State Ledger
State profile

Nebraska FIPS 31

Population
1,951,480
Median household income
$66,644
Nonfarm employment
1,061,100
Business establishments
56,503

Every figure above traces to a primary source · view data sources & methodology

State Highlights

Largest employer sector
Health care and social assistance
143,276 employees
Business concentration
15.5%
of private employment in Health care and social assistance
Home prices, 1 year
+3.2%
FHFA
Federal outlays per capita
$11,625.16
USASpending.gov

Economy & Labor

Total nonfarm employment

BLS Current Employment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted · persons · 20 months available · latest observation: August 2026
Employment ratio
55.3%
employed ÷ population
Unemployed population (ACS)
34,474
Vs. July
▼ 500
Business density
29.4 per 1,000
establishments per capita

Leading Industries

Leading industries by employment

Ranked by private-sector employment, same measure as the Business & Industry tab · see the full breakdown there
1 Health care and social assistance 143,276 employees
2 Retail trade 110,079 employees
3 Manufacturing 104,418 employees
4 Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 92,709 employees
5 Accommodation and food services 80,966 employees

Leading Public Companies

Top 5 by latest reported revenue

SEC EDGAR / XBRL Company Facts · see the full listing on the Public Companies tab
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC · BRK-A
$371.44B
Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance
UNION PACIFIC CORP · UNP
$24.51B
Railroads, Line-Haul Operating
VALMONT INDUSTRIES INC · VMI
$4.10B
Fabricated Structural Metal Products
WERNER ENTERPRISES INC · WERN
$2.97B
Trucking (No Local)
Green Plains Inc. · GPRE
$2.09B
Industrial Organic Chemicals

Population & People

Homeownership rate
66.8%
512.0K of 766.9K occupied homes are owner-occupied

Population by age

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year estimate (table B01001) · reconciles to total population
0–17
485.9K · 24.9%
18–24
190.3K · 9.7%
25–34
255.1K · 13.1%
35–44
247.9K · 12.7%
45–54
221.5K · 11.4%
55–64
245.0K · 12.6%
65–74
180.0K · 9.2%
75+
125.8K · 6.4%

Housing & Real Estate

Median home value
$174,100
Median gross rent
$909 / month
Vacancy rate
8.8%
Total housing units
840.8K
Owner-occupied homes
512.0K
Renter-occupied homes
254.9K
Home prices, 1 year
+3.2%
Home prices, 5 years
+41.2%
Latest FHFA period
2026 Q2

ACS: 2021 ACS 5-year · FHFA: 2026 Q2

ACS housing estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau — median home value reflects owner-reported value, not a current sale price. House-price changes are from the FHFA All-Transactions House Price Index, a measure of price appreciation over time, not a home-value estimate.

Federal Spending

Total federal outlays
$22.32B
Outlays per capita
$11,625.16
Total prime award value
$25.17B

Source: USASpending.gov · specific reporting period not published in this dataset