Buffalo County, NE

County

Add Comparison

2022 Population

50,103

0.528% 1-year growth

US Senator

Deb Fischer

Republican Party

US Senator

Pete Ricketts

Republican Party

2022 Median Age

34.2

0.588% 1-year increase

2022 Poverty Rate

11.8%

2.62% 1-year decrease

2022 Median Household Income

$70,093

6.51% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$218,600

14.3% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

27,501

0.116% 1-year growth

About

In 2022, Buffalo County, NE had a population of 50.1k people with a median age of 34.2 and a median household income of $70,093. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Buffalo County, NE grew from 49,840 to 50,103, a 0.528% increase and its median household income grew from $65,810 to $70,093, a 6.51% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Buffalo County, NE are White (Non-Hispanic) (85.5%), Other (Hispanic) (4.33%), White (Hispanic) (3.25%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.12%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (1.81%).

None of the households in Buffalo County, NE reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.8% of the residents in Buffalo County, NE are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Buffalo County, NE are University of Nebraska at Kearney (181215) (1,385 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2022, the median property value in Buffalo County, NE was $218,600, and the homeownership rate was 66.3%.

Most people in Buffalo County, NE drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 16.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Buffalo County, NE was 2 cars per household.

Buffalo County, NE borders Adams County, NE, Custer County, NE, Dawson County, NE, Hall County, NE, Howard County, NE, Kearney County, NE, Phelps County, NE, and Sherman County, NE.

United States Nebraska Kearney, NE

Population & Diversity

Buffalo County, NE is home to a population of 50.1k people, from which 97.8% are citizens. As of 2022, 4.53% of Buffalo County, NE residents were born outside of the country (2.27k people).

In 2022, there were 19.7 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (42.8k people) in Buffalo County, NE than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.17k Other (Hispanic) and 1.63k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.8%

2022 Citizenship

97.4%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 97.8% of Buffalo County, NE residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Buffalo County, NE was 97.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Buffalo County, NE compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Buffalo County, NE

White (Non-Hispanic)
42.8k ± 136
Other (Hispanic)
2.17k ± 332
White (Hispanic)
1.63k ± 327

9.71%

Hispanic Population

4.87k people

9.71% of the people in Buffalo County, NE are hispanic (4.87k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Buffalo County, NE as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Nebraska.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
46,527 ± 5,232 people
Guatemala
10,472 ± 2,506 people
India
6,505 ± 1,977 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Nebraska was Mexico, the natal country of 46,527 Nebraska residents, followed by Guatemala with 10,472 and India with 6,505.

Foreign-Born Population

4.53%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

2.27k people

4.47%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

2.23k people

As of 2022, 4.53% of Buffalo County, NE residents (2.27k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Buffalo County, NE was 4.47%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Buffalo County, NE compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
947 ± 216
Gulf War (2001-)
435 ± 153
Gulf War (1990s)
324 ± 96

Buffalo County, NE has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.18 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Buffalo County, NE employs 27.5k people. The largest industries in Buffalo County, NE are Health Care & Social Assistance (4,252 people), Retail Trade (3,882 people), and Manufacturing (3,134 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($147,700), Utilities ($78,603), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($62,823).

Males in Nebraska have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $55,834. The income inequality in Nebraska (measured using the Gini index) is 0.444, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

27.5k

2022 Value

± 1,116

0.116%

1 Year growth

± 5.66%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Buffalo County, NE grew at a rate of 0.116%, from 27.5k employees to 27.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Buffalo County, NE, are Sales & Related Occupations (3,465 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,886 people), and Management Occupations (2,876 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Buffalo County, NE.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Nebraska (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

27.5k

2022 Value

± 1,116

0.116%

1 Year growth

± 5.66%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Buffalo County, NE grew at a rate of 0.116%, from 27.5k employees to 27.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Buffalo County, NE, are Health Care & Social Assistance (4,252 people), Retail Trade (3,882 people), and Manufacturing (3,134 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Buffalo County, NE, though some of these residents may live in Buffalo County, NE and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$47,716

Median earning men ± $2,129

$31,519

Median earning women ± $2,799

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($95,469), Public Administration ($66,369), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($64,065).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Construction ($58,179), Public Administration ($48,578), and Manufacturing ($47,661).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Nebraska.

Y-Axis

2.25%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.03M people employed in Nebraska. This represents a 2.25% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 8.87%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Nebraska.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

140
Construction
119
Other Services (except Public Administration)
102
Health Care and Social Assistance

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$228k
Manufacturing
$221k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$121k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Buffalo County, NE went to Donald J. Trump with 70.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (26.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.54%).

Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts are the senators currently representing the state of Nebraska. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Nebraska is currently represented by 3 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (70.5%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (26.9%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (2.54%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Buffalo County, NE for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Nebraska

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Nebraska.

Senator from Nebraska

Deb Fischer
Assumed office on January 3, 2013
Pete Ricketts
Assumed office on January 12, 2023
Appointed to the seat on January 12, 2023 following the resignation of Ben Sasse.

Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts are the senators currently representing Nebraska.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Nebraska over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Nebraska

Nebraska is currently represented by 3 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Nebraska have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Buffalo County, NE awarded 1,385 degrees. The student population of Buffalo County, NE in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 2,062 male students and 3,979 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Buffalo County, NE are White (1,108 and 84.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (140 and 10.6%), Two or More Races (28 and 2.13%), and Black or African American (20 and 1.52%).

The largest universities in Buffalo County, NE by number of degrees awarded are University of Nebraska at Kearney (181215) (1,385 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Buffalo County, NE are General Business Administration & Management (149 and 10.8%), General Biological Sciences (124 and 8.95%), and Elementary Education & Teaching (111 and 8.01%).

The median tuition cost in Buffalo County, NE for a public four year colleges is $6,270 for in-state students and $13,650 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Buffalo County, NE, the percentage of applicants admitted was 86%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 14.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 6,041 (34.1% men and 65.9% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 6,041 students enrolled in Buffalo County, NE, 34.1% men and 65.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 4,633 records, of which 67.6% were women and 32.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Elementary Education & Teaching
97 degrees awarded
General Studies
62 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
132 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Buffalo County, NE was Elementary Education & Teaching with 97 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Buffalo County, NE according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

University of Nebraska at Kearney (181215)

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

1,385 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Nebraska at Kearney (181215) with 1,385 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 497 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Buffalo County, NE, which is 0.56 times less than the 888 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,108 degrees mean that there were 7.91 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 140 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($6,270) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,690) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($712) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Nebraska.

Measure

In 2022, 1.09% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.952% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Nebraska.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (381k), Some college (364k), and Bachelors Degree (309k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Buffalo County, NE was $218,600 in 2022, which is 0.775 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $191,200 to $218,600, a 14.3% increase. The homeownership rate in Buffalo County, NE is 66.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Buffalo County, NE have an average commute time of 16.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Buffalo County, NE is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Buffalo County, NE is $70,093. In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Buffalo County, NE was Census Tract 9692.04 with a value of $96,987, followed by Census Tract 9692.03 and Census Tract 9690, with respective values of $81,338 and $78,209.

In 2023, 13.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Buffalo County, NE. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.0589%.

Housing

Property

$218,600

Median Property Value 2022

±$7,147

$12,955

Median Property Taxes

±$622

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Buffalo County, NE the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Buffalo County, NE compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

66.3%

Homeownership

2022

63.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 66.3% of the housing units in Buffalo County, NE were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 65.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Buffalo County, NE compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9692.04
Census Tract 9692.03
Census Tract 9690

In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Buffalo County, NE was Census Tract 9692.04 with a value of $96,987, followed by Census Tract 9692.03 and Census Tract 9690, with respective values of $81,338 and $78,209.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Buffalo County, NE colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$70,093

Median Household Income

± $3,089

19.5k

Number of Households

± 863

In 2022, the median household income of the 19.5k households in Buffalo County, NE grew to $70,093 from the previous year's value of $65,810.

The following chart displays the households in Buffalo County, NE distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Buffalo County, NE is from Nebraska.

0.444

2022 Wage GINI in Nebraska

0.444

2021 Wage GINI in Nebraska

In 2022, the income inequality in Nebraska was 0.444 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0995% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Nebraska was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Nebraska in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Nebraska across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (82.9%)
Carpooled (9.9%)
Worked At Home (4.43%)

In 2022, 82.9% of workers in Buffalo County, NE drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.9%) and those who worked at home (4.43%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

16.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Buffalo County, NE have a shorter commute time (16.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 1.59% of the workforce in Buffalo County, NE have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Buffalo County, NE compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Buffalo County, NE distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Buffalo County, NE have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 13.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Buffalo County, NE. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.0589%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

11.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Buffalo County, NE (5.65k out of 48k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Buffalo County, NE is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 11.1% of the children was living in poverty in Buffalo County, NE. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 3.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

92.8% of the population of Buffalo County, NE has health coverage, with 54.4% on employee plans, 10.9% on Medicaid, 12.3% on Medicare, 13.9% on non-group plans, and 1.23% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Buffalo County, NE see 1193 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.931% increase from the previous year (1182 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1199 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 239 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.7% were men and 51.3% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,193 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Buffalo County, NE

Primary care physicians in Buffalo County, NE see an average of 1,193 patients per year. This represents a 0.931% increase from the previous year (1,182 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Buffalo County, NE in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.1% under 18 years, 26% between 18 and 34 years, 33.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.7% were men and 51.3% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.24%

Uninsured

54.4%

Employer Coverage

10.9%

Medicaid

12.3%

Medicare

13.9%

Non-Group

1.23%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Buffalo County, NE declined by 1.72% from 7.36% to 7.24%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Buffalo County, NE changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 43.1 in Buffalo County, NE.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Buffalo County, NE.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 33.7% in Buffalo County, NE.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Buffalo County, NE.