CensusEasy
COUNTY

Custer County

Nebraska · 10,500 residents (2025 est.) · 2,575.458 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
The short version

Custer County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $67,906. Population has declined 11% since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $157,800.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 66%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
10,518
−11%since 2000
from 11,793 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
4 / sq mi
−3%since 2009
from 4 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
42.1
+2%since 2000
from 41.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:10,500 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
10K11K11K12K12K1990201020202024Custer County
202411K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.7%(706)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.5%(574)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.9%(831)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.3%(659)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.8%(502)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.7%(1,129)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.7%(1,228)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.3%(1,087)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.6%(1,430)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.4%(1,309)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.5%(792)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.6%(271)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$67,906
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,677 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$36,967
+129%since 2000
from $16,171 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
43.1%
+23.3 ptssince 2009
from 19.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
7.1%
−5.4 ptssince 2000
from 12.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.417
+2%since 2010
from 0.408 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing18.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction18.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Retail trade11.2%
US avg: 9.9%
Information9.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services4.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical3.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration3.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.7%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services2.1%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$157,800
+66%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $52,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$853
+41%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $333 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
68.9%
−4.1 ptssince 2000
from 73.0% in 2000
31.1% rent
Vacancy rate
15.6%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 17.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
19.1%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 17.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
26.5%
+3.3 ptssince 2009
from 23.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.3
+43%since 2009
from 1.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
73
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Custer County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic98%(11,553)
Black0.1%(8)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(108)
Asian0.2%(18)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic91.6%(9,634)
Black0.5%(54)
Hispanic / Latino4%(416)
Asian0.1%(11)
Other3.8%(403)
Diversity Score
20
+200%since 2009
from 7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
19
+39%since 2020
from 13 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.3%(348)
Salvadoran0.3%(32)
Guatemalan0.3%(30)
Asian origin
Korean0%(1)
Laotian0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.2%(17)
Samoan0%(4)
Ancestry
German37.2%(3,913)
English15.7%(1,650)
Irish14.5%(1,527)
American6.5%(688)
French4.1%(428)
Swedish3.4%(362)
Czech2.1%(217)
Danish1.8%(188)
Scotch-Irish1.7%(182)
Polish1.6%(168)
Norwegian1.5%(160)
Scottish1.2%(130)
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data
Italian0.9%(97)
Dutch0.8%(88)
Russian0.4%(37)
Portuguese0.3%(35)
West Indian0.3%(30)
Welsh0.3%(28)
Slovene0.2%(26)
British0.2%(24)
Ukrainian0.2%(20)
Belgian0.2%(16)
Swiss0.1%(14)
Arab0.1%(13)
Greek0.1%(13)
Austrian0.1%(12)
Lebanese0.1%(9)
Finnish0.1%(6)
Syrian0%(4)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest French population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
24.3%
+8.2 ptssince 2000
from 16.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
95.0%
+7.5 ptssince 2000
from 87.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.6%
+2.2 ptssince 2000
from 4.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.4 min
+30%since 2000
from 13.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
79.1%
+7.7 ptssince 2009
from 71.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.8%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
6.1%
−4.9 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.5%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 5.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2011
from 4.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
64.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2011
from 65.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
15.2%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
38.8%
−26.9 ptssince 2009
from 65.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
51.2%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.9% in 2009
Female
48.8%
−2.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.1% in 2009
Foreign born
1.9%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.0%
−42.1 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
14.1%
+2.5 ptssince 2012
from 11.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.1%
−82.2 ptssince 2013
from 89.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
82.0%
+17.0 ptssince 2017
from 65.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
97.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2016
from 96.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2016
from 2.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married24.8%(1,053)
Married60.4%(2,562)
Widowed2.5%(105)
Divorced12.3%(520)
Women 15+
Never married17.3%(721)
Married60.3%(2,511)
Widowed9.9%(414)
Divorced12.5%(521)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Custer County

Rio Grande County
Pop 11,087
Crawford County
Pop 12,206
Cass County
Pop 12,463
Cumberland County
Pop 10,208
Places similar to Custer County
Head to head

Compare Custer County to nearby counties

CUSTER COUNTY VS
Dawson County
Income$69,880+3%
Home value$166,200+5%
Population24,452+133%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CUSTER COUNTY VS
Loup County
Income$71,667+6%
Home value$182,300+16%
Population570−95%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CUSTER COUNTY VS
Logan County
Income$74,271+9%
Home value$175,000+11%
Population669−94%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CUSTER COUNTY VS
Blaine County
Income$69,583+2%
Home value$116,900−26%
Population458−96%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Custer County, Nebraska?

Custer County, Nebraska has about 10,518 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Custer County, Nebraska?

The typical household in Custer County, Nebraska earns about $67,906 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Custer County, Nebraska expensive?

In Custer County, Nebraska, the median home is worth about $157,800, and the typical rent is about $853 a month.

How educated are people in Custer County, Nebraska?

About 24.3% of adults age 25 and over in Custer County, Nebraska hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Custer County, Nebraska?

About 7.1% of people in Custer County, Nebraska live below the federal poverty line.

Has Custer County, Nebraska grown since 1990?

Yes, Custer County, Nebraska has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,752 residents, a change of about -14 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

4 census tracts
Census Tract 9719Census Tract 9718Census Tract 9717Census Tract 9720
11 ZIP codes
ZIP 68822ZIP 69120ZIP 68825ZIP 68814ZIP 68874ZIP 68856ZIP 68813ZIP 68855ZIP 68860ZIP 68828ZIP 68881
Up the hierarchy
All counties in Nebraska
Rankings
Highest income countiesLowest poverty counties

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →