Custer County, Nebraska Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Custer County, NE Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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B
Income Around average
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D
Education Well below averageBetter educated than 75% of counties in Nebraska
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Custer County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,518 | 1,978,686 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 4.1 | 25.6 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.31% | 0.63% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.4 | 38.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 4,502 | 797,835 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Custer County declined by 3.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 10,518 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Custer County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 20.0% of residents. That is 3.7 points above Nebraska as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,919 18.2% -4.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,882 17.9% -3.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,082 19.8% +1.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,099 20.0% +3.7 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Nebraska, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.2% of the people living in Custer County and men 49.8%.
- Women 50.2% Nebraska 49.9%
- Men 49.8% Nebraska 50.1%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Custer County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Custer County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Custer County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,495 | $76,615 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.37% | 4.27% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Custer County is about 13% lower than in Nebraska.
Housing
| Metric | Custer County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $75,499 | $175,282 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $852 | $1,071 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 68.9% | 66.5% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Custer County is about 7.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $852 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Custer County spend about 24 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 99 hours, about 4.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Custer County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 11.9 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 23.8 | 34.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 99 | 142 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,071 | $4,390 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 11.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,040 | 5,179 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 274 | 691 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Nebraska:
Hooker County (7.4 min), Cherry County (8.0 min), Box Butte County (8.0 min).
Slowest:
Cass County (28.0 min), Banner County (27.2 min), Saunders County (26.9 min).
The average commute time in Custer County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 17 minutes in Nebraska.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Custer County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Custer County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.4% | 30.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.31 | 2.42 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Nebraska:
Sarpy County (0.3), Lancaster County (0.3), Douglas County (0.3).
Lowest:
Dakota County (0.2), Colfax County (0.2), Dawson County (0.2).
Health
Custer County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Custer County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.7 | 79.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.7% | 12.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 15.3% | 16.6% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Nebraska:
Wayne County (0.8), Sarpy County (0.8), Lancaster County (0.8).
Lowest:
Thurston County (0.8), Pawnee County (0.8), Dundy County (0.8).
Custer County, NE Compared With Nearby Counties
How Custer County, NE compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custer County, NE | 10,518 | $66,495 #2/2 | $75,499 #2/2 | 11.9 min #1/2 |
| Dawson County, NE | 24,202 | $71,312 | $205,882 | 12.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Custer County, Nebraska.
How many people live in Custer County, Nebraska?
About 10,518 people live in Custer County, Nebraska, in 4,502 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 43.4, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Custer County, Nebraska urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Custer County, Nebraska has 4 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 5% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Custer County, Nebraska?
The median home costs 1.1 times the median household income ($75,499 against $66,495), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $852 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Custer County, Nebraska?
Unemployment in Custer County, Nebraska is only 2.6%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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