United States › Nebraska › Thayer County COUNTY
Thayer County Nebraska · 4,842 residents (2025 est.) · 574 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 4,901 people, Thayer County is a county in Nebraska. At a median age of 46.0, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Density works out to 9 people per square mile. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $122,800. 1% of people here were born outside the United States. 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 46.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 56%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 6,055 in 2000
4,842 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 9 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 44.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 5K 6K 6K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Thayer County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $66,213
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,740 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,043 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 10.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.398 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 20.7%
Public administration 4.1%
Education & health services 2.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.7%
Transportation & warehousing 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$122,800
+56%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$766
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $321 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 80.0% in 2000
22.5% rent
from 17.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.11 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 28.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.6 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 98.1%(5,942)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 93.1%(4,564)
Hispanic / Latino 3.2%(159)
from 6 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 6 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
+ 8 more ancestry groups with data from 15.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 80.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 1.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 81.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 32.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 7.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 7.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 23.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 14.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 76.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 36.5% 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) 8.2%(19)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.3%(31)
Share of the 233 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 Thayer County Head to head
Compare Thayer County to nearby counties THAYER COUNTY VS
Nuckolls County
Income $73,976 +12%
Home value $96,500 −21%
Population 4,100 −15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
THAYER COUNTY VS
Jefferson County
Income $59,044 −11%
Home value $129,500 +5%
Population 7,070 +46%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
THAYER COUNTY VS
Republic County
Income $56,833 −14%
Home value $75,600 −38%
Population 4,640 −4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
THAYER COUNTY VS
Fillmore County
Income $76,295 +15%
Home value $151,000 +23%
Population 5,458 +13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Thayer County, Nebraska? Thayer County, Nebraska has about 4,901 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Thayer County, Nebraska? The typical household in Thayer County, Nebraska earns about $66,213 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Thayer County, Nebraska expensive? In Thayer County, Nebraska, the median home is worth about $122,800, and the typical rent is about $766 a month.
How educated are people in Thayer County, Nebraska? About 23.8% of adults age 25 and over in Thayer County, Nebraska hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Thayer County, Nebraska? About 9.0% of people in Thayer County, Nebraska live below the federal poverty line.
Has Thayer County, Nebraska grown since 1990? Yes, Thayer County, Nebraska has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,734 residents, a change of about -26 percent over that period.
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