Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Nebraska

Counties in Nebraska by population density

Douglas County had the highest population density of 93 counties in 2024, at 710.5 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 10.1 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest710.5Douglas County
Lowest0.2McPherson County
Median3.193 counties
Nebraska10.1History

Top 40 counties, 2024

CSVChart (SVG)

Douglas CountyDouglas County: 710.5 inhabitants per km²710.5Sarpy CountySarpy County: 331.8 inhabitants per km²331.8Lancaster CountyLancaster County: 152.7 inhabitants per km²152.7Hall CountyHall County: 45.1 inhabitants per km²45.1Dakota CountyDakota County: 31.4 inhabitants per km²31.4Dodge CountyDodge County: 27.7 inhabitants per km²27.7Madison CountyMadison County: 24.1 inhabitants per km²24.1Adams CountyAdams County: 21.4 inhabitants per km²21.4Washington CountyWashington County: 21.1 inhabitants per km²21.1Platte CountyPlatte County: 20.4 inhabitants per km²20.4Buffalo CountyBuffalo County: 20.4 inhabitants per km²20.4Cass CountyCass County: 19.1 inhabitants per km²19.1Scotts Bluff CountyScotts Bluff County: 18.6 inhabitants per km²18.6Saunders CountySaunders County: 12.1 inhabitants per km²12.1Seward CountySeward County: 12.1 inhabitants per km²12.1Otoe CountyOtoe County: 10.3 inhabitants per km²10.3Colfax CountyColfax County: 10.2 inhabitants per km²10.2Saline CountySaline County: 10.1 inhabitants per km²10.1Gage 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: 8.6 inhabitants per km²8.6Hamilton CountyHamilton County: 6.9 inhabitants per km²6.9Nemaha CountyNemaha County: 6.7 inhabitants per km²6.7Thurston CountyThurston County: 6.5 inhabitants per km²6.5Phelps CountyPhelps County: 6.5 inhabitants per km²6.5Merrick CountyMerrick County: 6.2 inhabitants per km²6.2Cuming CountyCuming County: 6 inhabitants per km²6Red Willow CountyRed Willow County: 5.6 inhabitants per km²5.6Butler CountyButler County: 5.6 inhabitants per km²5.6Johnson CountyJohnson County: 5.3 inhabitants per km²5.3Richardson CountyRichardson County: 5.3 inhabitants per km²5.3Burt CountyBurt County: 5.3 inhabitants per km²5.3Stanton CountyStanton County: 5.2 inhabitants per km²5.2Kearney CountyKearney County: 5.1 inhabitants per km²5.1Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 5 inhabitants per km²5Pierce CountyPierce County: 5 inhabitants per km²5Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 4.8 inhabitants per km²4.8Polk CountyPolk County: 4.7 inhabitants per km²4.7Dixon 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

RankCounties2024
inhabitants per km²		Change on 2023
1Douglas County710.5+1.2%
2Sarpy County331.8+2.1%
3Lancaster County152.7+1%
4Hall County45.1+0.9%
5Dakota County31.4+0.9%
6Dodge County27.7+1.1%
7Madison County24.1-0.1%
8Adams County21.4+1%
9Washington County21.1+0.4%
10Platte County20.4+1.2%
11Buffalo County20.4+0.8%
12Cass County19.1+0.1%
13Scotts Bluff County18.6-0.1%
14Saunders County12.1-0.2%
15Seward County12.1+1%
16Otoe County10.3+0.3%
17Colfax County10.2+1.8%
18Saline County10.1+1.3%
19Gage County9.8+0.2%
20York County9.7+0.2%
21Dawson County9.3+0.3%
22Wayne County8.6-0.3%
23Hamilton County6.9+0.8%
24Nemaha County6.7+0.2%
25Thurston County6.5+1.7%
26Phelps County6.5-0.8%
27Merrick County6.2+1.1%
28Cuming County6-0.2%
29Red Willow County5.6-0.8%
30Butler County5.6+0.2%
31Johnson County5.3-0.1%
32Richardson County5.3-1.1%
33Burt County5.3+0.2%
34Stanton County5.2-1.1%
35Kearney County5.1+0.5%
36Lincoln County5-0.6%
37Pierce County5+0.7%
38Jefferson County4.8+0.8%
39Polk County4.7+1.5%
40Dixon County4.5+0.4%
41Howard County4.4-0.2%
42Cedar County4.4+1%
43Clay County4.1-0.4%
44Box Butte County3.8-0.4%
45Fillmore County3.7-1.1%
46Thayer County3.3+0.4%
47Cheyenne County3.1+0.2%
48Boone County3+1.1%
49Keith County3-0%
50Knox County2.9+0.3%
51Nance County2.9+0.3%
52Antelope County2.9+1%
53Valley County2.8+0.8%
54Nuckolls County2.8-0.1%
55Furnas County2.4-1.7%
56Pawnee County2.3+0.8%
57Webster County2.2-0.5%
58Dawes County2.2-1.6%
59Harlan County2.1-1.1%
60Sherman County2-1%
61Franklin County1.9-0.3%
62Deuel County1.6+0.1%
63Holt County1.6-0.6%
64Chase County1.6-0.8%
65Custer County1.6-0.8%
66Gosper County1.5-1%
67Greeley County1.5-1.5%
68Hitchcock County1.4-3.1%
69Kimball County1.3-0.4%
70Boyd County1.2-1.7%
71Perkins County1.2+0.2%
72Morrill County1.2-1.4%
73Garfield County1.2-3.4%
74Frontier County1-0.4%
75Brown County0.9-0.9%
76Sheridan County0.8-0.6%
77Dundy County0.7+0.6%
78Wheeler County0.5+1.7%
79Rock County0.5-0.2%
80Logan County0.5+4.5%
81Hayes County0.5+0.4%
82Garden County0.40%
83Keya Paha County0.4+1%
84Loup County0.4-0.2%
85Hooker County0.4+3%
86Cherry County0.4+0.8%
87Thomas County0.4-4.1%
88Banner County0.3+0.3%
89Grant County0.3-0.7%
90Blaine County0.2+5.1%
91Arthur County0.2+1.4%
91Sioux County0.2+0.4%
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 710.5 inhabitants per km² in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

McPherson County, with 0.2 inhabitants per km² in 2024.

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