.8%

$15K-$20K

1.4%

$20K-$25K

3.6%

$25K-$30K

1.8%

$30K-$35K

2.2%

$35K-$40K

4.9%

$40K-$45K

3.7%

$45K-$50K

3.3%

$50K-$60K

6.5%

$60K-$75K

13.7%

$75K-$100K

14.1%

$100K-$125K

11.0%

$125K-$150K

9.5%

$150K-$200K

11.2%

$200K+

7.4%

Employment

2.1% Unemployment Rate State: 3.0%|National: 5.2%

67.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 72.0%

Renter 28.0%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $980/mo 14.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.3%

18-34

23.3%

35-54

22.6%

55-74

23.1%

75+

7.7%

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 Seward County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Seward	7,678	$72,564	9.6%	$244,600
Milford	2,565	$82,699	7.2%	$228,200
Utica	1,015	$88,304	7.2%	$188,700
Beaver Crossing	357	$62,813	15.5%	$142,600
Staplehurst	322	$83,060	4.3%	$86,000
Goehner	309	$96,767	0.7%	$158,100
Bee	281	$99,688	2.5%	$150,000
Pleasant Dale	244	$64,250	11.9%	$177,800
Garland	180	$51,979	4.4%	$185,000
Cordova	131	$49,250	12.2%	$78,700
Tamora	12	N/A	0.0%	N/A

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

Seward County is located in Nebraska with a total population of 17,641. It is the 18th most populous county out of 93 in Nebraska. The county encompasses 11 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Seward County is 38.0 years. This is 2% higher than the state median of 37.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Seward County is $82,444. This is 8% higher than the state median of $76,475. It is also 2% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 7.4%. This is 30% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The unemployment rate is 2.1%. This is 30% lower than the state rate of 3.0%. The median home value is $241,300. Housing costs are 1% higher than the state median of $238,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Seward County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Seward County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.7% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.0%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 4.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.0%) is well below the state average of 12.7%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 2.6%.

Education

33.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 4% 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 94.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Seward 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 Seward County, Nebraska?

Seward County has a population of 17,641, making it the 18th most populous county in Nebraska.

What is the median income in Seward County?

The median household income in Seward County is $82,444 with a poverty rate of 7.4%.

How many cities are in Seward County, Nebraska?

Seward County contains 11 Census-designated places.