United States › Nebraska › Phelps County COUNTY
Phelps County Nebraska · 8,994 residents (2025 est.) · 540 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Phelps County is home to 9,009 people in Nebraska. Density works out to 17 people per square mile. 2% of residents were born outside the United States. Getting to work takes 15 minutes on average. The typical home is worth $194,900, having more than doubled since 2000. Renters pay $815 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 50%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 9,747 in 2000
8,994 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 17 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
9K 9K 9K 10K 10K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Phelps County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $68,919
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,319 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,044 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 22.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 8.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.402 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 11.9%
Transportation & warehousing 3.9%
Public administration 3.6%
Education & health services 3.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$194,900
+50%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$815
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $378 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 73.4% in 2000
31.7% rent
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.35 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 26.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.9 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 96.6%(9,418)
Hispanic / Latino 2.3%(220)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 89.5%(8,067)
Hispanic / Latino 6.9%(618)
from 11 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 20 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
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data from 20.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 89.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 3.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 67.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 81.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 31.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 7.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 76.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 30.2%(1,106)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 7.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 59.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 21.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 12.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 79.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 30.3% 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) 13.6%(73)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.4%(72)
Share of the 537 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Phelps County Head to head
Compare Phelps County to nearby counties PHELPS COUNTY VS
Gosper County
Income $77,500 +12%
Home value $228,500 +17%
Population 1,803 −80%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PHELPS COUNTY VS
Harlan County
Income $70,625 +2%
Home value $145,800 −25%
Population 3,000 −67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PHELPS COUNTY VS
Kearney County
Income $78,631 +14%
Home value $223,400 +15%
Population 6,790 −25%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PHELPS COUNTY VS
Buffalo County
Income $75,911 +10%
Home value $246,400 +26%
Population 51,172 +469%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Phelps County, Nebraska? Phelps County, Nebraska has about 9,009 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Phelps County, Nebraska? The typical household in Phelps County, Nebraska earns about $68,919 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Phelps County, Nebraska expensive? In Phelps County, Nebraska, the median home is worth about $194,900, and the typical rent is about $815 a month.
How educated are people in Phelps County, Nebraska? About 29.9% of adults age 25 and over in Phelps County, Nebraska hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Phelps County, Nebraska? About 12.2% of people in Phelps County, Nebraska live below the federal poverty line.
Has Phelps County, Nebraska grown since 1990? Yes, Phelps County, Nebraska has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 706 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 