Nebraska Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Nebraska Population Density Map and Area Scores
State 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 averageWealthier than 75% of states in the US
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B
Education Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Nebraska | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,978,686 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 25.6 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.63% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 797,835 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Nebraska grew by 11.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 1,978,686 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Nebraska is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.7% of residents. That is 1.3 points above the US as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 449,828 22.7% +1.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 415,066 21.0% -1.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 363,335 18.4% -1.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 321,888 16.3% -0.6 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 the US, 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 49.9% of the people living in Nebraska and men 50.1%.
- Women 49.9% the US 50.5%
- Men 50.1% the US 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Nebraska
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Nebraska has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Nebraska | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $76,615 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.27% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Nebraska is about 5% lower than in US.
Housing
| Metric | Nebraska | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $175,282 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,071 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.5% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Nebraska is about 13.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,071 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Nebraska spend about 34 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 142 hours, about 5.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Nebraska | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 34.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 142 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,390 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 5,179 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 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 Nebraska is 17 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in US.
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
Nebraska has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Nebraska | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 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
Nebraska has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Nebraska | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 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).
Nebraska Compared With Nearby States
Nebraska is the 4th largest of the 6 states compared here, 1,978,686 residents against a local median of 2,945,842. The measure that sets Nebraska apart most is median home price: $175,282, 39% above the local median of $125,877.
The states themselves spread $391,892 on median home price, so Nebraska sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Nebraska has the 2nd highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 1,978,686 | $76,615 #3/6 | $175,282 #2/6 | 17.0 min #4/6 |
| South Dakota | 907,403 | $75,087 | $92,142 | 15.3 min |
| Kansas | 2,945,842 | $74,287 | $104,644 | 17.2 min |
| North Dakota | 784,730 | $76,862 | $125,877 | 13.8 min |
| Colorado | 5,842,429 | $95,803 | $484,034 | 22.0 min |
| Iowa | 3,204,793 | $75,133 | $153,425 | 17.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Nebraska.
What is the population of Nebraska?
About 1,978,686 people live in Nebraska, in 797,835 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 38.3, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Nebraska?
Averaged over its land area, Nebraska has 26 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 30% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Nebraska?
The median home costs 2.3 times the median household income ($175,282 against $76,615), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,071 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Nebraska?
Unemployment in Nebraska is only 3.0%, 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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