Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Nebraska

Counties in Nebraska by population density

Douglas County had the highest population density of 93 counties in 2023, at 701.8 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 10 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest701.8Douglas County
Lowest0.2McPherson County
Median3.193 counties
Nebraska10History

Top 40 counties, 2023

CSVChart (SVG)

Douglas CountyDouglas County: 701.8 inhabitants per km²701.8Sarpy CountySarpy County: 324.8 inhabitants per km²324.8Lancaster CountyLancaster County: 151.3 inhabitants per km²151.3Hall CountyHall County: 44.7 inhabitants per km²44.7Dakota CountyDakota County: 31.1 inhabitants per km²31.1Dodge CountyDodge County: 27.4 inhabitants per km²27.4Madison CountyMadison County: 24.2 inhabitants per km²24.2Adams CountyAdams County: 21.2 inhabitants per km²21.2Washington CountyWashington County: 21 inhabitants per km²21Buffalo CountyBuffalo County: 20.2 inhabitants per km²20.2Platte CountyPlatte County: 20.2 inhabitants per km²20.2Cass CountyCass County: 19 inhabitants per km²19Scotts Bluff CountyScotts Bluff County: 18.6 inhabitants per km²18.6Saunders CountySaunders County: 12.1 inhabitants per km²12.1Seward CountySeward County: 12 inhabitants per km²12Otoe CountyOtoe County: 10.3 inhabitants per km²10.3Colfax CountyColfax County: 10.1 inhabitants per km²10.1Saline CountySaline County: 9.9 inhabitants per km²9.9Gage CountyGage County: 9.8 inhabitants per km²9.8York CountyYork County: 9.7 inhabitants per km²9.7Dawson CountyDawson County: 9.3 inhabitants per km²9.3Wayne CountyWayne County: 8.7 inhabitants per km²8.7Hamilton CountyHamilton County: 6.8 inhabitants per km²6.8Nemaha CountyNemaha County: 6.7 inhabitants per km²6.7Phelps CountyPhelps County: 6.5 inhabitants per km²6.5Thurston CountyThurston County: 6.4 inhabitants per km²6.4Merrick CountyMerrick County: 6.1 inhabitants per km²6.1Cuming CountyCuming County: 6 inhabitants per km²6Red 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: 5.3 inhabitants per km²5.3Stanton CountyStanton County: 5.3 inhabitants per km²5.3Burt CountyBurt County: 5.3 inhabitants per km²5.3Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 5 inhabitants per km²5Kearney CountyKearney County: 5 inhabitants per km²5Pierce CountyPierce County: 4.9 inhabitants per km²4.9Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 4.8 inhabitants per km²4.8Polk 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

RankCounties2023
inhabitants per km²		Change on 2022
1Douglas County701.8+0.9%
2Sarpy County324.8+1.9%
3Lancaster County151.3+0.9%
4Hall County44.7+1.2%
5Dakota County31.1+0.4%
6Dodge County27.4+0.9%
7Madison County24.2+1%
8Adams County21.2-0.3%
9Washington County21+0.1%
10Buffalo County20.2+0.4%
11Platte County20.2+1.9%
12Cass County19+1.1%
13Scotts Bluff County18.6-0.2%
14Saunders County12.1+1.5%
15Seward County12+0.4%
16Otoe County10.3+1.2%
17Colfax County10.1+0.9%
18Saline County9.9+0.6%
19Gage County9.8+0.4%
20York County9.7+0.7%
21Dawson County9.3+1.6%
22Wayne County8.7-0.1%
23Hamilton County6.8+1.2%
24Nemaha County6.7+0.9%
25Phelps County6.5+1.1%
26Thurston County6.4+0.2%
27Merrick County6.1+0.8%
28Cuming County6-0.5%
29Red Willow County5.7-0.5%
30Butler County5.6+0.2%
31Richardson County5.4-0.8%
32Johnson County5.3-1.1%
33Stanton County5.3+1.6%
34Burt County5.3-1%
35Lincoln County5-0.5%
36Kearney County5+0.7%
37Pierce County4.9-0.2%
38Jefferson County4.8-0.9%
39Polk County4.6-0.4%
40Dixon County4.50%
41Howard County4.4+0.3%
42Cedar County4.3-1.1%
43Clay County4.1+1.5%
44Box Butte County3.8+0.4%
45Fillmore County3.7-0%
46Thayer County3.3-0.2%
47Cheyenne County3.1+0.2%
48Boone County3-0.7%
49Keith County3-0.5%
50Knox County2.9+0.3%
51Nance County2.9-1.3%
52Antelope County2.8+0.1%
53Nuckolls County2.8+0.6%
54Valley County2.7-0.7%
55Furnas County2.4-0.5%
56Dawes County2.3-1.2%
57Webster County2.2+0.1%
58Pawnee County2.2-1.2%
59Harlan County2.1+0.8%
60Sherman County2-0.8%
61Franklin County1.9+0.1%
62Deuel County1.6-1.8%
63Holt County1.6+0.8%
64Chase County1.6-0.6%
65Custer County1.6+1%
66Gosper County1.6+0.6%
67Greeley County1.5-1.1%
68Hitchcock County1.4-2%
69Kimball County1.3-0.8%
70Boyd County1.3+0.6%
71Perkins County1.2-1.4%
72Morrill County1.2-0.2%
73Garfield County1.2-1.4%
74Frontier County1-0.7%
75Brown County0.9-1%
76Sheridan County0.8-1.5%
77Dundy County0.7-2.8%
78Wheeler County0.5-0.6%
79Rock County0.5+2.1%
80Hayes County0.5-2.6%
81Logan County0.4-4.7%
82Garden County0.4-1.4%
83Loup County0.4-1.9%
84Keya Paha County0.40%
85Thomas County0.4+1.9%
86Hooker County0.40%
87Cherry County0.4+0.6%
88Banner County0.3+1.8%
89Grant County0.3-3.4%
90Blaine County0.2-2.5%
91Sioux County0.2+2.8%
92Arthur County0.2-3.5%
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 701.8 inhabitants per km² in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

McPherson County, with 0.2 inhabitants per km² in 2023.

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