Counties in Nebraska by population density

Douglas County had the highest population density of 93 counties in 2020, at 692.2 inhabitants per km². McPherson County had the lowest, at 0.2 inhabitants per km². The median was 3.1 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Nebraska was 9.9 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest692.2Douglas County
Median3.193 counties
Nebraska9.9History

Top 40 counties, 2020

CSVChart (SVG)

Douglas CountyDouglas County: 692.2 inhabitants per km²692.2Sarpy CountySarpy County: 310.1 inhabitants per km²310.1Lancaster CountyLancaster County: 149 inhabitants per km²149Hall CountyHall County: 44.3 inhabitants per km²44.3Dakota CountyDakota County: 31.5 inhabitants per km²31.5Dodge CountyDodge County: 27.1 inhabitants per km²27.1Madison CountyMadison County: 24 inhabitants per km²24Adams CountyAdams County: 21.4 inhabitants per km²21.4Washington CountyWashington County: 20.7 inhabitants per km²20.7Buffalo CountyBuffalo County: 20 inhabitants per km²20Platte CountyPlatte County: 19.6 inhabitants per km²19.6Scotts Bluff CountyScotts Bluff County: 18.8 inhabitants per km²18.8Cass CountyCass County: 18.4 inhabitants per km²18.4Seward CountySeward County: 11.9 inhabitants per km²11.9Saunders CountySaunders County: 11.5 inhabitants per km²11.5Otoe CountyOtoe County: 10 inhabitants per km²10Colfax CountyColfax County: 9.9 inhabitants per km²9.9Saline CountySaline County: 9.9 inhabitants per km²9.9Gage CountyGage County: 9.8 inhabitants per km²9.8York CountyYork County: 9.5 inhabitants per km²9.5Dawson CountyDawson County: 9.2 inhabitants per km²9.2Wayne CountyWayne County: 8.5 inhabitants per km²8.5Nemaha CountyNemaha County: 6.7 inhabitants per km²6.7Hamilton CountyHamilton County: 6.7 inhabitants per km²6.7Thurston CountyThurston County: 6.6 inhabitants per km²6.6Phelps CountyPhelps County: 6.4 inhabitants per km²6.4Cuming CountyCuming County: 6.1 inhabitants per km²6.1Merrick CountyMerrick County: 6.1 inhabitants per km²6.1Red Willow CountyRed Willow County: 5.8 inhabitants per km²5.8Butler CountyButler County: 5.5 inhabitants per km²5.5Richardson CountyRichardson County: 5.5 inhabitants per km²5.5Johnson CountyJohnson County: 5.4 inhabitants per km²5.4Burt CountyBurt County: 5.3 inhabitants per km²5.3Stanton CountyStanton County: 5.3 inhabitants per km²5.3Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 5.2 inhabitants per km²5.2Kearney CountyKearney County: 5 inhabitants per km²5Pierce CountyPierce County: 4.9 inhabitants per km²4.9Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 4.9 inhabitants per km²4.9Polk CountyPolk County: 4.6 inhabitants per km²4.6Dixon CountyDixon County: 4.5 inhabitants per km²4.5
inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020
inhabitants per km²
1Douglas County692.2
2Sarpy County310.1
3Lancaster County149
4Hall County44.3
5Dakota County31.5
6Dodge County27.1
7Madison County24
8Adams County21.4
9Washington County20.7
10Buffalo County20
11Platte County19.6
12Scotts Bluff County18.8
13Cass County18.4
14Seward County11.9
15Saunders County11.5
16Otoe County10
17Colfax County9.9
18Saline County9.9
19Gage County9.8
20York County9.5
21Dawson County9.2
22Wayne County8.5
23Nemaha County6.7
24Hamilton County6.7
25Thurston County6.6
26Phelps County6.4
27Cuming County6.1
28Merrick County6.1
29Red Willow County5.8
30Butler County5.5
31Richardson County5.5
32Johnson County5.4
33Burt County5.3
34Stanton County5.3
35Lincoln County5.2
36Kearney County5
37Pierce County4.9
38Jefferson County4.9
39Polk County4.6
40Dixon County4.5
41Howard County4.4
42Cedar County4.4
43Clay County4.1
44Box Butte County3.9
45Fillmore County3.7
46Thayer County3.4
47Cheyenne County3.1
48Keith County3
49Boone County3
50Nance County3
51Knox County2.9
52Antelope County2.8
53Valley County2.8
54Nuckolls County2.7
55Furnas County2.5
56Webster County2.3
57Pawnee County2.3
58Dawes County2.3
59Harlan County2.1
60Sherman County2
61Franklin County1.9
62Chase County1.7
63Holt County1.6
64Deuel County1.6
65Gosper County1.6
66Custer County1.6
67Greeley County1.5
68Hitchcock County1.4
69Kimball County1.4
70Boyd County1.3
71Perkins County1.3
72Morrill County1.2
73Garfield County1.2
74Frontier County1
75Brown County0.9
76Sheridan County0.8
77Dundy County0.7
78Wheeler County0.5
79Rock County0.5
80Logan County0.5
81Hayes County0.5
82Garden County0.4
83Loup County0.4
84Keya Paha County0.4
85Hooker County0.4
86Thomas County0.4
87Cherry County0.4
88Banner County0.4
89Grant County0.3
90Blaine County0.2
91Arthur County0.2
92Sioux County0.2
93McPherson County0.2

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population divided by land area in km². World Bank figures use mid-year population and land area excluding inland water.

United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July divided by land area (water excluded) from the latest Census Gazetteer files. US tables often give people per square mile; multiply persons per km² by 2.59 to compare.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Questions

Which county has the highest population density?

Douglas County, with 692.2 inhabitants per km² in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

McPherson County, with 0.2 inhabitants per km² in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Population density: other rankings

Counties in Nebraska: more rankings