Population 9,009 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Phelps County
Household size in Phelps County
| Period | Phelps County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.32 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.39 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.26 | 2.51 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.29 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Phelps County is a place of small households, averaging 2.29 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the west.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Phelps County
| Period | Phelps County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.9 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.3 | 37.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.8 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.1 | 38.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.8 | +0.9 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Phelps County are younger than 40.1 and half are older, the same as the national median. The population here is older than in Nebraska as a whole, where the median age is 38.3. The median age has dropped from 42.9 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Phelps County
| Period | Phelps County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Phelps County: 7.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.7 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Phelps County
Renters in Phelps County
| Period | Phelps County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.4% | 31.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.1% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.2% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.7% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly a third of households in Phelps County rent their homes (31.7%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. More than half of owners (54.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the west. The renter share has risen 6.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Phelps County
| Period | Phelps County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 7.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Phelps County: 6.3% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.1 points, mirroring the country. Of Nebraska's 93 counties, only eight have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Phelps County
| Period | Phelps County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1955 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1954 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +6 | +6 |
Phelps County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1966, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1955 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the south has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Phelps County
| Period | Phelps County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $487 | $730 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $635 | $805 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $675 | $911 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $792 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$305 | +$429 | +$606 |
The median renter in Phelps County pays $792 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $305 a month from 2006–10, a 63% jump, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 26.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the center and lowest in the west.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Phelps County
Bachelor's degrees in Phelps County
| Period | Phelps County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.6% | 29.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.7% | 30.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.0% | 32.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.7% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Phelps County than nationally: 29.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.2 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Phelps County
| Period | Phelps County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.1% | 90.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.2% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.5% | 91.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.1% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +1.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Phelps County is above the national rate: 93.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Nebraska. The share with a diploma has edged up 1.0 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Phelps County
| Period | Phelps County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.5% | 5.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 1.4% | 5.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.6% | 3.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.0% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Phelps County has been low: just 1.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.5 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Phelps County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phelps County | 2.29 | 40.1 | 7.0% | 31.7% | 6.3% | 1966 | $792 | 29.7% | 93.1% | 1.0% |
| Kearney County | 2.35 | 41.6 | 10.1% | 22.5% | 7.3% | 1963 | $875 | 34.0% | 93.4% | 1.8% |
| Gosper County | 2.42 | 47.8 | 2.8% | 19.0% | 27.7% | 1973 | $798 | 27.9% | 97.8% | 2.3% |
| Adams County | 2.36 | 40.0 | 13.6% | 30.3% | 6.7% | 1966 | $872 | 30.3% | 92.3% | 2.4% |
| Clay County | 2.42 | 41.3 | 9.4% | 18.1% | 11.4% | 1954 | $681 | 22.8% | 93.3% | 1.8% |
| Hayes County | 2.24 | 47.3 | 3.7% | 32.1% | 22.6% | 1946 | $508 | 19.8% | 95.0% | 0.0% |
| Fillmore County | 2.32 | 46.4 | 5.7% | 19.6% | 13.5% | 1958 | $660 | 23.7% | 95.8% | 0.4% |
| Chase County | 2.49 | 45.7 | 4.1% | 20.9% | 21.8% | 1961 | $807 | 23.7% | 89.5% | 1.9% |
| Saline County | 2.74 | 37.6 | 13.3% | 24.1% | 10.8% | 1961 | $800 | 21.3% | 81.9% | 2.7% |
| Phillips County | 2.33 | 39.6 | 7.7% | 28.1% | 11.4% | 1968 | $956 | 32.3% | 90.7% | 2.8% |
| Johnson County | 2.50 | 42.3 | 9.3% | 32.8% | 18.7% | 1952 | $746 | 18.1% | 87.3% | 3.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Harper County, KS · Hancock County, TN · Hand County, SD · Hansford County, TX · Hanson County, SD · Hardeman County, TX · Hardin County, IA · Hardin County, IL · Harding County, NM · Harding County, SD
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Phelps County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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