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Pawnee County, NE: population growth, jobs and income

Pawnee County lost 7 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.3%).

Pawnee County had an estimated 2,510 residents in 2025, down 1.0% (26 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Nebraska as a whole (+2.8%), and the 51st fastest growth of 81 counties in Nebraska.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Pawnee County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Pawnee County, ranked against Nebraska and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$706/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes22.6%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months82025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 4 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 691 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +54.2% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 3.1% in 2025, 0.5 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 7 new homes in 2025, or 2.8 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $62,188 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +35.0% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,197th.

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Pawnee County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
20252,510−7
20242,517+20
20232,497−30
20222,527−7
20212,534−2
20202,536–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Pawnee County

Pawnee County lost 26 people since 2020 even though 47 more people moved in from other U.S. counties than left: deaths outnumbered births by 74, and net international migration added 6.

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−11−74
International migrationfrom and to other countries+1+6
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+4+47
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−1−5
Total change−7−26

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn NebraskaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth51st of 812,197th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents31st of 811,637th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth2nd of 8014th of 3,092
Median household income62nd of 811,857th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate67th of 81498th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents25th of 811,194th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Pawnee County, NE as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Pawnee County's population change (−1.0%) was ahead of 4 of its 6 neighbouring counties and behind 2 (Nemaha County and Gage County).

3 of its 6 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Pawnee County's $62,188 (2020–24).

Pawnee County, NE and its 6 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Pawnee County, NE This county2,510−1.0%1.62.8$62,188
Johnson County, NE5,218−1.4%9.60.8$57,632
Nemaha County, KS10,054−2.1%−5.20.2$77,348
Nemaha County, NE7,102+0.2%0.80.6$60,924
Gage County, NE21,711+0.2%5.61.3$67,247
Marshall County, KS9,852−1.7%−2.10.5$68,419
Richardson County, NE7,530−4.2%1.20.1$60,108

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

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Questions

Is Pawnee County growing?

No. Its population fell 1.0% between 2020 and 2025, about 26 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Nebraska as a whole changed +2.8% over the same years. That ranks 51st of 81 counties in Nebraska for population growth.

How many people moved to Pawnee County?

On net, about 4 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Pawnee County?

It averaged 3.1% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Pawnee County?

About 2,510 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Pawnee County?

Private employers there had 691 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +54.2% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Nebraska

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Nebraska county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Pawnee County data alerts

Email me when Pawnee County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Pawnee County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.