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

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

Thurston County had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 93 counties in 2021, at 11.3%. Wheeler County had the lowest, at 0%. The median was 2.4% and the figure for Nebraska was 3.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest11.3Thurston County
Lowest0Wheeler County
Median2.493 counties
Nebraska3.3History

Map of counties, 2021

Adams County: 2.4 %Antelope County: 2.8 %Arthur County: 0.4 %Banner County: 1.6 %Blaine County: 1.4 %Boone County: 1 %Box Butte County: 3.8 %Boyd County: 1.5 %Brown County: 0.6 %Buffalo County: 2.7 %Burt County: 4.2 %Butler County: 1.1 %Cass County: 2.8 %Cedar County: 2.2 %Chase County: 3.1 %Cherry County: 0.2 %Cheyenne County: 2.8 %Clay County: 3 %Colfax County: 1 %Cuming County: 3.1 %Custer County: 1.9 %Dakota County: 2.1 %Dawes County: 2.3 %Dawson County: 3.4 %Deuel County: 4.5 %Dixon County: 2.5 %Dodge County: 4.8 %Douglas County: 4.1 %Dundy County: 1 %Fillmore County: 1.1 %Franklin County: 1 %Frontier County: 5.1 %Furnas County: 1.3 %Gage County: 2.1 %Garden County: 3 %Garfield County: 0 %Gosper County: 1.8 %Grant County: 0.3 %Greeley County: 1.9 %Hall County: 3.2 %Hamilton County: 4.5 %Harlan County: 2.2 %Hayes County: 0.5 %Hitchcock County: 1.9 %Holt County: 1.2 %Hooker County: 1.8 %Howard County: 5.5 %Jefferson County: 1.7 %Johnson County: 2 %Kearney County: 1.7 %Keith County: 2.7 %Keya Paha County: 0 %Kimball County: 4.4 %Knox County: 4.1 %Lancaster County: 3.3 %Lincoln County: 3.5 %Logan County: 0.9 %Loup County: 0 %McPherson County: 0 %Madison County: 3.1 %Merrick County: 1.2 %Morrill County: 5.7 %Nance County: 4.3 %Nemaha County: 5.6 %Nuckolls County: 2 %Otoe County: 3.3 %Pawnee County: 3.1 %Perkins County: 1.1 %Phelps County: 0.7 %Pierce County: 2.9 %Platte County: 2 %Polk County: 2.7 %Red Willow County: 4.7 %Richardson County: 3.9 %Rock County: 1.3 %Saline County: 2.7 %Sarpy County: 2.8 %Saunders County: 2.4 %Scotts Bluff County: 3.5 %Seward County: 2.6 %Sheridan County: 1.6 %Sherman County: 3.4 %Sioux County: 3.1 %Stanton County: 1 %Thayer County: 2.7 %Thomas County: 0 %Thurston County: 11.3 %Valley County: 0.6 %Washington County: 2.3 %Wayne County: 2.6 %Webster County: 2.6 %Wheeler County: 0 %York County: 3.8 %
  • Under 1
  • 1 to 1.7
  • 1.7 to 2.4
  • 2.4 to 2.9
  • 2.9 to 3.8
  • 3.8 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: 11.3 %Thurston County11.3Morrill County: 5.7 %Morrill County5.7Nemaha County: 5.6 %Nemaha County5.6Howard County: 5.5 %Howard County5.5Frontier County: 5.1 %Frontier County5.1Dodge County: 4.8 %Dodge County4.8Red Willow County: 4.7 %Red Willow County4.7Hamilton County: 4.5 %Hamilton County4.5Deuel County: 4.5 %Deuel County4.5Kimball County: 4.4 %Kimball County4.4Nance County: 4.3 %Nance County4.3Burt County: 4.2 %Burt County4.2Knox County: 4.1 %Knox County4.1Douglas County: 4.1 %Douglas County4.1Richardson County: 3.9 %Richardson County3.9York County: 3.8 %York County3.8Box Butte County: 3.8 %Box Butte County3.8Lincoln County: 3.5 %Lincoln County3.5Scotts Bluff County: 3.5 %Scotts Bluff County3.5Dawson County: 3.4 %Dawson County3.4Sherman County: 3.4 %Sherman County3.4Otoe County: 3.3 %Otoe County3.3Lancaster County: 3.3 %Lancaster County3.3Hall County: 3.2 %Hall County3.2Sioux County: 3.1 %Sioux County3.1Chase County: 3.1 %Chase County3.1Pawnee County: 3.1 %Pawnee County3.1Madison County: 3.1 %Madison County3.1Cuming County: 3.1 %Cuming County3.1Clay County: 3 %Clay County3Garden County: 3 %Garden County3Pierce County: 2.9 %Pierce County2.9Cass County: 2.8 %Cass County2.8Sarpy County: 2.8 %Sarpy County2.8Cheyenne County: 2.8 %Cheyenne County2.8Antelope County: 2.8 %Antelope County2.8Polk County: 2.7 %Polk County2.7Thayer County: 2.7 %Thayer County2.7Saline County: 2.7 %Saline County2.7Buffalo County: 2.7 %Buffalo County2.7Thurston County: 11.3 %Thurston County11.3Morrill County: 5.7 %Morrill County5.7Nemaha County: 5.6 %Nemaha County5.6Howard County: 5.5 %Howard County5.5Frontier County: 5.1 %Frontier County5.1Dodge County: 4.8 %Dodge County4.8Red Willow County: 4.7 %Red Willow County4.7Hamilton County: 4.5 %Hamilton County4.5Deuel County: 4.5 %Deuel County4.5Kimball County: 4.4 %Kimball County4.4Nance County: 4.3 %Nance County4.3Burt County: 4.2 %Burt County4.2Knox County: 4.1 %Knox County4.1Douglas County: 4.1 %Douglas County4.1Richardson County: 3.9 %Richardson County3.9York County: 3.8 %York County3.8Box Butte County: 3.8 %Box Butte County3.8Lincoln County: 3.5 %Lincoln County3.5Scotts Bluff County: 3.5 %Scotts Bluff County3.5Dawson County: 3.4 %Dawson County3.4Sherman County: 3.4 %Sherman County3.4Otoe County: 3.3 %Otoe County3.3Lancaster County: 3.3 %Lancaster County3.3Hall County: 3.2 %Hall County3.2Sioux County: 3.1 %Sioux County3.1Chase County: 3.1 %Chase County3.1Pawnee County: 3.1 %Pawnee County3.1Madison County: 3.1 %Madison County3.1Cuming County: 3.1 %Cuming County3.1Clay County: 3 %Clay County3Garden County: 3 %Garden County3Pierce County: 2.9 %Pierce County2.9Cass County: 2.8 %Cass County2.8Sarpy County: 2.8 %Sarpy County2.8Cheyenne County: 2.8 %Cheyenne County2.8Antelope County: 2.8 %Antelope County2.8Polk County: 2.7 %Polk County2.7Thayer County: 2.7 %Thayer County2.7Saline County: 2.7 %Saline County2.7Buffalo County: 2.7 %Buffalo County2.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Thurston County11.3
2Morrill County5.7
3Nemaha County5.6
4Howard County5.5
5Frontier County5.1
6Dodge County4.8
7Red Willow County4.7
8Hamilton County4.5
9Deuel County4.5
10Kimball County4.4
11Nance County4.3
12Burt County4.2
13Knox County4.1
14Douglas County4.1
15Richardson County3.9
16York County3.8
17Box Butte County3.8
18Lincoln County3.5
19Scotts Bluff County3.5
20Dawson County3.4
21Sherman County3.4
22Otoe County3.3
23Lancaster County3.3
24Hall County3.2
25Sioux County3.1
26Chase County3.1
27Pawnee County3.1
28Madison County3.1
29Cuming County3.1
30Clay County3
31Garden County3
32Pierce County2.9
33Cass County2.8
34Sarpy County2.8
35Cheyenne County2.8
36Antelope County2.8
37Polk County2.7
38Thayer County2.7
39Saline County2.7
40Buffalo County2.7
41Keith County2.7
42Seward County2.6
42Wayne County2.6
44Webster County2.6
45Dixon County2.5
46Saunders County2.4
47Adams County2.4
48Washington County2.3
49Dawes County2.3
50Cedar County2.2
51Harlan County2.2
52Gage County2.1
53Dakota County2.1
54Johnson County2
55Nuckolls County2
55Platte County2
57Custer County1.9
58Greeley County1.9
58Hitchcock County1.9
60Hooker County1.8
61Gosper County1.8
62Jefferson County1.7
63Kearney County1.7
64Sheridan County1.6
65Banner County1.6
66Boyd County1.5
67Blaine County1.4
68Rock County1.3
69Furnas County1.3
70Merrick County1.2
71Holt County1.2
72Butler County1.1
73Fillmore County1.1
74Perkins County1.1
75Stanton County1
76Franklin County1
77Colfax County1
78Dundy County1
79Boone County1
80Logan County0.9
81Phelps County0.7
82Brown County0.6
83Valley County0.6
84Hayes County0.5
85Arthur County0.4
86Grant County0.3
87Cherry County0.2
88Garfield County0
88Keya Paha County0
88Loup County0
88McPherson County0
88Thomas County0
88Wheeler County0

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed civilians aged 16 and over as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

An average over five years of survey responses, so it moves slowly. The official monthly and annual rates for states and counties are unemployment_rate, from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

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 B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.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 B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Nebraska by unemployment 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-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Nebraska by unemployment 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-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-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 B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Nebraska by unemployment 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-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/nebraska-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Nebraska by unemployment 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-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-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 B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Nebraska by unemployment 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-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/nebraska-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Nebraska by unemployment 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-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/nebraska-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/nebraska-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Thurston County, with 11.3% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Wheeler County, with 0% 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 B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Counties in Nebraska: more rankings