Nebraska

Nebraska by the Numbers:
Key Statistical Data and Facts

Key Details

• Nebraska has a population of 1,967,923.
• Nebraska's racial demographics consist of 87.7% white, 5.3% black or African American, and 2.8% Asian.
• As of 2023, Republicans control Nebraska's three arms of government.
• 91.7% of Nebraskans over 25 are high school graduates, and 32.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher.
• Nebraska has 27 public and private higher education institutions.
• The unemployment rate in Nebraska is 2.0%, lower than the national average.
• Nebraska's median household income is $66,644.
• The life expectancy in Nebraska is 77.8 years, with heart disease as the leading cause of death.
• Nebraska has relatively low crime rates compared to national averages, with property crimes being more common than violent crimes.

Nebraska Population Demographics

Situated in the midwestern United States, Nebraska (affectionately known as the Cornhusker State) is home to 1,967,923 residents. According to estimates by the U.S Census Bureau Data, as of 2022, almost a quarter (24.6%) of its residents are under 18 years, while 6.4% are estimated to be kids under five years old.

Males and females are almost evenly split, making up 50.3% and 49.7% of the population. In addition, 59% of the population comprises persons over 18 years and under 65.

Six other states border Nebraska. These are South Dakota to the north, Kansas to the south, Wyoming to the west, and Iowa to the east. Colorado and Missouri also border Nebraska in the southwest and southeast.

Nebraska Housing

854,328 housing

As of 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau Data estimates that Nebraska has roughly 854,328 housing units with 766,887 households and approximately 2.48 persons per household.

$174,100

Between 2017 and 2021, the median value of owner-occupied units in Nebraska was $174,100.

$1,483

The median monthly owner cost with a mortgage was $1,483, and without one was $568.

$909

In comparison, the median monthly rent in Nebraska was $909.

66.8%

During the period, 66.8% of housing units were occupied by owners.

85.2%

In addition, 85.2% of occupants had lived in the same place for over a year.

Nebraska Racial Demographics

Elections in Nebraska

Nebraska is considered a predominantly Republican state. Of the six governors elected between 1987 and 2022, only one Governor, Ben Nelson (January 1991- January 1999), was Democratic.

As of 2023, Nebraska’s three arms of government are controlled by the Republican party. Nebraska’s governor's office, Senate representation, and all three House of Representative seats are held by Republicans.

Governor Pillen serves as the 41st Governor of Nebraska. He took over from another Republican Governor, Pete Ricketts, who completed two full terms in office.

Two Republicans, Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts represent Nebraska in the U.S. Senate . Pete Ricketts was elected to the Senate in January 2023 after two terms as Governor. On the other hand, Senator Fischer has been in office since 2012.

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Nebraska has three representative seats, all held by Republicans. The representatives are Mike Flood(1st District), Don Bacon(2nd District), and Adrian Smith(3rd District).

The 2020 Presidential Elections

In the 2020 presidential election, Nebraska maintained its reputation as a red state. The result was 556,846 votes to 374,583 in favor of the Republican Party. Presidential candidate Donald Trump won the state with 58.51% of the votes, while Democratic candidate Joe Biden accumulated 39.36%.

In the last 90 years, only two Democratic candidates have won the majority of Nebraska votes. These were Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 and 1936 and Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

Donald Trump

Joe Biden

In the last 90 years, only two Democratic candidates have won the majority of Nebraska votes. These were Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 and 1936 and Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

Nebraska Voting Statistics

According to voter registration statistics for May 2023 from the Nebraska Secretary of State, Nebraska has 1,225,842 registered voters. Statistics show 600,389 registered as Republicans, 337,232 as Democrats, and 265,244 as nonpartisan. The remaining voters registered as Libertarians and other unaffiliated parties.

2020 Elections Voter Turnout

During the 2020 general elections, Nebraska experienced record voter turnouts. Of the 1,266,730 registered voters, 966,920 voted through various methods. Total votes accounted for about 76.3% of all registered voters in the state. Voter turnout in the previous elections was lower, with 57.9% in 2018 and 71.1% in 2016.

Voter Turnout in Nebraska

How Educated is Nebraska

Per U.S. Census Bureau Data for 2022, 91.7% of Nebraskans 25 years and above were high school graduates. Of the same age group, 32.9% had Bachelor’s degrees or higher qualifications like a master’s degree. This means almost a third of all Nebraskans over 25 years have some form of higher education.

As of 2023, Nebraska has 27 public and private higher institutions and community colleges. These include four public colleges or universities and 11 private colleges and universities.

The University of Nebraska is the largest institution, with three regular and two specialized universities. Together these university campuses account for almost 50,000 enrolled students. The second largest is Metropolitan Community College Omaha, with 13,709 students. Next on the list is a private school, Bellevue University, with 11,901 enrolled students.

Nebraska Employment Rate

According to employment data from the Nebraska Department of Labour, Nebraska’s unemployment rate as of 2023 is 2.0%. This is lower than the national unemployment rate, which stood at 3.4%.

The total labor force in Nebraska is about 1,062,937 persons. As of March 2023, 1,041,520 were employed, and 21,417 were unemployed. At 2%, Nebraska’s unemployment rate was the 2nd lowest behind South Dakota and ahead of North Dakota. Nebraska showed a steady drop in the Unemployment rate over the last six months. From October 2022 to March 2023, the unemployment rate dropped from 2.7% to 2.1%.

In Nebraska, the counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Grant (1.2%), Kearney(1.3%), Hayes(1.4%), and Richardson(1.4%). On the other hand, counties with higher unemployment rates include Johnson(3.4%), Thomas(3.6%), and Blaine(4.2%).

The Nebraska Department of Labour provides further Labour Market Analysis for Nebraska’s workforce. The top employer of Nebraska’s over a million man workforce was service providers employing 872,391 workers. This accounted for 83.7% of the total workforce. Private sector service providers accounted for the largest portion employing 698,658 workers. Next was Trade, Transport, and Utilities, with 196,770 (18.9%). This was followed by the State Government employing 173,733 (16.7%) and goods manufacturers employing 165,910 people (15.9%).

The industry with the highest workforce growth in the last 12 months was mining, logging, and construction. The workforce grew 7.4% over the last 12 months in Nebraska. This was followed by Leisure and Hospitality with 6.2% growth and Manufacturing with 3.5% growth. On the negative side, the financial activities market experienced a workforce reduction of 1.7%.

Average Income in Nebraska

According to the U.S. Census data for 2021, Nebraska’s median household income was $66,644. This showed an 11.7% increase in median income in Nebraska over the last decade. Sarpy County has the highest median household income, with a value of $83,501. This was followed by Cass County with $73,683 and Washington County with $71,505.

The median family income for a household with one earner in Nebraska was $53,892 in 2022. Families with two earners had a median income of $75,719, and families with three earners were $91,076. For 4 -earner families, the median family income was estimated to be $102,544.

When considering age and income, it was estimated that Nebraskans under 25 have a median income of $37,748. Those over 65 earn a bit more at $48,639. Residents between the ages of 25 and 44 earn about $75,033. The highest median income goes to residents between 45 and 64 years, earning about $81,188.

Families in Nebraska

Nebraska Marriage Rates

Nebraska Divorce Rates

According to data for the National Center for Health Statistics, Nebraska’s 2021 divorce rate was 2.6. This is almost the same as the national rate, which is 2.5 divorces per 1000. In the last three decades, between 1990 and 2020, there has been a steady decline in Nebraska’s divorce rates.

The divorce rate has declined from 4.0 in 1990 down to 3.7 in 2020, to 3.6 in 2010. 9.2% of men and 11.1% of women in Nebraska have also been divorced at some point.

Divorces were more prevalent among Nebraska’s Native American population, with 12.7% being divorced. This was followed by African Americans at 12.4%, Hawaiians at 11.3%, and Non-Hispanic Whites at 10.4%. Overall 10.2% of Nebraskans have been through a divorce.

Life Expectancy in Nebraska

The Centre for Disease Control’s National Center for Health Statistics estimates the life expectancy at birth for Nebraskans at 77.8 years as of 2021. Current age-specific mortality rates estimate residents can live over 70 years under normal circumstances.

The fertility rate among women in Nebraska aged 15-44 years is 64.4 births per 1000 women. Nebraka’s teenage birth rate for females aged between 15 and 19 years is 14 births per 1000. Nebraska is ranked third in America for the highest birth rate per 1000 women. Some more data on Nebraska births in 2021 are included in the table below.

In Nebraska, the leading cause of death is heart disease. It accounts for 160.8 deaths per 100,000 residents. Nebraska also has a firearms injury death rate of 10.3 and a homicide rate of 3.6 per 100,000. Drug overdose deaths in Nebraska occurred at the rate of 11.4 per 100,000. As of 2022 the death rate due to COVID-19 in Nebraska was 18 per 100,000 deaths.

Nebraska Crime Rates

The Federal Bureau of Investigations(FBI) collects crime rates from law enforcement agencies nationwide. These reports are contained in the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

The FBI UCR report for 2019 received 90,450 criminal offense reports from Nebraska’s agencies.

Further examination of the crime statistics shows a property crime rate of 2,039.3 per 100,000 residents. The rate of violent crime was less than 300.9 incidents per 100,000 residents. The following table shows a breakdown of other crimes from the UCR report.

The Nebraska Crime Commission collects and organizes data and reports for crime rates in the state. According to its data, between December 2021 and December 2022, incidents of murder in the state rose by 14.29%. Larceny theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson cases also increased by 2.4%, 13.45%, and 17.1%, respectively.

Conversely, incidents of rape, robbery, and aggravated assault were all reduced within the same period. Incidents of these crimes were reduced by 6.18%, 3.28%, 7.11%, and 13.87%, respectively.

Nebraska Incarceration Rate

361 per 100,000 residents

Nebraska’s incarceration rate in 2020, according to the National Institute of Corrections, was 361 prisoners per 100,000 residents.

289 per 100,000

This showed an increase from 2019, when the rate was 289 per 100,000. Nebraska has the 31st-highest incarceration rate in the United States.

63 jails

The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services operates ten state prisons and 63 jails within its counties.

3,929 inmates

In 2020, the state had a prison population of 3,929 inmates.

11,454

In 2020 the state had 5,306 prisons, 1,156 parolees, and a further 11,454 individuals on probation.

Nebraska Bankruptcy Rate

2022

2,151 bankruptcy filings

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nebraska provides statistics for bankruptcy filings. The rate of filing over the last decade has shown a steady reduction between 2011 and 2022. Filings for chapter 7 have reduced from 4,679 in 2011 to 1394 in 2022. Chapter 11 filings fell from 31 to 20, and Chapter 13 fell from 18,77 filings to 728. The total number of all bankruptcy filings(Chapters 7, 9, 11, 12, and 13) within this period also dropped from 6,603 to 2,151.

Weird Laws in Nebraska

Like most states in America, Nebraska has its share of strange rules and laws. Most of these would be considered anything from ridiculous to old-fashioned in recent times. Listed below are a few of the strangest laws in cities and counties of Nebraska.