Thurston County, Nebraska
Located in Nebraska, Thurston County has a population of 6,627 residents and a median age of 29.2 years, making it the #2,766 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 13.9%. The median home value is $114,600, and the median household income is $69,177, which is 8% below the national median.
Demographics
Thurston County has a population of 6,627, making it the #2,766 most populous county in the US. The median age is 29.2 years, which is 24.9% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Thurston County is $69,177, ranking #1,261 out of 3,222 counties — 7.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 13.9% and unemployment stands at 10.0%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Thurston County is $114,600 (-59.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $699/mo and the homeownership rate is 61.0%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Thurston County, 22.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 34.2% below the national average, ranking #1,623 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Thurston County is 63.2 years. 23.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
24.1% of adults in Thurston County smoke , 48.8% are obese , and 19.2% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 33.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 42.7 per 100,000.
Motor Vehicle Deaths Trend
Families & Children
25.5% of children in Thurston County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 47.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Thurston County is 50.9%. The mean commute time is 22.4 min, which is 18.9% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Thurston County voted Republican with a margin of 6.9%. The vote was 46.1% Dem / 53% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 4.5 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Thurston County, Nebraska
Thurston County, Nebraska has a total population of 6,627, making it the 2,766th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Thurston County is 29.2 years, which is 24.9% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Thurston County is $69,177, which ranks #1,261 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 7.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 13.9%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 10.0%.
The median home value in Thurston County is $114,600, 59.3% below the national median. Renters in Thurston County pay a median gross rent of $699 per month. The homeownership rate is 61.0%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Thurston County, 22.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 34.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 90.6% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 22.4 min.
Thurston County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is American Indian (non-Hispanic) at 53.7% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (36.2%) and Hispanic or Latino (4.9%).
All data for Thurston County, Nebraska comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.