Jefferson County, Nebraska Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Jefferson County, Nebraska, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Jefferson County, Nebraska. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Jefferson County, Nebraska. The estimated population of Jefferson County, Nebraska is 7,213 people, with a median age of 45.5.

We can look at the total population in Jefferson County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
7,213
+1.56%
-0.87%
2020
7,102
-0.59% -
2019
7,144
-0.61% -
2018
7,188
-1.21% -
2017
7,276
- -

Population of Jefferson County, Nebraska by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
92.5%
94.2%
-1.80%
Black/African American
0.6%
0%
0.00%
Native
0%
0.7%
-100.00%
Hispanic
4.8%
3.6%
+33.33%
Asian
0.3%
0.1%
+200.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
0.00%
Two Or More Races
1.8%
1.4%
+28.57%
Other
0%
0%
0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Jefferson County, Nebraska by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 45.5 -3.4% 45.5 -0.44% 45.5 -5.21%
2020 47.1 +1.29% 45.7 +0.22% 48 +1.27%
2019 46.5 +1.75% 45.6 +0.88% 47.4 +0.85%
2018 45.7 0% 45.2 0% 47 +0.86%
2017 45.7 - 45.2 - 46.6 -

The median age of Jefferson County, Nebraska gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 452 +15.57% 371 -3.21% 525 357
10 to 19 384 -26.96% 513 +2.53% 275 521
20 to 29 337 -2.4% 340 +26.09% 327 428
30 to 39 387 +12.09% 353 +7.02% 435 378
40 to 49 354 +2.45% 416 -12.47% 359 364
50 to 59 490 -20.48% 475 -2% 394 464
60 to 69 575 +4.66% 605 -13.34% 597 527
70+ 532 +8.34% 692 -0.34% 574 688

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Jefferson County, Nebraska is $51,587.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Jefferson County.

  • Under 25
    $21,477.00
  • 25 to 44
    $65,400.00
  • 45 to 64
    $65,553.00
  • 65 and over
    $36,992.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Jefferson County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Jefferson County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Jefferson County, Nebraska is currently $65,608.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

3.07% of households in Jefferson County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Jefferson County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    23.19%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    25.23%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    19.20%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    13.96%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    13.73%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    1.63%
  • $200,000 or more
    3.07%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Jefferson County is $28,313.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Jefferson County by the total population of Jefferson County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Jefferson County, Nebraska, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Jefferson County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    4.67%
  • Bachelor's degree
    21.22%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    17.57%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    54.79%
  • Less than high school diploma
    1.75%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Jefferson County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Jefferson County over the age of 16 is 5,813.

Of those people, a total of 61.70% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Jefferson County is 60.70%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 278 48.20% 0.00%
20 to 24 years 327 68.80% 0.40%
25 to 29 years 428 92.30% 2.30%
30 to 34 years 368 86.70% 0.00%
35 to 44 years 757 74.20% 3.40%
45 to 54 years 798 78.70% 3.50%
55 to 59 years 471 80.90% 2.60%
60 to 64 years 673 76.40% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 949 26.70% 0.00%
75 years and over 764 23.00% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Jefferson County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 5,612 62.30% 1.70%
Black or African American 11 81.80% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 2 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 24 0.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 24 58.30% 0.00%
Two or more races 140 50.00% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 302 68.20% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 5,396 62.00% 1.80%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Jefferson County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Jefferson County is 3,526, with median earnings of $36,875.00.

Women in Jefferson County, Nebraska earning approximately 70.40% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 3,526 $36,875.00
Male 1,789 $44,242.00
Female 1,737 $31,166.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 484 $48,478.00
Business and Financial 77 $61,172.00
Computer and Mathematical 19 $63,229.00
Architecture and Engineering 5 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 11 $0.00
Community and Social Service 49 $53,068.00
Legal 16 $0.00
Educational and Library 177 $35,905.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 51 $8,250.00
Healthcare Practitioners 208 $47,069.00
Healthcare Support 253 $37,988.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 20 $47,727.00
Law Enforcement 2 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 102 $11,337.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 113 $29,261.00
Personal Care and Service 89 $25,688.00
Sales 239 $34,654.00
Office and Administrative Support 363 $27,131.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 280 $36,512.00
Construction and Extraction 210 $25,952.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 122 $41,806.00
Production 236 $35,761.00
Transportation and Material Moving 283 $50,795.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 374 $48,462.00 110 $48,500.00
Business and Financial 35 $61,953.00 42 $48,864.00
Computer and Mathematical 12 $0.00 7 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 3 $0.00 2 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 11 $0.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 23 $53,750.00 26 $34,531.00
Legal 0 $0.00 16 $0.00
Educational and Library 21 $72,250.00 156 $35,172.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 13 $0.00 38 $8,900.00
Healthcare Practitioners 27 $43,542.00 181 $47,371.00
Healthcare Support 17 $33,558.00 236 $38,121.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 11 $0.00 9 $0.00
Law Enforcement 2 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 29 $4,625.00 73 $12,042.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 54 $28,864.00 59 $29,659.00
Personal Care and Service 0 $0.00 89 $25,688.00
Sales 86 $55,227.00 153 $32,793.00
Office and Administrative Support 12 $43,000.00 351 $26,960.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 239 $37,180.00 41 $23,194.00
Construction and Extraction 208 $26,071.00 2 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 122 $41,806.00 0 $0.00
Production 155 $40,694.00 81 $23,958.00
Transportation and Material Moving 279 $51,250.00 4 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 3,131 households in Jefferson County, with an average household size of 2.27 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 1,855 families in Jefferson County with an average family size of 2.9 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 1,574 91 190 1,276
Average Household Size 2.88 2.58 4.02 1.24
Total Families 1,574 91 190 0
Average Household Size 2.87 2.09 3.59 0

Poverty

Of the 1,855 families in Jefferson County, 7.80% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Jefferson County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 3,703 housing units in Jefferson County, Nebraska.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 3,131 84.55%
Vacant 572 15.45%

21.09% of the total 3,703 housing units in Jefferson County are rental units. This is approximately 781 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 2,144 are occupied by the owner - or 57.90% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Jefferson County is $650.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Jefferson County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    206
  • Less than $500
    217
  • $500 to $999
    492
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    43
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    10
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    19
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Jefferson County is $101,500.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Jefferson County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    497
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    559
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    371
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    276
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    224
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    88
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    116
  • $1,000,000 or more
    13

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Jefferson County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Jefferson County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    1,518
  • 1940 to 1949
    363
  • 1950 to 1959
    316
  • 1960 to 1969
    396
  • 1970 to 1979
    492
  • 1980 to 1989
    200
  • 1990 to 1999
    259
  • 2000 to 2009
    149
  • 2010 to 2013
    10
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Jefferson County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    185
  • 1 vehicle available
    949
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,138
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    859

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Jefferson County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Jefferson County that commute to work in a particular way.

17.8 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Jefferson County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    499
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    981
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    402
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    370
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    209
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    112
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    309
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    35
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    66
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    74
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    89
  • 90 or more minutes
    92

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Jefferson County, Nebraska in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Jefferson County, Nebraska

We have data for 22 places in Jefferson County, Nebraska. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.