Population 9,844 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wayne County
Household size in Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.43 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.30 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.25 | 2.51 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Wayne County is a place of small households, averaging 2.34 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has edged down from 2.43 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.8 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.2 | 37.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.3 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.5 | 38.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.7 | +0.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.5, Wayne County is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has climbed from 33.8 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only three of Nebraska's 93 counties are 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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.0% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.2% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Wayne County (10.2%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Nebraska as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share is down 2.8 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Wayne County
Renters in Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.0% | 31.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.2% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.9% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.7% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Wayne County than nationally: 38.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Nearly half of owners (48.5%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 8.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only four 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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.3% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 7.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.6 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Wayne County than nationally: 6.7%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy is down 6.6 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Wayne County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Nebraska counties.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1953 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +6 | +6 |
Wayne County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1963, 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 1953 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the northwest 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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $478 | $730 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $686 | $805 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $742 | $911 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $941 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$462 | +$429 | +$606 |
The median renter in Wayne County pays $941 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $462 a month from 2006–10, a 97% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 27.8% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the east.
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 Wayne County
Bachelor's degrees in Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.8% | 29.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 39.9% | 30.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.2% | 32.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.2% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
About three in ten adults 25 and older in Wayne County (30.2%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has edged down 0.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southwest.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.9% | 90.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.6% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.3% | 91.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.5% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +1.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Wayne County: 95.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.6 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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 5.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.3% | 5.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.5% | 3.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Wayne County than nationally: unemployment was 3.4%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.5 points, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Wayne 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County | 2.34 | 35.5 | 10.2% | 38.7% | 6.7% | 1963 | $941 | 30.2% | 95.5% | 3.4% |
| Pierce County | 2.56 | 39.8 | 5.5% | 21.9% | 9.2% | 1959 | $956 | 24.1% | 95.0% | 2.0% |
| Thurston County | 3.29 | 30.0 | 18.8% | 39.0% | 13.3% | 1967 | $728 | 21.6% | 93.6% | 10.9% |
| Antelope County | 2.41 | 43.0 | 5.8% | 21.0% | 16.7% | 1960 | $668 | 21.1% | 94.0% | 1.7% |
| Ida County | 2.23 | 41.6 | 11.4% | 27.1% | 8.6% | 1954 | $698 | 22.7% | 94.8% | 2.4% |
| Sac County | 2.22 | 46.7 | 8.4% | 22.0% | 15.2% | 1954 | $737 | 22.1% | 92.7% | 4.0% |
| Calhoun County | 2.30 | 43.9 | 7.7% | 19.5% | 16.2% | 1957 | $743 | 21.8% | 92.9% | 2.4% |
| Grundy County | 2.40 | 42.5 | 7.8% | 15.5% | 6.7% | 1961 | $859 | 28.3% | 96.7% | 1.9% |
| Box Butte County | 2.39 | 42.8 | 8.3% | 23.2% | 15.1% | 1964 | $814 | 20.1% | 94.0% | 1.5% |
| Jones County | 2.43 | 42.9 | 13.3% | 19.4% | 7.8% | 1968 | $846 | 22.0% | 95.3% | 4.4% |
| Jackson County | 2.39 | 45.4 | 6.3% | 19.3% | 11.0% | 1965 | $853 | 19.1% | 94.3% | 5.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Dawson County, MT · Stewart County, GA · Stevens County, KS · Ste. Genevieve County, MO · St. Clair County, MO · Spink County, SD · Spencer County, KY · Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK · Southampton County, VA · Deuel County, NE
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 Wayne 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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