Population 6,627 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Thurston County
Household size in Thurston County
| Period | Thurston County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.57 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.60 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.46 | 2.51 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.29 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.28 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Thurston County is a place of big households: 3.29 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 3.57, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Nebraska county has larger households.
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 Thurston County
| Period | Thurston County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.0 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.5 | 37.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 29.7 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.0 | 38.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.0 | +0.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 30.0, Thurston County is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young families with children. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the southwest. No other Nebraska county is younger.
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 Thurston County
| Period | Thurston County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.6% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.9% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 28.8% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.8% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −9.8 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Thurston County: 18.8% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 9.8 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Nebraska county has a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Thurston County
Renters in Thurston County
| Period | Thurston County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.4% | 31.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.7% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.2% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.0% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Thurston County than nationally: 39.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 68.3% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 4.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only three of Nebraska's 93 counties have a higher share of renters.
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 Thurston County
| Period | Thurston County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.9% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.8% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 7.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Thurston County: 13.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 2.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Thurston County
| Period | Thurston County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1971 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Thurston County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1967, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1962 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Thurston County
| Period | Thurston County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $470 | $730 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $496 | $805 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $621 | $911 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $728 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$258 | +$429 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Thurston County costs $728 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $258 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 18.0% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the northeast.
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 Thurston County
Bachelor's degrees in Thurston County
| Period | Thurston County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 29.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 30.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.9% | 32.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.6% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Thurston County: 21.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 9.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the east.
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 Thurston County
| Period | Thurston County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.8% | 90.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.9% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.2% | 91.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.6% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.8 pts | +1.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Thurston County is above the national rate: 93.6% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 9.8 points since 2006–10, as it has 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 Thurston County
| Period | Thurston County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.4% | 5.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 18.8% | 5.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.9% | 3.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Thurston County runs well above the national rate: 10.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Thurston County has the highest unemployment rate of any Nebraska county. Unemployment is down 3.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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).
Thurston 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thurston County | 3.29 | 30.0 | 18.8% | 39.0% | 13.3% | 1967 | $728 | 21.6% | 93.6% | 10.9% |
| Wayne County | 2.34 | 35.5 | 10.2% | 38.7% | 6.7% | 1963 | $941 | 30.2% | 95.5% | 3.4% |
| Monona County | 2.21 | 45.5 | 8.9% | 24.3% | 11.9% | 1954 | $885 | 19.9% | 91.8% | 1.6% |
| Madison County | 2.44 | 38.6 | 9.6% | 34.6% | 7.9% | 1970 | $894 | 24.1% | 91.3% | 2.8% |
| Pierce County | 2.56 | 39.8 | 5.5% | 21.9% | 9.2% | 1959 | $956 | 24.1% | 95.0% | 2.0% |
| Crawford County | 2.51 | 40.3 | 18.5% | 24.0% | 8.3% | 1960 | $732 | 17.7% | 83.2% | 3.9% |
| Antelope County | 2.41 | 43.0 | 5.8% | 21.0% | 16.7% | 1960 | $668 | 21.1% | 94.0% | 1.7% |
| Carroll County | 2.33 | 41.9 | 7.9% | 22.9% | 8.8% | 1960 | $809 | 24.2% | 95.3% | 1.8% |
| Greene County | 2.19 | 45.9 | 8.1% | 23.6% | 10.1% | 1952 | $822 | 21.3% | 93.5% | 2.2% |
| Boone County | 2.41 | 42.7 | 8.5% | 20.0% | 8.7% | 1961 | $930 | 28.5% | 95.1% | 1.5% |
| Story County | 2.36 | 33.8 | 5.1% | 44.5% | 9.3% | 1983 | $1,026 | 58.0% | 96.8% | 4.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Millard County, UT · Owyhee County, ID · Owsley County, KY · Ottawa County, KS · Otoe County, NE · Oscoda County, MI · Moffat County, CO · Missaukee County, MI · Mills County, IA · Ozark County, MO
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 Thurston 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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