Lancaster County, Nebraska

County in NE, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

326,696

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

34.3

years ∙ half population younger than 34.3, half older

Diversity Index

38%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

8.7%

foreign-born population

91.3%Native

8.7% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Lancaster County is a county in Nebraska, United States.

Location

County in NE, US

Co-ordinates

DEC40.783547° N, 96.688658° W

DMS40° 47′ 00.77″ N, 96° 41′ 19.17″ W

Population Density & area

390/sq mi (150.6/km²)

Total Area

846.4 sq mi (2,192.2 km²)

Land Area

837.6 sq mi (2,169.3 km²) · 99%

Water Area

8.8 sq mi (22.9 km²) · 1%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

50.3% male

Male 50.3%

Female 49.7%

males per 100 females

Lancaster County 101.2

Nebraska 101

United States 98

Nativity

8.7%

foreign-born population

91.3%Native

8.7% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Lancaster County 8.7%

Nebraska 8%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

34.3

years ∙ half population younger than 34.3, half older

Lancaster County

34.3

Nebraska

37.2

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

60.5

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Lancaster County 60.5

Nebraska 70.1

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Lancaster County	Nebraska	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	22.4%	24.5%	22%
Working age (18-64)	62.3%	58.8%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	15.3%	16.7%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	60.5	70.1	64.4
Child dependency ratio	36	41.7	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	24.5	28.4	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

77.9%

Black

3.7%

Asian

4.1%

Hispanic

8.5%

Other

5.8%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

38%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Lancaster County 38%

Nebraska 41.3%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Lancaster County population

Racial and ethnic composition — Lancaster County vs Nebraska vs United States. Source: ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates.
	Lancaster County	Nebraska	United States
Hispanic or Latino	8.5%	12.7%	19.3%
Mexican	5.5%	8.7%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	0.3%	0.3%	1.8%
Cuban	0.2%	0.4%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	2.5%	3.3%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	91.5%	87.3%	80.7%
One race	86.3%	83.5%	76.4%
White	77.9%	75.3%	57.4%
Black or African American	3.7%	4.6%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.3%	0.6%	0.5%
Asian	4.1%	2.6%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0.1%	0%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0.3%	0.4%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	5.2%	3.8%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

58.4% family

Family 58.4%

Non family 41.6%

% family households

Lancaster County 58.4%

Nebraska 62.7%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.34

persons per household

Lancaster County

2.34

Nebraska

2.42

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Lancaster County population

	Lancaster County	Nebraska	United States
Total households	134,126	797,847	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.34	2.42	2.53
Family households	78,277	500,016	82,990,528
Average family size	2.99	3.05	3.14
Married couple family	60,777	389,247	60,637,388
Other families	17,500	110,769	22,353,140
Male householder	5,491	35,772	6,572,819
Female householder	12,009	74,997	15,780,321
Non-family households	55,849	297,831	46,236,968
One-person households	42,469	244,781	37,140,836
Male householder	20,557	116,731	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	4,625	33,618	5,225,110
Female householder	21,912	128,050	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	9,769	64,330	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	13,380	53,050	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

140,324

housing units

Lancaster County 140,324

Nebraska 863,444

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

95.6% occupied

Occupied 95.6%

Vacant 4.4%

vacancy rate

Lancaster County 4.4%

Nebraska 7.6%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

66.5%

Single family houses

66.5%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

31.9%

Mobile homes

1.4%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1983

Half of houses were built before 1983, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

12.2%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

20.8%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

37.7%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

29.3%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Lancaster County	Nebraska	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5.8	6.1	5.5
1–3 rooms	17.6%	13.2%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	42.6%	43.4%	51.6%
7+ rooms	39.8%	43.2%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	2.9%	2.5%	2.9%
1 bedroom	13.5%	10.8%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	26.6%	25%	25%
3 bedrooms	32.6%	35.6%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	24.3%	26.2%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1983	1976	1981
Total housing units	140,324	863,444	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

58.9% owners

Renter-occupied 41.1%

Owner-occupied 58.9%

homeownership rate

Lancaster County 58.9%

Nebraska 66.5%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.61

Owner-occupied

1.94

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Lancaster County 2.61

Nebraska 2.6

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Lancaster County	Nebraska	United States
Total occupied units	134,126	797,847	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	29.7%	25.8%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	40.7%	39.4%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	14.7%	15.9%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	14.8%	18.9%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	97.7%	97.9%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	1.6%	1.5%	2.2%
1.51 or more	0.6%	0.7%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	6.2%	5.4%	8.4%
1 vehicle	34%	30.1%	33.1%
2 vehicles	38%	37.7%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	21.8%	26.8%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	63.7%	66.2%	51.4%
Electricity	35.5%	31.5%	41.3%
Solar	0%	0%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0.1%	0.3%	3.9%
All other fuels	0.5%	1.4%	2%
No fuel used	0.2%	0.4%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.1%	0.3%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.8%	1%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.7%	0.9%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$275,200

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Lancaster County

$275,200

Nebraska

$238,600

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

21.5%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

21.5%

Owners without a mortgage

11.1%

Renters

46.9%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Lancaster County	Nebraska	United States
Property value
Median Value	$275,200	$238,600	$332,700
Under $100,000	5.1%	14%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	20.2%	24.2%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	31.9%	27.2%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	30.9%	25.1%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	10.3%	8.2%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	1.5%	1.3%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	63.8%	58.5%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	36.2%	41.5%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,742	$1,736	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$729	$677	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$1,085	$1,072	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

41.9%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Lancaster County 41.9%

Nebraska 34.6%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

6.4%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Lancaster County 6.4%

Nebraska 7.8%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

95,456

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

4.9%

K–12

56.3%

College / Undergraduate

30.5%

Graduate / Professional

8.2%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

55.9%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Lancaster County

55.9%

Nebraska

42%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Lancaster County	Nebraska	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	95,456	516,339	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	4.9%	6.3%	5.7%
K–12	56.3%	68.4%	67.6%
Kindergarten	3.8%	4.8%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	17.9%	20.5%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	17.2%	21.4%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	17.5%	21.7%	21.7%
College or graduate school	38.8%	25.3%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	30.5%	19.2%	21%
Graduate, professional school	8.2%	6.1%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	55.9%	42%	40.9%
School type
Public school	83.2%	82.7%	82%
Private school	16.8%	17.3%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

205,622

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

2.8%

9th-12th, no diploma

3.6%

HS graduate

20.4%

Some college no degree

19.9%

Associates degree

11.4%

Bachelors degree

26.5%

Graduate or professional degree

15.4%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

47.8% · 52.2%

9th-12th, no diploma

53.5% · 46.5%

HS graduate

53.5% · 46.5%

Some college no degree

51.8% · 48.2%

Associates degree

49% · 51%

Bachelors degree

47.2% · 52.8%

Graduate or professional degree

47.7% · 52.3%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Lancaster County	Nebraska	United States
Population (25+)	205,622	1,300,410	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	2.8%	3.8%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	3.6%	4%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	20.4%	25%	26%
Some college, no degree	19.9%	21.6%	19.1%
Associate's degree	11.4%	11%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	41.9%	34.6%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	26.5%	22.3%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	15.4%	12.3%	14.1%
High School or higher	93.6%	92.2%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$51,610

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$35,060

HS graduate

$40,685

Some college or associates

$47,176

Bachelors degree

$60,415

Graduate or professional degree

$73,085

Poverty Rate

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

22.5%

HS graduate

13%

Some college or associates

8.7%

Bachelors degree or higher

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Lancaster County	Nebraska	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$51,610	$51,569	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$35,060	$37,277	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$40,685	$40,830	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$47,176	$47,062	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$60,415	$62,298	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$73,085	$78,244	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	22.5%	22.1%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	13%	12.8%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	8.7%	8%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	4%	3.8%	4.5%

Insights for Lancaster County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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