Jefferson County, Nebraska Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Jefferson 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 averageLess healthy than 89% of counties in Nebraska
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C
Income Below averageLess wealthy than 92% of counties in Nebraska
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D
Education Well below averageLess educated than 87% of counties in Nebraska
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Jefferson County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,161 | 1,978,686 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 12.4 | 25.6 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.33% | 0.63% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.9 | 38.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 3,136 | 797,835 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Jefferson County declined by 4.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 7,161 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Jefferson County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 24.1% of residents. That is 7.9 points above Nebraska as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,206 16.8% -5.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,170 16.3% -4.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,445 20.2% +1.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,728 24.1% +7.9 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 51.7% of the people living in Jefferson County and men 48.3%.
- Women 51.7% Nebraska 49.9%
- Men 48.3% Nebraska 50.1%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Jefferson County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Jefferson County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,034 | $76,615 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.75% | 4.27% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.2% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Jefferson County is about 23% lower than in Nebraska.
Housing
| Metric | Jefferson County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $53,077 | $175,282 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $661 | $1,071 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.9% | 66.5% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Jefferson County is about 6.7 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $661 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Jefferson County spend about 22 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 93 hours, about 3.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 11.2 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 22.4 | 34.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 93 | 142 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $2,888 | $4,390 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 11.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,346 | 5,179 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 303 | 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 Jefferson County is 11 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
Jefferson County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.1% | 30.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.25 | 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
Jefferson County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.3 | 79.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.6% | 12.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.1% | 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).
Jefferson County, NE Compared With Nearby Counties
How Jefferson County, NE compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, NE | 7,161 | $59,034 #2/2 | $53,077 #2/2 | 11.2 min #1/2 |
| Gage County, NE | 21,629 | $67,360 | $313,235 | 15.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Jefferson County, Nebraska.
How many people live in Jefferson County, Nebraska?
About 7,161 people live in Jefferson County, Nebraska, in 3,136 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 42.9, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Jefferson County, Nebraska urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Jefferson County, Nebraska has 12 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 14% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Jefferson County, Nebraska an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 0.9 times the median household income ($53,077 against $59,034), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $661 a month takes about 13% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Jefferson County, Nebraska?
Unemployment in Jefferson County, Nebraska is only 1.2%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Jefferson County, Nebraska?
19.1% of adults in Jefferson County, Nebraska hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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