Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in Nebraska

Counties in Nebraska by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Thurston County had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 93 counties in 2021, at 20.5%. Hamilton County had the lowest, at 2.6%. The median was 9.9% and the figure for Nebraska was 10.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest20.5Thurston County
Lowest2.6Hamilton County
Median9.993 counties
Nebraska10.3History

Map of counties, 2021

Adams County: 13.1 %Antelope County: 10.8 %Arthur County: 11.2 %Banner County: 3 %Blaine County: 8.7 %Boone County: 6.3 %Box Butte County: 12.4 %Boyd County: 10.6 %Brown County: 7.2 %Buffalo County: 12.1 %Burt County: 13.5 %Butler County: 8.2 %Cass County: 5.8 %Cedar County: 5.9 %Chase County: 8.1 %Cherry County: 7.8 %Cheyenne County: 11.6 %Clay County: 8.9 %Colfax County: 9.6 %Cuming County: 5.8 %Custer County: 12 %Dakota County: 11.8 %Dawes County: 13.9 %Dawson County: 12.2 %Deuel County: 8.1 %Dixon County: 10.8 %Dodge County: 11 %Douglas County: 10.7 %Dundy County: 13.7 %Fillmore County: 7.1 %Franklin County: 18.1 %Frontier County: 8.9 %Furnas County: 9.1 %Gage County: 13.8 %Garden County: 6.9 %Garfield County: 10.8 %Gosper County: 5 %Grant County: 15.8 %Greeley County: 13.5 %Hall County: 11.9 %Hamilton County: 2.6 %Harlan County: 7.3 %Hayes County: 13 %Hitchcock County: 10.5 %Holt County: 8.6 %Hooker County: 8.6 %Howard County: 6.4 %Jefferson County: 10.7 %Johnson County: 6.7 %Kearney County: 9.2 %Keith County: 13 %Keya Paha County: 6.1 %Kimball County: 11.9 %Knox County: 10.2 %Lancaster County: 12 %Lincoln County: 11 %Logan County: 8.6 %Loup County: 6.2 %McPherson County: 8 %Madison County: 12.1 %Merrick County: 11.1 %Morrill County: 7.5 %Nance County: 12.9 %Nemaha County: 13.7 %Nuckolls County: 6.2 %Otoe County: 12.2 %Pawnee County: 16.8 %Perkins County: 7.9 %Phelps County: 12.2 %Pierce County: 9.4 %Platte County: 7.2 %Polk County: 6.8 %Red Willow County: 11.4 %Richardson County: 11.1 %Rock County: 9.9 %Saline County: 12.8 %Sarpy County: 5.6 %Saunders County: 6.6 %Scotts Bluff County: 12 %Seward County: 7.1 %Sheridan County: 12.9 %Sherman County: 9.2 %Sioux County: 10.2 %Stanton County: 6.6 %Thayer County: 9.2 %Thomas County: 7.3 %Thurston County: 20.5 %Valley County: 9.1 %Washington County: 7.4 %Wayne County: 12.8 %Webster County: 8.6 %Wheeler County: 12.5 %York County: 8.2 %
  • Under 6.8
  • 6.8 to 8.2
  • 8.2 to 9.9
  • 9.9 to 11
  • 11 to 13
  • 13 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Thurston County: 20.5 %Thurston County20.5Franklin County: 18.1 %Franklin County18.1Pawnee County: 16.8 %Pawnee County16.8Grant County: 15.8 %Grant County15.8Dawes County: 13.9 %Dawes County13.9Gage County: 13.8 %Gage County13.8Dundy County: 13.7 %Dundy County13.7Nemaha County: 13.7 %Nemaha County13.7Greeley County: 13.5 %Greeley County13.5Burt County: 13.5 %Burt County13.5Adams County: 13.1 %Adams County13.1Hayes County: 13 %Hayes County13Keith County: 13 %Keith County13Sheridan County: 12.9 %Sheridan County12.9Nance County: 12.9 %Nance County12.9Wayne County: 12.8 %Wayne County12.8Saline County: 12.8 %Saline County12.8Wheeler County: 12.5 %Wheeler County12.5Box Butte County: 12.4 %Box Butte County12.4Phelps County: 12.2 %Phelps County12.2Dawson County: 12.2 %Dawson County12.2Otoe County: 12.2 %Otoe County12.2Buffalo County: 12.1 %Buffalo County12.1Madison County: 12.1 %Madison County12.1Custer County: 12 %Custer County12Lancaster County: 12 %Lancaster County12Scotts Bluff County: 12 %Scotts Bluff County12Hall County: 11.9 %Hall County11.9Kimball County: 11.9 %Kimball County11.9Dakota County: 11.8 %Dakota County11.8Cheyenne County: 11.6 %Cheyenne County11.6Red Willow County: 11.4 %Red Willow County11.4Arthur County: 11.2 %Arthur County11.2Richardson County: 11.1 %Richardson County11.1Merrick County: 11.1 %Merrick County11.1Dodge County: 11 %Dodge County11Lincoln County: 11 %Lincoln County11Antelope County: 10.8 %Antelope County10.8Dixon County: 10.8 %Dixon County10.8Garfield County: 10.8 %Garfield County10.8Thurston County: 20.5 %Thurston County20.5Franklin County: 18.1 %Franklin County18.1Pawnee County: 16.8 %Pawnee County16.8Grant County: 15.8 %Grant County15.8Dawes County: 13.9 %Dawes County13.9Gage County: 13.8 %Gage County13.8Dundy County: 13.7 %Dundy County13.7Nemaha County: 13.7 %Nemaha County13.7Greeley County: 13.5 %Greeley County13.5Burt County: 13.5 %Burt County13.5Adams County: 13.1 %Adams County13.1Hayes County: 13 %Hayes County13Keith County: 13 %Keith County13Sheridan County: 12.9 %Sheridan County12.9Nance County: 12.9 %Nance County12.9Wayne County: 12.8 %Wayne County12.8Saline County: 12.8 %Saline County12.8Wheeler County: 12.5 %Wheeler County12.5Box Butte County: 12.4 %Box Butte County12.4Phelps County: 12.2 %Phelps County12.2Dawson County: 12.2 %Dawson County12.2Otoe County: 12.2 %Otoe County12.2Buffalo County: 12.1 %Buffalo County12.1Madison County: 12.1 %Madison County12.1Custer County: 12 %Custer County12Lancaster County: 12 %Lancaster County12Scotts Bluff County: 12 %Scotts Bluff County12Hall County: 11.9 %Hall County11.9Kimball County: 11.9 %Kimball County11.9Dakota County: 11.8 %Dakota County11.8Cheyenne County: 11.6 %Cheyenne County11.6Red Willow County: 11.4 %Red Willow County11.4Arthur County: 11.2 %Arthur County11.2Richardson County: 11.1 %Richardson County11.1Merrick County: 11.1 %Merrick County11.1Dodge County: 11 %Dodge County11Lincoln County: 11 %Lincoln County11Antelope County: 10.8 %Antelope County10.8Dixon County: 10.8 %Dixon County10.8Garfield County: 10.8 %Garfield County10.8
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Thurston County20.5
2Franklin County18.1
3Pawnee County16.8
4Grant County15.8
5Dawes County13.9
6Gage County13.8
7Dundy County13.7
8Nemaha County13.7
9Greeley County13.5
10Burt County13.5
11Adams County13.1
12Hayes County13
13Keith County13
14Sheridan County12.9
15Nance County12.9
16Wayne County12.8
17Saline County12.8
18Wheeler County12.5
19Box Butte County12.4
20Phelps County12.2
21Dawson County12.2
21Otoe County12.2
23Buffalo County12.1
24Madison County12.1
25Custer County12
26Lancaster County12
27Scotts Bluff County12
28Hall County11.9
28Kimball County11.9
30Dakota County11.8
31Cheyenne County11.6
32Red Willow County11.4
33Arthur County11.2
34Richardson County11.1
35Merrick County11.1
36Dodge County11
37Lincoln County11
38Antelope County10.8
39Dixon County10.8
40Garfield County10.8
41Douglas County10.7
42Jefferson County10.7
43Boyd County10.6
44Hitchcock County10.5
45Knox County10.2
46Sioux County10.2
47Rock County9.9
48Colfax County9.6
49Pierce County9.4
50Kearney County9.2
51Sherman County9.2
52Thayer County9.2
53Furnas County9.1
54Valley County9.1
55Clay County8.9
56Frontier County8.9
57Blaine County8.7
58Holt County8.6
59Webster County8.6
60Hooker County8.6
61Logan County8.6
62Butler County8.2
63York County8.2
64Chase County8.1
64Deuel County8.1
66McPherson County8
67Perkins County7.9
68Cherry County7.8
69Morrill County7.5
70Washington County7.4
71Harlan County7.3
72Thomas County7.3
73Platte County7.2
74Brown County7.2
75Seward County7.1
76Fillmore County7.1
77Garden County6.9
78Polk County6.8
79Johnson County6.7
80Saunders County6.6
81Stanton County6.6
82Howard County6.4
83Boone County6.3
84Nuckolls County6.2
85Loup County6.2
86Keya Paha County6.1
87Cedar County5.9
88Cass County5.8
88Cuming County5.8
90Sarpy County5.6
91Gosper County5
92Banner County3
93Hamilton County2.6

Other periods

About this ranking

People with income in the past 12 months below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status is determined. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The headline single-year rate for states and counties is poverty_rate (SAIPE). Poverty status is not determined for people in institutions, military group quarters or college dormitories, or for unrelated children under 15. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

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. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Nebraska by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Nebraska by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/nebraska-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Nebraska by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/nebraska-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Nebraska by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/nebraska-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_nebraska_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Nebraska by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/nebraska-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Nebraska by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/nebraska-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/nebraska-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Thurston County, with 20.5% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Hamilton County, with 2.6% 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, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in Nebraska: more rankings