Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Nebraska

Counties in Nebraska by population density

Douglas County had the highest population density of 93 counties in 2022, at 695.2 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.

Highest695.2Douglas County
Lowest0.2McPherson County
Median3.193 counties
Nebraska9.9History

Top 40 counties, 2022

CSVChart (SVG)

Douglas CountyDouglas County: 695.2 inhabitants per km²695.2Sarpy CountySarpy County: 318.9 inhabitants per km²318.9Lancaster CountyLancaster County: 149.9 inhabitants per km²149.9Hall CountyHall County: 44.2 inhabitants per km²44.2Dakota CountyDakota County: 31 inhabitants per km²31Dodge CountyDodge County: 27.2 inhabitants per km²27.2Madison CountyMadison County: 23.9 inhabitants per km²23.9Adams CountyAdams County: 21.3 inhabitants per km²21.3Washington CountyWashington County: 21 inhabitants per km²21Buffalo CountyBuffalo County: 20.2 inhabitants per km²20.2Platte CountyPlatte County: 19.8 inhabitants per km²19.8Cass CountyCass County: 18.8 inhabitants per km²18.8Scotts Bluff CountyScotts Bluff County: 18.7 inhabitants per km²18.7Saunders CountySaunders County: 11.9 inhabitants per km²11.9Seward CountySeward County: 11.9 inhabitants per km²11.9Otoe CountyOtoe County: 10.2 inhabitants per km²10.2Colfax CountyColfax County: 10 inhabitants per km²10Saline CountySaline County: 9.9 inhabitants per km²9.9Gage CountyGage County: 9.8 inhabitants per km²9.8York CountyYork County: 9.6 inhabitants per km²9.6Dawson CountyDawson County: 9.2 inhabitants per km²9.2Wayne CountyWayne County: 8.7 inhabitants per km²8.7Hamilton CountyHamilton County: 6.7 inhabitants per km²6.7Nemaha CountyNemaha County: 6.7 inhabitants per km²6.7Phelps CountyPhelps County: 6.4 inhabitants per km²6.4Thurston CountyThurston County: 6.4 inhabitants per km²6.4Merrick CountyMerrick County: 6.1 inhabitants per km²6.1Cuming CountyCuming County: 6.1 inhabitants per km²6.1Red Willow CountyRed Willow County: 5.7 inhabitants per km²5.7Butler CountyButler County: 5.6 inhabitants per km²5.6Richardson CountyRichardson County: 5.4 inhabitants per km²5.4Johnson CountyJohnson County: 5.4 inhabitants per km²5.4Burt CountyBurt County: 5.3 inhabitants per km²5.3Stanton CountyStanton County: 5.2 inhabitants per km²5.2Lincoln 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

RankCounties2022
inhabitants per km²		Change on 2021
1Douglas County695.2+0.4%
2Sarpy County318.9+1.4%
3Lancaster County149.9+0.5%
4Hall County44.2+0.8%
5Dakota County31-0.2%
6Dodge County27.2+0.2%
7Madison County23.9+0.2%
8Adams County21.3+0.1%
9Washington County21+0.8%
10Buffalo County20.2+0.4%
11Platte County19.8+0.8%
12Cass County18.8+0.3%
13Scotts Bluff County18.7-0.3%
14Saunders County11.9+1.4%
15Seward County11.9+0.4%
16Otoe County10.2+1.3%
17Colfax County10+1.3%
18Saline County9.9+1.1%
19Gage County9.8-0.4%
20York County9.6+0.6%
21Dawson County9.2+0.6%
22Wayne County8.7+0.6%
23Hamilton County6.7+0.6%
24Nemaha County6.7+0.3%
25Phelps County6.4+0.9%
26Thurston County6.4-1.6%
27Merrick County6.1+0.5%
28Cuming County6.1-0.3%
29Red Willow County5.7-0.7%
30Butler County5.6-0.2%
31Richardson County5.4-0.7%
32Johnson County5.4-1%
33Burt County5.3+1%
34Stanton County5.2-1.3%
35Lincoln County5.1-1.3%
36Kearney County50%
37Pierce County4.9-0.1%
38Jefferson County4.9-0%
39Polk County4.6+0.8%
40Dixon County4.50%
41Howard County4.4-0.1%
42Cedar County4.4+0.3%
43Clay County4.10%
44Box Butte County3.80%
45Fillmore County3.7-0.3%
46Thayer County3.3-0.5%
47Cheyenne County3.1+0.1%
48Boone County3-0.3%
49Keith County3-0.6%
50Nance County2.9-1.7%
51Knox County2.9-0.9%
52Antelope County2.8-0%
53Valley County2.80%
54Nuckolls County2.7+0.1%
55Furnas County2.5-0.7%
56Dawes County2.3+1.3%
57Pawnee County2.3-0.3%
58Webster County2.2-1.6%
59Harlan County2.1-2.3%
60Sherman County2.1+1.1%
61Franklin County1.9-1.7%
62Deuel County1.7+2.6%
63Chase County1.6-1.6%
64Holt County1.6-0.1%
65Custer County1.6+0.1%
66Gosper County1.5+0.2%
67Greeley County1.5+2.5%
68Hitchcock County1.4+0.4%
69Kimball County1.4-2%
70Boyd County1.2-2.6%
71Perkins County1.2+0.8%
72Morrill County1.2-1%
73Garfield County1.2-2.7%
74Frontier County1+3.2%
75Brown County0.9-1%
76Sheridan County0.8-1.5%
77Dundy County0.7-1.5%
78Wheeler County0.50%
79Rock County0.5-3.1%
80Hayes County0.5+2%
80Logan County0.5+0.4%
82Garden County0.4-0.2%
83Loup County0.4-0.5%
84Keya Paha County0.4+0.5%
85Hooker County0.4-7.6%
86Thomas County0.4-1.6%
87Cherry County0.4+0.8%
88Banner County0.3-4.8%
89Grant County0.3+1.7%
90Blaine County0.2-4%
91Arthur County0.2-1.7%
92Sioux County0.2+0.9%
93McPherson County0.2-1.8%

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 695.2 inhabitants per km² in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

McPherson County, with 0.2 inhabitants per km² in 2022.

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