RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 93 SHOWN OF 93

Most sparsely populated, Nebraska counties · 1990

Nebraska counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). This list covers the 93 counties in Nebraska that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01McPherson County, NENE3691+2%

02Arthur County, NENE3961+4%

03Sioux County, NENE1,1881+5%

04Blaine County, NENE4581+16%

05Grant County, NENE5611+3%

06Cherry County, NENE5,5611+3%

07Hooker County, NENE6861+1%

08Banner County, NENE6861+4%

09Thomas County, NENE6391+17%

10Loup County, NENE5701−4%

11Keya Paha County, NENE7921+5%

12Garden County, NENE1,8041+7%

13Logan County, NENE6692+13%

14Wheeler County, NENE7892+7%

15Hayes County, NENE8212+14%

16Rock County, NENE1,2592+15%

17Sheridan County, NENE4,8093+9%

18Dundy County, NENE1,5683+13%

19Brown County, NENE2,8263+4%

20Frontier County, NENE2,6553+0%

21Garfield County, NENE1,7104+13%

22Morrill County, NENE4,4044−0%

23Perkins County, NENE2,8494+5%

24Gosper County, NENE1,8034−10%

25Kimball County, NENE3,3914+0%

26Custer County, NENE10,5005+4%

27Chase County, NENE3,7185+8%

28Deuel County, NENE1,8625+7%

29Holt County, NENE10,0675+9%

30Boyd County, NENE1,6745+16%

31Greeley County, NENE2,1545+11%

32Hitchcock County, NENE2,4675+21%

33Dawes County, NENE7,8586−0%

34Sherman County, NENE2,9247+12%

35Franklin County, NENE2,7957+10%

36Harlan County, NENE3,0007+1%

37Webster County, NENE3,3367+5%

38Pawnee County, NENE2,5108+7%

39Furnas County, NENE4,5248+4%

40Cheyenne County, NENE9,5288−3%

41Keith County, NENE8,1008−3%

42Knox County, NENE8,3359+2%

43Valley County, NENE4,0949+11%

44Antelope County, NENE6,3529+7%

45Nance County, NENE3,29010+6%

46Boone County, NENE5,35510+7%

47Nuckolls County, NENE4,10010+14%

48Howard County, NENE6,53811−8%

49Thayer County, NENE4,84212+10%

50Box Butte County, NENE10,49412+8%

51Fillmore County, NENE5,45812+7%

52Johnson County, NENE5,21812+4%

53Clay County, NENE6,17012+1%

54Lincoln County, NENE33,30313−6%

55Kearney County, NENE6,79013−4%

56Dixon County, NENE5,60213−3%

57Polk County, NENE5,27013+1%

58Pierce County, NENE7,37814−0%

59Cedar County, NENE8,37314+5%

60Stanton County, NENE5,74415−3%

61Butler County, NENE8,50715−2%

62Jefferson County, NENE7,07015+5%

63Burt County, NENE6,67816+1%

64Red Willow County, NENE10,30716+2%

65Hamilton County, NENE9,67816−6%

66Merrick County, NENE7,90516−2%

67Thurston County, NENE6,75218−3%

68Cuming County, NENE8,82318−1%

69Phelps County, NENE8,99418−0%

70Richardson County, NENE7,53018+4%

71Nemaha County, NENE7,10220+5%

72Dawson County, NENE24,45220−18%

73Wayne County, NENE10,02021−5%

74Saline County, NENE14,99622−8%

75Colfax County, NENE10,93422−12%

76Otoe County, NENE16,53123−7%

77Saunders County, NENE23,70224−8%

78York County, NENE14,56425−1%

79Gage County, NENE21,71127−1%

80Seward County, NENE18,03227−6%

81Cass County, NENE27,65738−12%

82Buffalo County, NENE51,17239−11%

83Washington County, NENE21,30243−12%

84Platte County, NENE35,64944−6%

85Scotts Bluff County, NENE35,58649−3%

86Adams County, NENE31,07153−5%

87Madison County, NENE36,10657−7%

88Dakota County, NENE21,68763−17%

89Dodge County, NENE38,05765−5%

90Hall County, NENE63,63390−9%

91Lancaster County, NENE334,049255−15%

92Sarpy County, NENE208,303431−16%

93Douglas County, NENE606,4601,276−10%

SHOWING 1–93 OF 93

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UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES