United States › Nebraska › Wayne County COUNTY
Wayne County Nebraska · 10,020 residents (2025 est.) · 443 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
With 9,844 people, Wayne County is a county in Nebraska. This skews young, with a median age of 30.0. The average commute runs 13 minutes. Density works out to 22 people per square mile. The typical home is worth $221,600, having more than doubled since 2000. Renters pay $800 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 30.0
US median: 38.9
Average education
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 53%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 9,851 in 2000
10,020 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 21 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 27.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
9K 9K 10K 10K 10K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Wayne County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $66,215
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,366 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,644 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 14.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.388 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 10.3%
Public administration 6.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Education & health services 0.8%
Transportation & warehousing 0.6%
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$221,600
+53%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $79,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$800
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $404 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 64.9% in 2000
38.7% rent
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.26 people
−10%since 2009
from 2.50 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 19.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 32.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.3 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 96.2%(9,475)
Hispanic / Latino 1.5%(146)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 85.4%(8,405)
Hispanic / Latino 10.3%(1,012)
from 16 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 25 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
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 28.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 87.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 10.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 69.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 86.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 30.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 8.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 80.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 91.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 79.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 8.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 20.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 8.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 87.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 22.1% 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) 19%(55)
Gulf War (1990s) 26.6%(77)
Share of the 289 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 Wayne County Head to head
Compare Wayne County to nearby counties WAYNE COUNTY VS
Stanton County
Income $80,687 +22%
Home value $195,400 −12%
Population 5,744 −43%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Dixon County
Income $72,454 +9%
Home value $155,900 −30%
Population 5,602 −44%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Pierce County
Income $72,357 +9%
Home value $196,000 −12%
Population 7,378 −26%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Cuming County
Income $71,104 +7%
Home value $178,800 −19%
Population 8,823 −12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Wayne County, Nebraska? Wayne County, Nebraska has about 9,844 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Wayne County, Nebraska? The typical household in Wayne County, Nebraska earns about $66,215 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Wayne County, Nebraska expensive? In Wayne County, Nebraska, the median home is worth about $221,600, and the typical rent is about $800 a month.
How educated are people in Wayne County, Nebraska? About 30.4% of adults age 25 and over in Wayne County, Nebraska hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Wayne County, Nebraska? About 13.2% of people in Wayne County, Nebraska live below the federal poverty line.
Has Wayne County, Nebraska grown since 1990? Yes, Wayne County, Nebraska has grown since 1990. The population has added about 480 residents, a change of about 5 percent over that period.
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