Wood Lake, Nebraska Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 16, Wood Lake'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

Wood Lake is a small community located in Nebraska, within Cherry County. The total population is 16. It ranks as the 561st most populous out of 583 Census-designated places in Nebraska.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wood Lake is 74.2 years. This is 99% higher than the state median of 37.2 years. 18.8% 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 Wood Lake is $30,417. 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 18.8%. This is 77% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Wood Lake, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $55,000. Housing costs are 77% lower than the state median of $238,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Wood Lake is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 54.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 18% lower than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wood Lake has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.8% of all residents.

Education

25.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 28% 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 81.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Wood Lake, 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.