Steele City, Nebraska Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 62, Steele City's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Steele City is a small community located in Nebraska, within Jefferson County. The total population is 62. It ranks as the 497th most populous out of 583 Census-designated places in Nebraska.

Age Demographics

The median age in Steele City is 35.5 years. This is 5% lower than the state median of 37.2 years. 21.0% 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 Steele City is $30,625. This is 60% lower than the state median of $76,475. It is also 62% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.5%. This is 37% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Steele City, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $26,700. Housing costs are 89% lower than the state median of $238,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 0.9x, Steele City is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Steele City is White (non-Hispanic), making up 69.3% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 27.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (27.4% vs 12.7%).

Education

4.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 88% 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 69.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Steele City, Nebraska is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Nebraska state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 583 Census-designated places in Nebraska. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.