Nebraska

State

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2019 Population

1.93M

0.266% 1-year growth

US Senator

Deb Fischer

Republican Party

US Senator

Ben Sasse

Republican Party

2019 Median Age

36.8

0.272% 1-year increase

2019 Poverty Rate

11.1%

3.86% 1-year decrease

2019 Median Household Income

$63,229

6.15% 1-year growth

2019 Median Property Value

$172,700

6.74% 1-year growth

2019 Employed Population

959,323

1.17% 1-year growth

About

In 2019, Nebraska had a population of 1.93M people with a median age of 36.8 and a median household income of $63,229. Between 2018 and 2019 the population of Nebraska grew from 1.93M to 1.93M, a 0.266% increase and its median household income grew from $59,566 to $63,229, a 6.15% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Nebraska are White (Non-Hispanic) (78.4%), White (Hispanic) (7.81%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.76%), Other (Hispanic) (2.58%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.45%). 11.8% of the households in Nebraska speak a non-English language at home as their primary language.

95.7% of the residents in Nebraska are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Nebraska are University of Nebraska-Lincoln (6,153 degrees awarded in 2020), University of Nebraska at Omaha (3,439 degrees), and Creighton University (2,719 degrees).

In 2019, the median property value in Nebraska was $172,700, and the homeownership rate was 66.3%. Most people in Nebraska drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Nebraska was 2 cars per household.

Nebraska borders Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Photo by Rich

United States

Diversity

Nebraska is home to a population of 1.93M people, from which 95.7% are citizens. As of 2019, 7.13% of Nebraska residents were born outside of the country (138k people).

In 2019, there were 10 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1.52M people) in Nebraska than any other race or ethnicity. There were 151k White (Hispanic) and 92.1k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common foreign languages spoken in Nebraska are Spanish (137,592 speakers), Vietnamese (9,667 speakers), and Amharic, Somali, or Other Afro-Asiatic Languages (7,297 speakers).

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Nebraska

White (Non-Hispanic)
1.52M ± 1.18k
White (Hispanic)
151k ± 5.95k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
92.1k ± 3.32k

11.3%

Hispanic Population

219k people

11.3% of the people in Nebraska are hispanic (219k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Nebraska as a share of the total population.

Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

Spanish
137,592 speakers (7.62%)
Vietnamese
9,667 speakers (0.536%)
Amharic, Somali, or Other Afro-Asiatic Languages
7,297 speakers (0.404%)

11.8% of Nebraska citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is lower than the national average of 22%.

In 2019, the most common non-English language spoken in Nebraska was Spanish. 7.62% of the overall population of Nebraska are native Spanish speakers. 0.536% speak Vietnamese and 0.404% speak Amharic, Somali, or Other Afro-Asiatic Languages, the next two most common languages.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

7.13%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

138k people

6.92%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

133k people

As of 2019, 7.13% of Nebraska residents (138k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2018, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Nebraska was 6.92%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Nebraska compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.2

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 0.8

In 2019, the median age of all people in Nebraska was 36.8. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 37, were generally younger than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 38. But people in Nebraska are getting getting older. In 2018, the average age of all Nebraska residents was 37.

Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

Mexico
48,045 ± 5,314 people
Guatemala
8,128 ± 2,209 people
Vietnam
6,854 ± 2,029 people

In 2019, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Nebraska was Mexico, the natal country of 48,045 Nebraska residents, followed by Guatemala with 8,128 and Vietnam with 6,854.

Citizenship

95.7%

2019 Citizenship

95.7%

2018 Citizenship

As of 2019, 95.7% of Nebraska residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2018, the percentage of US citizens in Nebraska was 95.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Nebraska compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
38,201 ± 2,244
Gulf War (2001-)
24,976 ± 2,504
Gulf War (1990s)
15,928 ± 1,705

Nebraska has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.53 times greater than any other conflict.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Nebraska, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Nebraska.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Nebraska (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Nebraska.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Nebraska. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Nebraska.

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Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Nebraska.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Nebraska across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Economy

Median household income in Nebraska is $63,229. In 2019, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Nebraska was Sarpy County, NE with a value of $83,720, followed by Douglas County, NE and Lancaster County, NE, with respective values of $67,133 and $61,175.

Males in Nebraska have an average income that is 1.3 times higher than the average income of females, which is $47,764. The income inequality in Nebraska (measured using the Gini index) is 0.429, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Nebraska employs 959k people. The largest industries in Nebraska are Elementary & secondary schools (67,092 people), Construction (64,249 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (50,511 people), and the highest paying industries are Business, professional, political, & similar organizations ($110,944), Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($105,297), and Pipeline transportation ($101,997).

Wages

Median Household Income

$63,229

2019 value

± $936

6.15%

1 Year Growth

± 2.2%

Households in Nebraska have a median annual income of $63,229, which is less than the median annual income of $65,712 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $59,566 in 2018, which represents a 6.15% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Nebraska compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Sex in Common Jobs

$62,251

Average Male Salary in Nebraska

± $2,074

$47,764

Average Female Salary in Nebraska

± $1,695

In 2019, full-time male employees in Nebraska made 1.3 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the sex-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Nebraska by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in Nebraska

White
$49,567 ± $1,346
Asian
$39,382 ± $6,749
Other
$36,176 ± $3,835

In 2019 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Nebraska workers was White. These workers were paid 1.26 times more than Asian workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in Nebraska.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Nebraska by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

0.429

2019 Wage GINI in Nebraska

0.441

2018 Wage GINI in Nebraska

In 2019, the income inequality in Nebraska was 0.429 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 2.76% decline from 2018 to 2019, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Nebraska was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Nebraska in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Nebraska across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2019, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Nebraska was Sarpy County, NE with a value of $83,720, followed by Douglas County, NE and Lancaster County, NE, with respective values of $67,133 and $61,175.

The following map shows all of the counties in Nebraska colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Poverty by Age and Sex

Females 18 - 24

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

11.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Nebraska (207k out of 1.86M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.3%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
155,056 ± 2,541
Hispanic
41,069 ± 1,426
Black
21,924 ± 1,089

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Nebraska is White, followed by Hispanic and Black.

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

959k

2019 Value

1.17%

1 Year growth

± 1.17%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Nebraska grew at a rate of 1.17%, from 948k employees to 959k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Nebraska, are Registered nurses (27,762 people), Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (23,525 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (21,801 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Nebraska.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Nebraska, by number of employees, are Registered nurses (27,762 people), Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (23,525 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (21,801 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Nebraska has an unusually high number of residents working as Buyers & purchasing agents, farm products (7.8 times higher than expected), Butchers & other meat, poultry, & fish processing workers (5.63 times), and Farmers, ranchers, & other agricultural managers (5.51 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Nebraska, by average salary, are Physicians ($297,535), Surgeons ($269,792), and Nurse anesthetists ($168,854).

Industries

Employment by Industries

959k

2019 Value

1.17%

1 Year growth

± 1.17%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Nebraska grew at a rate of 1.17%, from 948k employees to 959k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Nebraska, are Elementary & secondary schools (67,092 people), Construction (64,249 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (50,511 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Nebraska, though some of these residents may live in Nebraska and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Most Common

The most common industries in Nebraska, by number of employees, are Elementary & secondary schools (67,092 people), Construction (64,249 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (50,511 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Nebraska has an unusually high number of Farm product raw material merchant wholesalers (10.3 times higher than expected), Farm supplies merchant wholesalers (8 times), and Ordnance (7.53 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Nebraska, by average salary, are Business, professional, political, & similar organizations ($110,944), Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($105,297), and Pipeline transportation ($101,997).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Nebraska to other states, or from other states to Nebraska.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Nebraska product (by dollars) was Meat/seafood with $25.7B, followed by Live animals/fish ($15.7B) and Cereal grains ($13B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Nebraska products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Nebraska.

$153B

2020 Value in Nebraska

$285B

Projected 2050 Value in Nebraska

86.9% growth

In 2020, total outbound Nebraska trade was $153B. This is expected to increase 86.9% to $285B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Nebraska trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Nebraska to other states, or from other states to Nebraska.

Most Common Trade Partners

Iowa
$11.7B
Kansas
$8.57B
Texas
$7.11B

In 2020, the top outbound Nebraska domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Iowa with $11.7B, followed by Kansas with $8.57B and Texas and $7.11B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Nebraska shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Nebraska went to Donald J. Trump with 58.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (39.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.12%). The most partisan county was Grant County, NE with 93.3% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse are the senators currently representing the state of Nebraska. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Nebraska is currently represented by 3 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (58.2%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (39.2%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (2.12%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Nebraska went to Donald J. Trump with 58.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (39.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.12%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Nebraska for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for Nebraska

58.2% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in Nebraska

Grant County, NE
93.3% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Hayes County, NE
92.5% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Arthur County, NE
91.5% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2020 presidential election, the most partisan county in Nebraska was Grant County, NE with 93.3% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

The following map shows the counties in Nebraska colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from Nebraska

Deb Fischer

Senator from Nebraska

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

Ben Sasse

Senator from Nebraska

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse are the senators currently representing Nebraska.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Nebraska over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives from Nebraska

Nebraska is currently represented by 3 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Nebraska have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Nebraska awarded 30,838 degrees. The student population of Nebraska is skewed towards women, with 58,242 male students and 77,359 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Nebraska are White (22,416 and 76.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (2,557 and 8.69%), Black or African American (1,260 and 4.28%), and Unknown (1,102 and 3.74%).

The largest universities in Nebraska by number of degrees awarded are University of Nebraska-Lincoln (6,153 and 20%), University of Nebraska at Omaha (3,439 and 11.2%), and Creighton University (2,719 and 8.82%).

The most popular majors in Nebraska are General Business Administration & Management (2,715 and 8.8%), Registered Nursing (1,594 and 5.17%), and Liberal Arts & Sciences (904 and 2.93%).

The median tuition costs in Nebraska are $22,805 for private four year colleges, and $6,270 and $13,650 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
1,222 degree-majorss awarded
General Business Administration & Management
1,209 degree-majorss awarded
General Psychology
570 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Nebraska was Registered Nursing with 1,222 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Nebraska according to their major.

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Nebraska-Lincoln
6,153 degrees awarded
University of Nebraska at Omaha
3,439 degrees awarded
Creighton University
2,719 degrees awarded

$6,270

Median In-State Public

$22,805

Median Private

In 2020, the Nebraska institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Nebraska-Lincoln with 6,153 degrees awarded.

Student Sex for Common Institutions

13,393

Degrees Awarded to Men

17,445

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2020, 13,393 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Nebraska, which is 0.768 times less than the 17,445 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 institutions in Nebraska by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
22,416 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
2,557 degrees awarded
Black or African American
1,260 degrees awarded

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions in Nebraska was White students. These 22,416 degrees mean that there were 8.77 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 2,557 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Nebraska was $172,700 in 2019, which is 0.718 times smaller than the national average of $240,500. Between 2018 and 2019 the median property value increased from $161,800 to $172,700, a 6.74% increase. The homeownership rate in Nebraska is 66.3%, which is higher than the national average of 64.1%. People in Nebraska have an average commute time of 18.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Nebraska is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$172,700

2019 Median

± $1,716

$161,800

2018 Median

± $1,688

In 2019, the median property value in Nebraska grew to to $172,700 from the previous year's value of $161,800.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Nebraska compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Nebraska the largest share of households have a property value in the $200k - $250k range.

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$63,229

Median Household Income

± $936

771k

Number of Households

± 12,424

In 2019, the median household income of the 771k households in Nebraska grew to $63,229 from the previous year's value of $59,566.

The following chart displays the households in Nebraska distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Nebraska distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Nebraska the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

Rent vs Own

66.3%

2019 Homeownership

66.1%

2018 Homeownership

In 2019, 66.3% of the housing units in Nebraska were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 66.1%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 64.1%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Nebraska compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

18.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Nebraska have a shorter commute time (18.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26 minutes). Additionally, 1.32% of the workforce in Nebraska have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Nebraska compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2019

Drove Alone (81.8%)
Carpooled (8.96%)
Worked At Home (4.64%)

In 2019, 81.8% of workers in Nebraska drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.96%) and those who worked at home (4.64%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Nebraska distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Nebraska have 2 cars, followed by false.

Health

91.7% of the population of Nebraska has health coverage, with 54.6% on employee plans, 10.3% on Medicaid, 11.6% on Medicare, 13.3% on non-group plans, and 1.88% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Nebraska was $8,412 in 2014. This is a 3.43% increase from the previous year ($8,133).

Primary care physicians in Nebraska see 1310 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.28% decrease from the previous year (1327 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1272 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 362 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Thurston County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (18.8%). Additionally, Thurston County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (47.2%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,310 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Nebraska

Primary care physicians in Nebraska see an average of 1,310 patients per year. This represents a 1.28% decrease from the previous year (1,327 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Nebraska in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Nebraska.

$8,412

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in Nebraska

$4,536

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$7,964

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$9,956

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Nebraska (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 3.43%, from $8,133 to $8,412.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

8.29%

Uninsured

54.6%

Employer Coverage

10.3%

Medicaid

11.6%

Medicare

13.3%

Non-Group

1.88%

Military or VA

Between 2018 and 2019, the percent of uninsured citizens in Nebraska declined by 0.0156% from 8.29% to 8.29%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Nebraska changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.