Thurston County, Nebraska Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Thurston 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 Thurston County, Nebraska. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Thurston County, Nebraska. The estimated population of Thurston County, Nebraska is 6,806 people, with a median age of 27.5.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
6,806
 -5.71% -3.53%
2020
7,218
+0.52%
-
2019
7,181
+0.57%
-
2018
7,140
+1.2%
-
2017
7,055
 - -

Population of Thurston 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
33.9%
36.7%
 -7.63%
Black/African American
0.2%
0.2%
 0.00%
Native
55.3%
55.6%
 -0.54%
Hispanic
7.2%
5.1%
 +41.18%
Asian
0.9%
0.7%
 +28.57%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2.3%
1.6%
 +43.75%
Other
0.2%
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 Thurston 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 27.5 -1.79% 27 -1.82% 28.3 -0.35%
2020 28 +1.82% 27.5 +4.17% 28.4 -2.07%
2019 27.5 -1.08% 26.4 -0.75% 29 -2.36%
2018 27.8 -1.07% 26.6 -1.48% 29.7 -0.67%
2017 28.1 - 27 - 29.9 -

The median age of Thurston 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 9 742 -12.97% 651 +6.93% 650 693
10 to 19 688 +5.16% 661 -6.49% 722 617
20 to 29 451 +3.18% 469 +3.83% 461 485
30 to 39 365 -0.47% 391 -20.36% 363 317
40 to 49 320 -4.2% 336 +7.81% 305 362
50 to 59 385 -2.84% 383 -2.51% 373 372
60 to 69 313 -19.14% 332 -14.91% 256 285
70+ 238 -2.95% 330 -3.67% 230 315

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Thurston County, Nebraska is $56,223.00.

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 Thurston County.

  • Under 25
    $32,500.00
  • 25 to 44
    $59,375.00
  • 45 to 64
    $71,458.00
  • 65 and over
    $39,375.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Thurston 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 Thurston County, Nebraska is currently $70,093.00.

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.

3.55% of households in Thurston 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 Thurston County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    21.87%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    22.85%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    18.51%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    15.84%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    14.71%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    2.67%
  • $200,000 or more
    3.55%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Thurston County is $21,471.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Thurston 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 Thurston 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
    7.32%
  • Bachelor's degree
    24.34%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    15.69%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    50.87%
  • Less than high school diploma
    1.78%

Employment

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

The total population of Thurston County over the age of 16 is 4,615.

Of those people, a total of 66.20% 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 Thurston County is 58.70%.

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 491 24.40% 40.00%
20 to 24 years 469 69.70% 20.50%
25 to 29 years 477 86.80% 15.50%
30 to 34 years 380 83.90% 22.30%
35 to 44 years 657 81.40% 11.00%
45 to 54 years 626 88.00% 4.00%
55 to 59 years 429 74.40% 2.50%
60 to 64 years 293 72.70% 1.40%
65 to 74 years 477 43.40% 1.00%
75 years and over 316 15.50% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Thurston 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 1,967 70.40% 1.20%
Black or African American 9 44.40% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 2,430 63.20% 20.60%
Asian 30 60.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 29 72.40% 4.80%
Two or more races 150 60.70% 11.00%
Hispanic or Latino 195 64.60% 7.90%
Not Hispanic or Latino 1,896 70.40% 1.00%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Thurston 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 Thurston County is 2,710, with median earnings of $35,062.00.

Women in Thurston County, Nebraska earning approximately 82.60% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 2,710 $35,062.00
Male 1,358 $37,544.00
Female 1,352 $31,000.00

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 344 $51,389.00
Business and Financial 163 $43,750.00
Computer and Mathematical 22 $44,375.00
Architecture and Engineering 8 $76,250.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 9 $56,563.00
Community and Social Service 90 $31,538.00
Legal 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 256 $33,571.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 31 $62,917.00
Healthcare Practitioners 120 $53,571.00
Healthcare Support 72 $26,176.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 79 $21,250.00
Law Enforcement 49 $42,679.00
Food Preparation and Serving 145 $13,646.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 135 $20,673.00
Personal Care and Service 55 $32,411.00
Sales 168 $22,000.00
Office and Administrative Support 363 $29,766.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 54 $25,833.00
Construction and Extraction 78 $28,636.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 75 $50,781.00
Production 173 $37,227.00
Transportation and Material Moving 111 $41,354.00

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 215 $59,107.00 129 $37,175.00
Business and Financial 37 $53,438.00 126 $42,727.00
Computer and Mathematical 22 $44,375.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 8 $76,250.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 7 $57,188.00 2 $0.00
Community and Social Service 38 $30,962.00 52 $34,000.00
Legal 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 60 $30,000.00 196 $35,000.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 17 $65,625.00 14 $3,750.00
Healthcare Practitioners 32 $48,750.00 88 $53,929.00
Healthcare Support 3 $0.00 69 $26,250.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 60 $17,361.00 19 $25,938.00
Law Enforcement 31 $44,107.00 18 $20,000.00
Food Preparation and Serving 33 $19,464.00 112 $11,818.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 107 $21,932.00 28 $17,500.00
Personal Care and Service 17 $33,438.00 38 $32,000.00
Sales 98 $57,717.00 70 $14,583.00
Office and Administrative Support 57 $30,547.00 306 $29,219.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 41 $26,042.00 13 $22,188.00
Construction and Extraction 74 $28,636.00 4 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 75 $50,781.00 0 $0.00
Production 129 $37,383.00 44 $30,833.00
Transportation and Material Moving 100 $41,458.00 11 $32,083.00

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 2,026 households in Thurston County, with an average household size of 3.34 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 1,482 families in Thurston County with an average family size of 3.98 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 877 165 440 544
Average Household Size 3.79 5.04 4.6 1.08
Total Families 877 165 440 0
Average Household Size 3.73 4.67 4.24 0

Poverty

Of the 1,482 families in Thurston County, 15.90% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Thurston 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 2,299 housing units in Thurston County, Nebraska.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 2,026 88.13%
Vacant 273 11.87%

31.88% of the total 2,299 housing units in Thurston County are rental units. This is approximately 733 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 1,220 are occupied by the owner - or 53.07% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Thurston County is $676.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Thurston 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
    73
  • Less than $500
    187
  • $500 to $999
    465
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    70
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    11
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Thurston County is $78,300.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    352
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    377
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    118
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    116
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    98
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    122
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    36
  • $1,000,000 or more
    1

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    504
  • 1940 to 1949
    174
  • 1950 to 1959
    147
  • 1960 to 1969
    211
  • 1970 to 1979
    474
  • 1980 to 1989
    261
  • 1990 to 1999
    204
  • 2000 to 2009
    199
  • 2010 to 2013
    122
  • 2014 or later
    3

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 Thurston County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    152
  • 1 vehicle available
    619
  • 2 vehicles available
    724
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    531

Commuting to Work

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

19.4 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Thurston 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
    423
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    636
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    329
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    223
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    144
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    97
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    259
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    56
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    70
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    135
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    55
  • 90 or more minutes
    66

Summary

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

We have data for 15 places in Thurston County, Nebraska. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.