United States › Nebraska › Merrick County COUNTY
Merrick County Nebraska · 7,905 residents (2025 est.) · 488 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 7,724 people, Merrick County is a county in Nebraska. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Owners hold 82% of the housing stock. Density works out to 16 people per square mile. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $175,900.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 49%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 8,204 in 2000
7,905 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 16 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K 8K 8K 8K 8K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Merrick County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $68,354
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,961 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,958 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 8.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.378 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 8.1%
Public administration 6.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.5%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.6%
Education & health services 0.9%
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$175,900
+49%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $64,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$750
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $401 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 74.1% in 2000
17.8% rent
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.43 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 18.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 17.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.7 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 97.2%(7,973)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 90.5%(6,992)
Hispanic / Latino 5.6%(435)
from 10 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 18 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 Ancestry
+ 9 more ancestry groups with data from 14.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 85.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 74.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 68.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 78.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 14.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 68.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 50.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 25.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 13.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 75.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 33.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 24.6%(119)
Share of the 483 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Merrick County Head to head
Compare Merrick County to nearby counties MERRICK COUNTY VS
Nance County
Income $65,179 −5%
Home value $132,000 −25%
Population 3,290 −58%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MERRICK COUNTY VS
Hamilton County
Income $83,994 +23%
Home value $253,700 +44%
Population 9,678 +22%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MERRICK COUNTY VS
Polk County
Income $69,768 +2%
Home value $189,900 +8%
Population 5,270 −33%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MERRICK COUNTY VS
Howard County
Income $76,767 +12%
Home value $209,100 +19%
Population 6,538 −17%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Merrick County, Nebraska? Merrick County, Nebraska has about 7,724 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Merrick County, Nebraska? The typical household in Merrick County, Nebraska earns about $68,354 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Merrick County, Nebraska expensive? In Merrick County, Nebraska, the median home is worth about $175,900, and the typical rent is about $750 a month.
How educated are people in Merrick County, Nebraska? About 18.3% of adults age 25 and over in Merrick County, Nebraska hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Merrick County, Nebraska? About 7.9% of people in Merrick County, Nebraska live below the federal poverty line.
Has Merrick County, Nebraska grown since 1990? Yes, Merrick County, Nebraska has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 318 residents, a change of about -4 percent over that period.
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