The 6 Fast-Growing Counties in Nebraska Are Exploding in Growth

Nebraska is a Midwestern state renowned for its agricultural output and beautiful landscapes. However, the Cornhusker State is not particularly well-known for having a high population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Nebraska only had a population of 1,961,489 people in 2020, and the population slowly grew in 2022 to 1,967,923. Today, we’re going to look at some of the fast-growing counties in Nebraska, showing which parts of the state account for the population growth.

Keep in mind that the population growth among the growing counties in Nebraska was not that great. Also, the data sets for this information were taken from the 2022 population estimates issued by the U.S. Census Bureau.

6. York County

York County is in the southeastern part of the state, and it is known for its sprawling farmlands. The city of York is the largest in the county, and it is home to York University.

York County is on the list of fast-growing counties in Nebraska, but it still only experienced a very minor growth. Many counties in Nebraska lost population as people moved from rural areas to urban ones in the state or possibly away from the state. In 2020, the population of this county was 14,128, but that rose to 14,354 in 2022.

The population in this county grew by 226 people. Some people may wonder why this is on the list of fast-growing counties in Nebraska. Well, half of the counties on this list had a population increase of under 1,000 people. Simply put, most of Nebraska’s counties are not growing all that much.

Although the population growth was small, the percent growth was 1.6%, the second-largest increase of any on this list.

5.  Washington County

Washington County is north of the Omaha metro area, bounded by the Elkhorn River on the west and the Missouri River on the east along the border with Iowa.

Washington County’s population in 2020 was 20,865 people. This area had a small growth in population, reaching a total of 21,167 people in 2022. That means the area only gained 302 residents over two years, a rather small overall growth equal to a 1.45% increase.

4. Buffalo County

Buffalo County is in the south-central part of the state. Home to Kearney and the associated University of Nebraska at Kearney, the county is bordered to the south by the Platte River.  

The population in Buffalo County, Nebraska was 50,089 in 2020. That population rose to an estimated 50,586 in 2022, ensuring that this county is counted among the fast-growing counties in Nebraska. That means the county added 497 people, equal to 0.99% growth. Although the number of people added to the population is not that large, it’s still one of the counties that saw growth in the state.  

3. Douglas County

Douglas County is in eastern Nebraska, bordering the Missouri River and Iowa to the east. This county is home to the longest bridge in Nebraska.

Douglas County has the highest population of any county in Nebraska. That fact should not come as a surprise since this county is home to the city of Omaha, the most populous city in Nebraska. The county’s population in 2020 was 584,522. By July 2022, the population in this area rose to 586,327. A total of 1,805 people moved to this area during those two years, an increase of 0.30%.

This region is one of the fastest growing in the state, which is interesting because many cities throughout the U.S. have lost population in recent years.  

2. Lancaster County

Lancaster County is in the southeastern part of Nebraska, southwest of Omaha. The county contains Lincoln, the second-largest city in the state.

Lancaster County, Nebraska is one of the largest counties by population in Nebraska. Like Douglas County, this fast-growing county saw moderate growth from 2020 to 2022. In 2020, the population in this area was 322,615. The population in 2022 rose to 324,756, a total increase of 2,141 people.

This rise in population is the second greatest in the state. However, the increase is only equal to a 0.66% gain in population in this highly populated county.

1. Sarpy County

Sarpy County is in eastern Nebraska. This region is bordered by the Platte River to the west and south, Omaha to the north, and the Missouri River and Iowa to the east.

Sarpy County is the leader of the fast-growing counties in Nebraska. The 2020 Census revealed that this area of the state had a population of 190,597. The population shot up by a fair amount to 196,553 in July 2022. That means 5,956 people moved to this area between those two years, raising the population by 3.12%.

Having looked at the different fast-growing counties in Nebraska, it’s time to speculate about why people are moving to the state. After all, the population of Cornhuskers is growing.

From what the data shows, unlike other states where people are moving out of the cities, people are moving from rural areas and from out-of-state to cities like Omaha and Lincoln.

Omaha and Lincoln are not as expensive as the nation’s largest cities. They also offer a high quality of life and have other opportunities for young professionals. The largest college campus in Nebraska is found in Lincoln, so that area has educational opportunities as well as jobs. Future census data will provide better insight into the reasons that people are moving to certain areas of Nebraska.

Summary of the Fastest-Growing Counties in Nebraska