Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Nebraska

Counties in Nebraska by population density

Douglas County had the highest population density of 93 counties in 2021, at 692.4 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.

Highest692.4Douglas County
Lowest0.2McPherson County
Median3.193 counties
Nebraska9.9History

Top 40 counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Douglas CountyDouglas County: 692.4 inhabitants per km²692.4Sarpy CountySarpy County: 314.6 inhabitants per km²314.6Lancaster CountyLancaster County: 149.1 inhabitants per km²149.1Hall CountyHall County: 43.9 inhabitants per km²43.9Dakota CountyDakota County: 31.1 inhabitants per km²31.1Dodge CountyDodge County: 27.1 inhabitants per km²27.1Madison CountyMadison County: 23.9 inhabitants per km²23.9Adams CountyAdams County: 21.2 inhabitants per km²21.2Washington CountyWashington County: 20.8 inhabitants per km²20.8Buffalo CountyBuffalo County: 20.1 inhabitants per km²20.1Platte CountyPlatte County: 19.6 inhabitants per km²19.6Cass CountyCass County: 18.8 inhabitants per km²18.8Scotts Bluff CountyScotts Bluff County: 18.7 inhabitants per km²18.7Seward CountySeward County: 11.9 inhabitants per km²11.9Saunders CountySaunders County: 11.8 inhabitants per km²11.8Otoe CountyOtoe County: 10.1 inhabitants per km²10.1Colfax CountyColfax County: 9.8 inhabitants per km²9.8Gage CountyGage County: 9.8 inhabitants per km²9.8Saline CountySaline County: 9.8 inhabitants per km²9.8York CountyYork County: 9.6 inhabitants per km²9.6Dawson CountyDawson County: 9.1 inhabitants per km²9.1Wayne CountyWayne County: 8.6 inhabitants per km²8.6Hamilton CountyHamilton County: 6.7 inhabitants per km²6.7Nemaha CountyNemaha County: 6.6 inhabitants per km²6.6Thurston CountyThurston County: 6.5 inhabitants per km²6.5Phelps 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: 5.7 inhabitants per km²5.7Butler CountyButler County: 5.6 inhabitants per km²5.6Johnson CountyJohnson County: 5.5 inhabitants per km²5.5Richardson CountyRichardson County: 5.5 inhabitants per km²5.5Burt CountyBurt County: 5.3 inhabitants per km²5.3Stanton CountyStanton County: 5.3 inhabitants per km²5.3Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 5.1 inhabitants per km²5.1Kearney 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

RankCounties2021
inhabitants per km²		Change on 2020
1Douglas County692.40%
2Sarpy County314.6+1.4%
3Lancaster County149.1+0.1%
4Hall County43.9-1.1%
5Dakota County31.1-1.3%
6Dodge County27.1+0.1%
7Madison County23.9-0.4%
8Adams County21.2-0.6%
9Washington County20.8+0.3%
10Buffalo County20.1+0.3%
11Platte County19.60%
12Cass County18.8+1.8%
13Scotts Bluff County18.7-0.4%
14Seward County11.9-0.4%
15Saunders County11.8+2.1%
16Otoe County10.1+0.8%
17Colfax County9.8-0.7%
18Gage County9.8-0.1%
19Saline County9.8-1.3%
20York County9.6+0.9%
21Dawson County9.1-0.6%
22Wayne County8.6+1.8%
23Hamilton County6.7-0.1%
24Nemaha County6.6-1.2%
25Thurston County6.5-2.4%
26Phelps County6.4-0.6%
27Cuming County6.1-0.2%
28Merrick County6.1+0.1%
29Red Willow County5.7-0.6%
30Butler County5.6+1.1%
31Johnson County5.5+0.4%
32Richardson County5.5-0.9%
33Burt County5.3-0.2%
34Stanton County5.3+0.1%
35Lincoln County5.1-1.3%
36Kearney County5-0%
37Pierce County4.9-0.3%
38Jefferson County4.9-1.3%
39Polk County4.6-0.5%
40Dixon County4.5-0.5%
41Howard County4.4+0.7%
42Cedar County4.3-0.6%
43Clay County4.1-0.9%
44Box Butte County3.8-1.5%
45Fillmore County3.7-0.4%
46Thayer County3.3-2.6%
47Cheyenne County3.1+0.1%
48Boone County3+0.4%
49Keith County3-0.8%
50Nance County3-0.5%
51Knox County2.9+0.2%
52Antelope County2.8+0.2%
53Valley County2.8+0.1%
54Nuckolls County2.7-0.5%
55Furnas County2.5-0.4%
56Webster County2.3+0.1%
57Pawnee County2.3-0%
58Dawes County2.3-0.1%
59Harlan County2.2+1.3%
60Sherman County2+0.4%
61Franklin County1.9-0.3%
62Chase County1.7-1.6%
63Deuel County1.6+0.8%
64Holt County1.6-0.4%
65Custer County1.60%
66Gosper County1.5-3.4%
67Greeley County1.5+0.1%
68Hitchcock County1.4-0.7%
69Kimball County1.4-0.1%
70Boyd County1.3-1.5%
71Garfield County1.2+1.5%
72Morrill County1.2+0.2%
73Perkins County1.2-1.5%
74Frontier County1+1.8%
75Brown County0.9+0.7%
76Sheridan County0.8-0.4%
77Dundy County0.7-1.4%
78Wheeler County0.5+1.3%
79Rock County0.5+0.6%
80Logan County0.5-4.1%
81Hayes County0.5-0.9%
82Garden County0.4-2.6%
83Loup County0.4-0.7%
84Keya Paha County0.4+4.7%
85Hooker County0.4+4%
86Thomas County0.4+0.5%
87Banner County0.4+1.7%
88Cherry County0.4-0.3%
89Grant County0.3-5.6%
90Blaine County0.3+8.6%
91Arthur County0.2+0.9%
92Sioux County0.2+0.9%
93McPherson County0.2-3.9%

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 692.4 inhabitants per km² in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

McPherson County, with 0.2 inhabitants per km² in 2021.

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