Overview
Douglas County is home to 585,461 people (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), making it the most populous county in Nebraska and larger than 96% of all U.S. counties. It contains Omaha, the state's largest city, and sits along the Missouri River at Nebraska's eastern edge.
The county's median household income of $79,081 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) places it above 83% of U.S. counties and in the top tier within Nebraska. Its labor force of 325,252 (BLS LAUS, 2025) ranks higher than 96% of counties nationally. At 35.5 years, the median age is younger than 90% of U.S. counties (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), pointing to a population skewed toward working-age residents and young families.
Demographics
That median age of 35.5 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) makes Douglas County one of the youngest in the country. Only about 10% of U.S. counties have a lower median age. Within Nebraska, it ranks near the bottom, with 92% of the state's counties having older populations.
The county is more diverse than most of Nebraska. White residents make up 66.6% of the population, Black residents 10.3%, Hispanic residents 14.1%, and Asian residents 4.2% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). The Black population share is higher than 76% of U.S. counties, and the Asian population share exceeds 93%. Native residents account for 0.2%.
Education levels run high. 42.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), above 94% of U.S. counties and the highest rate in Nebraska. That concentration of degree holders tracks with the county's role as the state's economic and institutional center.
Education
Douglas County's public schools enrolled 100,064 students (Education Data Portal, 2021), a figure higher than 97% of U.S. counties. Per-pupil spending was $16,512 (Education Data Portal, 2020), above the national average of roughly $15,000. The student-teacher ratio sits at 15.1:1 (Education Data Portal, 2021), just below the national average of about 15.5:1.
The graduation rate is where the numbers get harder. At 77.7% (Education Data Portal, 2019), it falls well below the national average of approximately 87% and ranks lower than 88% of U.S. counties. Within Nebraska, 82% of counties report higher graduation rates. Spending and staffing levels look adequate; completion rates don't match.
Economy & Employment
The unemployment rate in Douglas County was 3.2% (BLS LAUS, 2025), with 314,754 residents employed out of a labor force of 325,252. That rate is lower than about 71% of U.S. counties. The county accounts for the largest share of Nebraska's employment by a wide margin.
Median household income of $79,081 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) sits comfortably above the national median. Per capita income reaches $45,178 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), higher than 90% of U.S. counties. IRS data tells a similar story: the average adjusted gross income was $102,808 across 280,760 tax returns (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021), placing the county above 94% of U.S. counties for average AGI.
The poverty rate of 11.0% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) is lower than about 65% of U.S. counties. For a major metro county with strong income numbers, that poverty rate signals a gap between the top and bottom of the income distribution. High average incomes coexist with a meaningful share of residents below the poverty line.
Housing & Cost of Living
Median home value in Douglas County is $245,800 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), higher than 75% of U.S. counties and 95% of Nebraska counties. Median gross rent is $1,162 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), above 83% of counties nationally and nearly the highest in the state.
The county has 248,692 total housing units with 13,612 vacant, producing a vacancy rate of 5.5% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). That rate is lower than 93% of U.S. counties and 95% of Nebraska counties. Housing stock is tight.
Fair market rent data from HUD (2026) was available for Douglas County, though specific bedroom-level breakdowns were not included in the dataset. With rents already above most of the country and vacancy rates among the lowest, the rental market leaves little slack for new arrivals or lower-income households.
Health & Wellness
Health outcomes in Douglas County are better than most of the country on several physical measures. The high blood pressure rate is 29.4%, lower than 83% of U.S. counties. The diabetes rate of 9.3% is lower than 81% of counties, and the obesity rate of 36.9% falls below 62% (CDC PLACES, 2023).
Preventive care usage is moderate. 74.9% of adults reported an annual checkup, and 83.5% had cholesterol screening (CDC PLACES, 2023).
Mental health numbers stand out. The poor mental health rate of 14.8% is higher than 98% of U.S. counties, and the depression rate of 18.9% exceeds 94% of counties nationally (CDC PLACES, 2023). Poor physical health days, at 10.8%, rank similarly high, above 96% of counties. These figures sit well above state and national norms and contrast sharply with the county's relatively strong physical health indicators.
10.4% of residents lack health insurance (CDC PLACES, 2023), roughly in line with the national median.
Climate & Natural Disasters
Douglas County sits squarely in the Great Plains weather belt, and the federal disaster record confirms it. Thirty presidential disaster declarations since 1967 put the county above 86% of U.S. counties (FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026). Severe storms account for most of those, with flooding and tornadoes making up the rest.
Average temperatures run 53.3°F annually, with highs averaging 64°F and lows at 42.5°F (NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025). That's near the national midpoint for warmth. Annual snowfall of 26.1 inches tops 65% of U.S. counties, consistent with a continental climate that delivers real winters without the extremes of the northern plains.
Annual precipitation totals 30 inches (NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025). The timing matters more than the total. Spring deluges and summer storms have driven seven flood declarations since 1967, including a major event in March 2019. Tornadoes are the other recurring threat, with three separate tornado declarations on record (FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026), the most recent in May 2024.
The pace has picked up. Four severe storm or tornado declarations arrived between May 2024 and October 2025 alone. That's not a blip. Residents planning for the long term shouldn't treat it as one.
Financial Profile
Average adjusted gross income in Douglas County was $102,808, with average total income at $103,561 across 280,760 returns (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021). Total AGI reached $28.9 billion, placing the county above 97% of U.S. counties in aggregate income.
Banking access is strong. The county has 237 bank branches holding $35.2 billion in total deposits (FDIC Summary of Deposits, 2023). Both figures rank above 98% of U.S. counties, reflecting the county's position as a regional financial center.
Social Security beneficiaries totaled 96,390 (SSA OASDI, 2024), higher than 95% of counties nationally. With a young median age and large population, that beneficiary count tracks with the county's overall scale rather than an unusually elderly population.
Key Comparisons
Douglas County consistently ranks at or near the top of Nebraska on population, income, education, and employment measures. Nationally, it sits in the upper tier on most economic indicators: 83rd for median household income, 90th for per capita income, 94th for bachelor's degree attainment.
Where it falls behind is notable. The graduation rate of 77.7% ranks in the bottom 12% nationally. Mental health indicators, particularly poor mental health days and depression rates, rank in the bottom 2% to 6% of U.S. counties. The county's commute time of 17.2 minutes (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) is shorter than 87% of counties, a practical advantage for residents.
Housing costs are high for Nebraska but moderate nationally. Home values at the 75th national rank and rents at the 83rd suggest the county is expensive by Midwest standards without reaching coastal price levels. The 5.5% vacancy rate, lower than 93% of U.S. counties, means that affordability pressure has limited relief valve.
The combination of strong incomes, low unemployment, high educational attainment, and a young population positions Douglas County as Nebraska's economic engine. The gaps in graduation rates and mental health outcomes are the clearest areas where the numbers don't match the county's otherwise strong profile.
Data Sources
- Census ACS 5-Year, 2023
- BLS LAUS, 2025
- CDC PLACES, 2023
- HUD Fair Market Rents, 2026
- FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026
- IRS Statistics of Income, 2021
- FDIC Summary of Deposits, 2023
- NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025
- SSA OASDI, 2024
- Education Data Portal, 2019/2020/2021
- USDA Census of Agriculture: No data available for Douglas County