Phelps County, Nebraska Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Phelps 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 Phelps County, Nebraska. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Phelps County, Nebraska. The estimated population of Phelps County, Nebraska is 8,972 people, with a median age of 40.6.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
8,972
 -0.86% -2.08%
2020
9,050
 -0.55% -
2019
9,100
 -0.22% -
2018
9,120
 -0.47% -
2017
9,163
 - -

Population of Phelps 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
91.2%
92.7%
 -1.62%
Black/African American
0.2%
0.1%
 +100.00%
Native
0.7%
0.2%
 +250.00%
Hispanic
6.1%
5.4%
 +12.96%
Asian
0%
0.2%
 -100.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.1%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
1.5%
1.3%
 +15.38%
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 Phelps 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 40.6 -2.4% 39 -1.27% 43.9 -2.01%
2020 41.6 -1.89% 39.5 -1% 44.8 -1.1%
2019 42.4 -0.47% 39.9 +3.37% 45.3 -1.95%
2018 42.6 +1.19% 38.6 0% 46.2 +1.99%
2017 42.1 - 38.6 - 45.3 -

The median age of Phelps 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 9 730 -6.11% 482 +7.75% 683 519
10 to 19 568 +2.67% 619 -5.85% 576 582
20 to 29 502 -3.32% 475 -12.57% 482 418
30 to 39 566 +5.81% 432 +19.79% 597 524
40 to 49 508 -0.99% 526 -9.28% 497 478
50 to 59 675 -18.63% 670 -9.34% 554 605
60 to 69 595 +2.27% 630 -11.93% 604 550
70+ 459 +15.4% 726 +5.99% 533 770

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Phelps County, Nebraska is $61,606.00.

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 Phelps County.

  • Under 25
    $28,850.00
  • 25 to 44
    $72,020.00
  • 45 to 64
    $83,021.00
  • 65 and over
    $45,886.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Phelps 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 Phelps County, Nebraska is currently $77,018.00.

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.

3.38% of households in Phelps 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 Phelps County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    20.40%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    19.84%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    21.40%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    12.10%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    17.73%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    5.15%
  • $200,000 or more
    3.38%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Phelps County is $33,052.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Phelps 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 Phelps 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
    9.56%
  • Bachelor's degree
    30.08%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    14.71%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    43.28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.37%

Employment

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

The total population of Phelps County over the age of 16 is 6,979.

Of those people, a total of 65.80% 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 Phelps County is 65.30%.

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 367 42.80% 1.30%
20 to 24 years 449 90.20% 4.40%
25 to 29 years 451 84.50% 1.00%
30 to 34 years 527 90.30% 1.90%
35 to 44 years 1,043 87.30% 0.10%
45 to 54 years 1,068 86.00% 0.00%
55 to 59 years 617 78.80% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 626 72.40% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 961 36.70% 0.00%
75 years and over 870 5.90% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Phelps 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 6,618 66.50% 0.20%
Black or African American 7 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 70 14.30% 0.00%
Asian 4 100.00% 75.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 68 17.60% 0.00%
Two or more races 212 75.90% 13.70%
Hispanic or Latino 362 48.90% 10.20%
Not Hispanic or Latino 6,454 67.20% 0.20%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Phelps 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 Phelps County is 4,556, with median earnings of $41,396.00.

Women in Phelps County, Nebraska earning approximately 64.50% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 4,556 $41,396.00
Male 2,460 $50,172.00
Female 2,096 $32,353.00

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 620 $56,375.00
Business and Financial 138 $62,500.00
Computer and Mathematical 7 $40,417.00
Architecture and Engineering 85 $68,203.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 26 $42,500.00
Community and Social Service 117 $42,793.00
Legal 11 $0.00
Educational and Library 338 $52,643.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 58 $36,296.00
Healthcare Practitioners 244 $45,795.00
Healthcare Support 242 $26,768.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 1 $0.00
Law Enforcement 48 $50,357.00
Food Preparation and Serving 120 $13,125.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 195 $17,188.00
Personal Care and Service 95 $8,083.00
Sales 376 $31,371.00
Office and Administrative Support 351 $29,375.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 135 $45,125.00
Construction and Extraction 364 $28,578.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 217 $56,875.00
Production 364 $48,393.00
Transportation and Material Moving 214 $52,759.00

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 406 $57,727.00 214 $52,500.00
Business and Financial 45 $85,913.00 93 $52,250.00
Computer and Mathematical 1 $0.00 6 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 85 $68,203.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 2 $0.00 24 $32,250.00
Community and Social Service 13 $39,306.00 104 $42,965.00
Legal 7 $0.00 4 $0.00
Educational and Library 62 $68,750.00 276 $42,727.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 3 $0.00 55 $36,157.00
Healthcare Practitioners 25 $64,306.00 219 $45,057.00
Healthcare Support 37 $60,815.00 205 $25,640.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 1 $0.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 38 $50,952.00 10 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 57 $11,417.00 63 $18,125.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 108 $19,600.00 87 $7,188.00
Personal Care and Service 6 $0.00 89 $8,583.00
Sales 175 $55,625.00 201 $17,328.00
Office and Administrative Support 80 $30,000.00 271 $29,375.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 123 $45,625.00 12 $4,375.00
Construction and Extraction 350 $28,922.00 14 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 215 $57,054.00 2 $0.00
Production 265 $50,727.00 99 $45,750.00
Transportation and Material Moving 209 $52,974.00 5 $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 3,785 households in Phelps County, with an average household size of 2.31 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 2,304 families in Phelps County with an average family size of 2.94 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 1,890 281 133 1,481
Average Household Size 3.03 2.76 3.22 1.23
Total Families 1,890 281 133 0
Average Household Size 3.02 2.47 2.82 0

Poverty

Of the 2,304 families in Phelps County, 11.00% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Phelps 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 4,160 housing units in Phelps County, Nebraska.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 3,785 90.99%
Vacant 375 9.01%

22.62% of the total 4,160 housing units in Phelps County are rental units. This is approximately 941 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 2,781 are occupied by the owner - or 66.85% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Phelps County is $679.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Phelps 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
    63
  • Less than $500
    206
  • $500 to $999
    625
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    97
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    2
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    11
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Phelps County is $143,300.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    158
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    675
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    650
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    475
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    434
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    254
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    130
  • $1,000,000 or more
    5

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    1,068
  • 1940 to 1949
    304
  • 1950 to 1959
    405
  • 1960 to 1969
    529
  • 1970 to 1979
    753
  • 1980 to 1989
    388
  • 1990 to 1999
    399
  • 2000 to 2009
    209
  • 2010 to 2013
    105
  • 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 Phelps County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    109
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,073
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,383
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,220

Commuting to Work

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

14.7 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Phelps 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
    944
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,365
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    585
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    331
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    201
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    110
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    198
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    156
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    96
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    153
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    106
  • 90 or more minutes
    42

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Phelps 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 Phelps County, Nebraska

We have data for 5 places in Phelps County, Nebraska. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.