Wayne County, Nebraska
Located in Nebraska, Wayne County has a population of 9,844 residents and a median age of 30.0 years, making it the #2,492 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 13.2%. The median home value is $221,600, and the median household income is $66,215, which is 12% below the national median.
Demographics
Wayne County has a population of 9,844, making it the #2,492 most populous county in the US. The median age is 30.0 years, which is 22.9% 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 Wayne County is $66,215, ranking #1,507 out of 3,222 counties — 11.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 13.2% and unemployment stands at 4.3%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Wayne County is $221,600 (-21.4% vs national). Renters pay a median of $800/mo and the homeownership rate is 61.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Wayne County, 30.4% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 9.9% below the national average, ranking #736 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Wayne County is 82.5 years. 13.9% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
14.4% of adults in Wayne County smoke , 37.3% are obese , and 20.7% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
.
Families & Children
10.0% of children in Wayne County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 7.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Wayne County is 57.6%. The mean commute time is 15.3 min, which is 44.7% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Wayne County voted Republican with a margin of 49.2%. The vote was 24.7% Dem / 73.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.0 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Wayne County, Nebraska
Wayne County, Nebraska has a total population of 9,844, making it the 2,492nd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Wayne County is 30.0 years, which is 22.9% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Wayne County is $66,215, which ranks #1,507 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 11.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 13.2%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.3%.
The median home value in Wayne County is $221,600, 21.4% below the national median. Renters in Wayne County pay a median gross rent of $800 per month. The homeownership rate is 61.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Wayne County, 30.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 9.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 15.3 min.
Wayne County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 85.4% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (10.3%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
All data for Wayne 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.