Nebraska’s population reached approximately 2.03 million in 2026, growing roughly 0.6% annually and ranking the state 37th-38th most populous in the country, with growth increasingly concentrated in the Omaha and Lincoln metro areas. Douglas County, home to Omaha, remains the state’s largest county at more than 612,000 residents, while 48 of Nebraska’s 93 counties gained population in the most recent reporting period, up sharply from just 24 counties a decade earlier.
Nebraska Population 2026 – Introduction
Nebraska’s population in 2026 tells a story of two very different states occupying the same borders: a rapidly growing, increasingly diverse eastern corridor anchored by Omaha and Lincoln, and a vast rural interior where many counties continue losing residents even as the statewide total climbs. That split has become more pronounced in recent years, with nearly all of the state’s net population gain concentrated in Douglas, Sarpy, and Lancaster counties, while sparsely populated Sandhills and Panhandle counties continue a decades-long pattern of decline. Understanding Nebraska’s population in 2026 means understanding that divergence as much as the statewide headline number itself.
Nebraska also stands out nationally for a demographic trait that runs counter to much of the rest of the country: a comparatively young population and one of the highest fertility rates in the United States, both of which help explain why the state continues adding residents even as net international migration into the US overall has slowed considerably. This report breaks down Nebraska’s current population, its fastest-growing and fastest-shrinking counties, its largest cities, and the demographic and economic profile of its roughly 2 million residents, based on the latest Census Bureau estimates and state demographic data.
Interesting Facts about Nebraska Population 2026
| Category | Figure |
|---|---|
| Nebraska population (2026) | ~2.03 million |
| National population rank | 37th-38th |
| Annual population growth rate | ~0.5-0.6% |
| Number of counties | 93 |
| Counties that gained population (most recent period) | 48 of 93 (up from 24 a decade earlier) |
| Largest city | Omaha (~486,000-489,000) |
| Capital and 2nd-largest city | Lincoln (~292,000-301,000) |
| Median age | 37.1-37.4 years (younger than the US median of ~38.9-39.2) |
| Median household income | ~$75,000-$76,500 |
Nebraska’s 2026 population figures vary somewhat depending on the exact estimate source and vintage used, ranging from roughly 1.97 million to 2.03 million across different demographic tracking services — a normal spread reflecting differences in how quickly each source incorporates the latest Census Bureau population estimates versus American Community Survey data. What’s consistent across every source, however, is the underlying trend: Nebraska’s growth is accelerating relative to the prior decade, and that growth is increasingly urban. The jump from just 24 counties gaining population at the end of the 2010s to 48 counties — more than half the state — gaining population more recently marks a genuine shift in Nebraska’s settlement pattern, even as the state’s rural core continues to empty out in many areas.
Nebraska’s demographic profile also stands out nationally for being notably younger than the country as a whole, with a median age of roughly 37.1 to 37.4 years compared with the national median of 38.9 to 39.2 years. That relative youthfulness connects directly to another distinguishing trait: Nebraska consistently ranks among the handful of US states with the highest fertility rates, a combination of younger population structure, lower housing costs relative to coastal states, and larger rural and agricultural communities that together help sustain the state’s population growth even as natural population increase has slowed nationally. For more on how Nebraska’s birth rates compare with the rest of the country, see our Fertility Rate Statistics in US report.
Nebraska’s Population Growth in 2026
NEBRASKA POPULATION GROWTH
2020 (CENSUS) ████████████ 1,961,504
2026 (CURRENT ESTIMATE) █████████████████ ~2,030,421
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| 2020 Census population | 1,961,504 |
| 2026 population estimate (current) | ~2,030,421 |
| Annual population growth | +0.62% (~12,415/year by one estimate) |
| Net population change per day | +20 |
| Net migration per day | +5 |
| Population density | ~26 people per square mile |
Data Source: US Census Bureau, World Population Review
Nebraska has grown from 1,961,504 residents at the 2020 Census to an estimated 2,030,421 by late 2026, according to the most current available tracking, representing an annual growth rate of roughly 0.62%. That pace works out to a net gain of around 20 residents per day statewide, split between natural increase (births minus deaths) and net migration, which itself runs at a modest but positive rate of roughly 5 people per day. At a statewide population density of about 26 people per square mile, Nebraska remains one of the more sparsely populated US states overall, a figure that masks enormous internal variation between its dense eastern metro counties and its vast, thinly populated western Sandhills and Panhandle regions.
The acceleration in Nebraska’s growth rate relative to the prior decade coincides with a broader regional pattern: the Midwest was the only major US region where every single state gained population in the most recent national estimates, reversing the population declines the region experienced as recently as 2021. Nebraska’s own growth fits that wider Midwestern trend, even as the state continues to rank in the bottom third nationally by total population, at 37th to 38th among all 50 states. For more on how this fits into the broader national and regional population picture, see our US Population by Year report.
Largest Cities in Nebraska in 2026
NEBRASKA'S LARGEST CITIES, 2026 (POPULATION)
OMAHA ███████████████████████████████████ ~486,000-489,000
LINCOLN ████████████████████ ~292,000-301,000
BELLEVUE ███████ ~53,000-65,000
GRAND ISLAND ████ ~51,000-53,000
| Rank | City | Approximate Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Omaha | 486,000-489,000 |
| 2 | Lincoln (capital) | 292,000-301,000 |
| 3 | Bellevue | 53,000-65,000 |
| 4 | Grand Island | 51,000-53,000 |
| 5 | Kearney | ~34,000 |
| 6 | Fremont | ~26,000-28,000 |
| 7 | Hastings | ~25,000 |
| 8 | Norfolk | ~25,000-26,000 |
| 9 | North Platte | ~23,000 |
| 10 | Columbus | ~24,000 |
Data Source: World Population Review, State Demographics, US Census Bureau
Omaha remains Nebraska’s largest city by a wide margin, home to roughly 486,000 to 489,000 residents depending on the specific estimate used, anchoring the broader Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area that extends into western Iowa. Lincoln, the state capital, ranks a clear second at approximately 292,000 to 301,000 residents, with both cities together accounting for a large and growing share of the state’s total population growth. Out of Nebraska’s 583 incorporated cities and places, the overwhelming majority remain small towns of a few thousand residents or fewer, reinforcing just how concentrated the state’s urban population actually is in just these two metro centers.
Beyond the top two, Nebraska’s mid-sized cities — Bellevue, Grand Island, Kearney, and Fremont among them — each serve as regional hubs for surrounding rural counties, though their individual growth trajectories vary considerably. Bellevue, part of the Omaha metro area, has shown particularly strong recent population figures tied to its proximity to Offutt Air Force Base and the broader Omaha job market, while cities further from the eastern metro corridor, such as North Platte and Norfolk, have generally seen flatter or more modest growth, reflecting the same urban-rural divide shaping county-level population trends across the state.
Nebraska’s Counties: Growth and Decline in 2026
NEBRASKA'S LARGEST COUNTIES, 2026 (POPULATION)
DOUGLAS COUNTY (OMAHA) ███████████████████████████ 612,017
LANCASTER COUNTY (LINCOLN) ████████████████████ 336,757
SARPY COUNTY ██████████████ 212,087
HALL COUNTY ████ 63,375
BUFFALO COUNTY ███ 51,218
| County | 2026 Population | Change Since 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Douglas (Omaha) | 612,017 | +4.54% |
| Lancaster (Lincoln) | 336,757 | +4.2% |
| Sarpy | 212,087 | +10.94% (fastest-growing major county) |
| Hall | 63,375 | +0.97% |
| Buffalo | 51,218 | +2.03% |
| Sioux County (smallest, fastest-growing rural) | — | +16% |
| Logan County (steepest decline) | — | -16.8% |
Data Source: World Population Review, US Census Bureau county estimates
Nebraska’s 93 counties show a dramatic divergence in growth patterns that maps almost perfectly onto the state’s urban-rural divide. Douglas County, home to Omaha, remains the clear population leader at 612,017 residents, followed by Lancaster County (Lincoln) at 336,757. But it’s Sarpy County, part of the broader Omaha metro area immediately south of Douglas County, that posted the strongest growth among Nebraska’s major counties, expanding nearly 11% since the 2020 Census as suburban development continues pushing outward from Omaha’s core.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Nebraska’s smallest and most rural counties show the starkest contrasts anywhere in the state: Sioux County, in the state’s far northwestern Panhandle, grew by roughly 16% since 2020 despite its tiny overall population base, while Logan County, in the state’s sparsely populated Sandhills region, lost nearly 17% of its population over the same period — illustrating how even small absolute population changes can translate into dramatic percentage swings in Nebraska’s least-populated counties. That pattern reinforces the broader finding that 48 of Nebraska’s 93 counties gained population in the most recent reporting period, a meaningful improvement from just 24 counties a decade earlier, even though the majority of that growth remains heavily concentrated in the handful of counties surrounding Omaha and Lincoln.
Nebraska Demographics in 2026
NEBRASKA POPULATION BY RACE/ETHNICITY (NON-HISPANIC CATEGORIES + HISPANIC)
WHITE (NON-HISPANIC) ██████████████████████████████ 75.3%
HISPANIC (ANY RACE) ██████ 12.7%
BLACK ███ 4.6-4.8%
ASIAN ██ 2.5-2.6%
TWO OR MORE/OTHER ██ ~3.8-4.2%
| Demographic | Figure |
|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 75.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 12.7% |
| Black or African American | 4.6-4.8% |
| Asian | 2.5-2.6% |
| Two or more races/other | ~3.8-4.2% |
| Foreign-born residents | 7.86% (~155,000 people) |
| Median age | 37.1-37.4 years |
| High school graduation rate | 92.2% |
Data Source: US Census Bureau American Community Survey, DataUSA, CensusDots
Nebraska’s racial and ethnic composition remains majority White at 75.3% (non-Hispanic), though the state’s Hispanic population, at 12.7%, has grown to become its second-largest demographic group, concentrated particularly in meatpacking and agricultural processing hub communities across the state. Black residents make up roughly 4.6% to 4.8% of the population, with Census data showing this group’s population has declined modestly in raw numbers since 2020 even as its overall share of the state has stayed roughly flat, while Asian residents account for approximately 2.5% to 2.6%, a share that has grown gradually in recent years alongside broader national immigration trends.
Nebraska’s foreign-born population stands at roughly 7.86% of residents, approximately 155,000 people as of the most recent estimate, a meaningfully lower share than many coastal states but a notable presence given the state’s historically homogeneous settlement patterns rooted in 19th and early 20th century European immigration. The state’s relatively young median age of 37.1 to 37.4 years, combined with a strong 92.2% high school graduation rate, rounds out a demographic profile of a state that, despite its modest overall population, maintains comparatively strong educational outcomes and a younger-than-average population structure relative to the national picture. For broader national context on how these racial and ethnic patterns compare across US regions, see our US Population by Ethnicity report, which notes the Midwest remains the least diverse major US region overall.
Nebraska Income and Economy in 2026
NEBRASKA MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME VS. NATIONAL MEDIAN
NEBRASKA ██████████████████████ ~$75,000-$76,500
US NATIONAL ███████████████████████████ ~$78,500-$81,600
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Median household income | ~$74,985-$76,475 |
| Per capita income | ~$40,637-$41,026 |
| Poverty rate | 10.4-10.6% |
| Gap vs. national median household income | ~5% lower |
| Median home value | ~$223,800-$238,600 |
| Unemployment rate | ~2.0% |
Data Source: US Census Bureau, DataUSA, Census Reporter
Nebraska’s median household income sits at roughly $75,000 to $76,500, running about 5% below the national median, which various sources place between $78,500 and $81,600 depending on the exact survey period used. Per capita income trails a similar pattern at approximately $40,600 to $41,000, while the state’s poverty rate of 10.4% to 10.6% runs modestly below the national average, reflecting Nebraska’s relatively low cost of living and historically low unemployment rate, which has hovered around just 2.0% in recent reporting — among the lowest of any US state.
Housing costs in Nebraska remain considerably more affordable than national norms as well, with median home values running between $223,800 and $238,600, a figure that helps explain why the state’s cost-of-living-adjusted household income often outperforms its nominal dollar figure when compared against higher-cost states. That affordability, combined with the state’s comparatively strong job market and growing Omaha-Lincoln economic corridor, continues to support the modest but steady population growth Nebraska has posted through 2026, even as the state’s most rural counties continue to see young residents move toward the state’s two largest metro areas in search of greater economic opportunity. For a broader look at how Nebraska’s population ranks among the country’s smaller states, see our Least Populated States in the US report.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nebraska’s population in 2026?
Nebraska’s population is estimated at approximately 2.03 million in 2026, though figures across different tracking sources range from roughly 1.97 million to 2.03 million depending on the exact estimate vintage used. The state ranks 37th to 38th most populous in the US.
What is the largest city in Nebraska?
Omaha is Nebraska’s largest city, with a population of approximately 486,000 to 489,000, followed by the state capital, Lincoln, at roughly 292,000 to 301,000 residents.
Is Nebraska’s population growing or shrinking?
Nebraska’s population is growing, at a rate of roughly 0.5% to 0.6% annually. However, that growth is highly uneven: 48 of the state’s 93 counties gained population in the most recent reporting period, while many rural counties continue to lose residents.
What is the fastest-growing county in Nebraska?
Among Nebraska’s larger counties, Sarpy County, part of the Omaha metro area, has grown the fastest, expanding nearly 11% since the 2020 Census. Among the state’s smallest counties, rural Sioux County in the Panhandle has grown roughly 16% over the same period.
What is the median household income in Nebraska?
Nebraska’s median household income is approximately $75,000 to $76,500, about 5% below the national median.
What is the racial makeup of Nebraska?
Nebraska is approximately 75.3% White (non-Hispanic), 12.7% Hispanic or Latino, 4.6-4.8% Black, and 2.5-2.6% Asian, with the remainder identifying as two or more races or other categories.
How many counties does Nebraska have?
Nebraska has 93 counties and 583 incorporated cities and places.
Why is Nebraska’s population younger than the national average?
Nebraska’s median age of 37.1 to 37.4 years, compared with the national median of roughly 38.9 to 39.2 years, is driven in part by the state’s comparatively high fertility rate, lower housing costs, and large rural and agricultural communities that tend to correlate with younger population structures nationally.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
