Nebraska Counties by Population (2024)

There are 93 counties in Nebraska. The largest county by population is Douglas County, which has a population of 566,880 and is home to Omaha. It is the only county in Nebraska to have over 500,000 people. It comprises 29.38% of the state’s total population and has grown 9.32% since the 2010 Census. The second-largest county by population in Nebraska is Lancaster County, home to 317,272 residents. Lancaster County is also home to Lincoln, the state capital. This is followed by Sarpy County, which has 184,459 residents. These three counties are the only counties in Nebraska with populations over 100,000 people.

Nebraska Counties with the Fewest Residents

The smallest county in Nebraska in terms of population is Blaine County. Blaine County’s population is only 435 people, resulting in a population density of just 0.76 persons per square kilometer. Since 2010, the population has declined by 9%. About 0.02% of Nebraska’s total population lives in Blaine County.

The second-smallest county in Nebraska is Arthur County, which has a population of 465 people. Arthur County’s population density is just 0.81 persons per square kilometer.

Other counties in Nebraska with populations under 1,000 are McPherson, Loup, Grant, Thomas, Hooker, Banner, Wheeler, Logan, Keya Paha, and Hayes.

Nebraska Counties with Rapid Growth

Three Nebraska counties have experienced double-digit growth since 2010: Sarpy County (15.49%), Thomas (11.28%), and Lancaster (10.87%). Other counties that have experienced significant growth since 2010 are Douglas (9.32%), Buffalo (7.45%), and Banner (5.64%).

While some counties have experienced significant population growth, many have seen a population decline. Dundy County has experienced the highest population decline since 2010 of 11.85%, followed by Sioux County (9.46%) and McPherson (8.72%).