Thurston County, Nebraska Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Thurston County is located in Nebraska with a total population of 6,666. It is the 44th most populous county out of 93 in Nebraska. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Thurston County is 28.7 years. This is 23% lower than the state median of 37.1 years. With 34.4% of the population under 18, Thurston County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Thurston County is $64,838. This is 14% lower than the state median of $74,985. It is also 17% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 18.0%. This is 75% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.3%. The unemployment rate is 10.3%. This is 243% higher than the state rate of 3.0%. The median home value is $105,100. Housing costs are 53% lower than the state median of $223,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.6x, Thurston County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 61.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% lower than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Thurston County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (36.4%) is well below the state average of 76.2%. The Black or African American population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 4.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (4.4%) is well below the state average of 12.3%. The Asian population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

20.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 41% lower than the state rate of 34.1%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Thurston County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), 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.