Rank #37 by Population · Updated April 2026

Nebraska Population 2026

Source·US Census ACS 5-Year 2023Updated·Apr 12, 2026Reviewed by·Population Review Data Team

The population of Nebraska is 1,965,926 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 37th-most populous state in the United States. The median household income is $74,985, the median home value is $223,800, and the median age is 37.1.

Nebraska's population has grown 68.2% since 1910 (1,192,214 → 2,005,465).

1,965,926

Population

People / sq mi

$74,985

Median Income

37.1

Median Age

Nebraska covers 76,815 sq mi of land at a density of 25.6 people per square mile.

About Nebraska

Nebraska is a US state with a population of 1,965,926. It ranks #37 among US states by population. The median age is 37.1, younger than the national median. The population is 50.2% male and 49.8% female.

The median household income in Nebraska is $74,985, near the US median of $74,580. 6.7% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $223,800, with monthly rent averaging $1,035. The homeownership rate of 66.5% is close to the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Nebraska reflects 34.1% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, near the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 10.0% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 19.1 minutes each way.

Nebraska, #37 by population

Nebraska Population History (1910-2024)

The state of Nebraska had a population of 1,192,214 in 1910 and 2,005,465 in 2024, a 68.2% growth over 114 years. The peak was 2,005,465 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.48%.

2,005,465

Population (2024)

1,192,214

Population (1910)

2,005,465

Peak (2024)

0.48%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
1910	1,192,214	-	-	decennial
1920	1,296,372	+104,158	+0.84%	decennial
1930	1,377,963	+81,591	+0.61%	decennial
1940	1,315,834	-62,129	-0.46%	decennial
1950	1,325,510	+9,676	+0.07%	decennial
1960	1,411,330	+85,820	+0.63%	decennial
1970	1,483,493	+72,163	+0.50%	decennial
1980	1,569,825	+86,332	+0.57%	decennial
1990	1,578,385	+8,560	+0.05%	decennial
2000	1,711,263	+132,878	+0.81%	decennial
2010	1,826,341	+115,078	+0.65%	decennial
2020	1,961,504	+135,163	+0.72%	decennial
2020	1,963,387	+1,883	-	estimate
2021	1,964,537	+1,150	+0.06%	estimate
2022	1,972,246	+7,709	+0.39%	estimate
2023	1,987,864	+15,618	+0.79%	estimate
2024	2,005,465	+17,601	+0.89%	estimate

Age Distribution

Under 5

6.5%

5-9

6.8%

10-14

7.1%

15-19

7.0%

20-24

6.9%

25-34

12.9%

35-44

13.0%

45-54

11.2%

55-59

5.8%

60-64

6.4%

65-74

9.7%

75-84

4.6%

85+

2.0%

Male: 50.2% · Female: 49.8%

Race & Ethnicity

White	79.9%
Black or African American	4.8%
Asian	0.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native	1.0%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0.1%
Two or More Races	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2.2%

Economy & Income

$74,985

Median Household Income

$40,637

Per Capita Income

6.7%

Poverty Rate

2.0%

Unemployment Rate

$100,194

Mean Household Income

66.3%

Employment Rate

Cost of Living

Nebraska's overall price level is 90.1 on the BEA Regional Price Parity index (US average = 100), meaning prices are 9.9% lower the US average. Adjusting for cost of living, Nebraska's median household income of $74,985 has the buying power of $83,221 in average-priced areas.

90.1

Price Level (US = 100)

$83,221

COL-Adjusted Median Income

$74,985

Nominal Median Income

Education

92.1%

High School Graduate+

34.1%

Bachelor's Degree+

Births & Fertility

24,345

Live Births (2022)

12.4

Birth Rate (per 1,000)

65.9%

Births to Married Mothers

Births by Mother's Age

Under 20

2,394 (9.8%)

20-24

4,131 (17.0%)

25-29

7,664 (31.5%)

30-34

7,503 (30.8%)

35-39

3,359 (13.8%)

40+

690 (2.8%)

Births by Mother's Race

White	83.9%
Black or African American	7.4%
Hispanic or Latino	19.8%

Housing

$223,800

Median Home Value

$1,035

Median Rent

855,631

Total Housing Units

66.5%

Owner-Occupied

33.5%

Renter-Occupied

8.0%

Vacant

Languages Spoken at Home

87.7% of Nebraska residents age 5+ speak only English at home. The most common non-English languages spoken at home in Nebraska:

#	Language	Speakers	% of pop. 5+
1	Spanish	64,448	3.50%
2	Vietnamese	4,228	0.23%
3	Other Asian/Pacific	4,207	0.23%
4	Amharic, Somali, or other Afro-Asiatic	2,879	0.16%
5	Arabic	2,800	0.15%
6	Chinese (incl. Mandarin, Cantonese)	2,176	0.12%
7	French (incl. Cajun)	1,776	0.10%
8	Nepali, Marathi, or other Indic	1,682	0.09%
9	Swahili or other Bantu	1,387	0.08%
10	Persian (incl. Farsi, Dari)	800	0.04%

Commute

0.5%

Drive Alone

2.3%

Carpool

10.0%

Work From Home

19.1 min

Avg Commute

Largest Cities in Nebraska

#	City	Population	Median Income	Median Home
1	Omaha	488,197	$72,708	$230,100
2	Lincoln	291,932	$69,991	$248,200
3	Bellevue	64,355	$87,343	$230,800
4	Grand Island	52,761	$62,439	$202,600
5	Kearney	34,024	$69,790	$235,800
6	Fremont	27,321	$67,179	$194,400
7	Norfolk	25,962	$62,175	$199,100
8	Hastings	25,005	$61,202	$177,200
9	Columbus	24,188	$67,212	$198,900
10	Papillion	24,063	$109,602	$290,900
11	North Platte	23,030	$57,805	$159,500
12	La Vista	16,594	$78,145	$244,900
13	Scottsbluff	14,406	$53,448	$141,300
14	South Sioux City	13,871	$68,397	$160,900
15	Beatrice	12,233	$54,583	$152,900
16	Lexington	10,693	$62,364	$155,200
17	Chalco	10,625	$81,427	$224,400

Counties in Nebraska

#	County	Population	Median Income
1	Douglas County	585,461	$79,081
2	Lancaster County	323,673	$72,625
3	Sarpy County	194,051	$101,402
4	Hall County	62,431	$67,549
5	Buffalo County	50,323	$74,570
6	Dodge County	37,146	$71,294
7	Scotts Bluff County	35,937	$60,960
8	Madison County	35,535	$64,637
9	Platte County	34,358	$72,335
10	Lincoln County	34,122	$64,342
11	Adams County	31,034	$65,680
12	Cass County	26,963	$88,255
13	Dawson County	24,020	$65,383
14	Saunders County	22,761	$89,395
15	Gage County	21,646	$64,426
16	Dakota County	21,331	$71,655
17	Washington County	20,989	$90,188
18	Seward County	17,636	$81,122
19	Otoe County	16,075	$81,430
20	Saline County	14,642	$77,027

Compare Nebraska

vs New Mexico vs Kansas vs Mississippi vs Idaho vs West Virginia

Rankings for Nebraska

Largest Cities Richest Cities Most Expensive Cities Youngest Cities Most Educated Cities Highest Rent Cities Largest Counties Richest Counties Cost of Living

Metro areas in Nebraska

Omaha (972,840)Lincoln (341,309)Sioux City (144,007)Grand Island (76,619)All US metros →

Congressional districts in Nebraska

NE-1 (656,585)NE-2 (657,288)NE-3 (652,053)All US districts →

Largest school districts in Nebraska

Omaha Public Schools (373,060)Lincoln Public Schools (299,501)Millard Public Schools (119,613)Papillion-La Vista Community Schools (71,064)Elkhorn Public Schools (58,397)Grand Island Public Schools (54,178)Bellevue Public Schools (52,329)Kearney Public Schools (39,714)Westside Community Schools (31,893)Fremont Public Schools (30,975)Norfolk Public Schools (30,612)Gretna Public Schools (29,611)All US school districts →

Other states

Kansas New Mexico Idaho West Virginia Hawaii All states →

State rankings

Densest States by Population per Square Mile Least Densely Populated States US States by Land Area Populated States Oldest States by Median Age Youngest States by Median Age Racially Diverse States States With Largest Hispanic Population States With Largest Black Population States With Largest Asian Population All rankings →

Common questions about Nebraska

What is the population of Nebraska?What is the median household income in Nebraska?What is the median home value in Nebraska?What is the largest city in Nebraska?What is the largest county in Nebraska?What is the cheapest city in Nebraska?What are the demographics of Nebraska?What is the cost of living in Nebraska?Is Nebraska growing or shrinking?

Frequently Asked Questions

Nebraska has a population of 1,965,926 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 37th-most populous state in the United States.

Nebraska is gaining population, with a +68.2% change over the available historical Census record. Nebraska's population has grown 68.2% since 1910 (1,192,214 → 2,005,465).

The median household income in Nebraska is $74,985, with a per capita income of $40,637. 6.7% of the population lives below the federal poverty level.

79.9% of Nebraska's population identifies as White (Census ACS 2023). 4.8% is Black or African American, 0.0% is Asian, and 2.2% is Hispanic or Latino (any race, counted separately under Census methodology).

Nebraska is 79.9% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 0.0% Asian, and 2.2% Hispanic or Latino (any race). Hispanic/Latino is counted as an ethnicity separate from race under Census methodology, so totals may exceed 100% in some breakdowns.

The median age in Nebraska is 37.1 years. The population is 50.2% male and 49.8% female.

Nebraska's population has grown 68.2% since 1910 (1,192,214 → 2,005,465).

Across recent Census Population Estimates, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Illinois have shown the largest sustained population declines. Nebraska's own trend is gaining. National state-by-state rankings are published annually by the Census Population Estimates Program.

Sources: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, CDC National Vital Statistics System (2022)

Demographic data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates. Birth statistics from the CDC National Vital Statistics System via Data Commons. California does not report marital status on birth certificates. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.