Nebraska County Area & Size Rankings

Understanding Nebraska’s county areas

The land-area range runs from Sarpy County at 238 mi² to Cherry County at 5,960.1 mi². The largest has 25 times the land area of the smallest and accounts for 7.8% of the combined county land in Nebraska. Compare with every state’s largest county.

The median county-equivalent land area is 575.2 mi², below the national median of 604.5 mi². The median describes the middle of the county size distribution; it does not describe how people or development are distributed. A state with a few very large counties can have a much smaller median than its largest entry suggests.

Where water changes the picture

Cherry County has the most assigned water area, at 49.5 mi². Keith County has the highest water share, with water making up 4.3% of its total area. Water area and water percentage answer different questions: the first measures an amount, while the second measures the mix of land and water.

Across all 93 entries, water accounts for 0.7% of the combined total area. This is calculated from the summed land and water measurements, rather than averaging county percentages, which would give each small and large county equal weight.

Where people live

An estimated 2,018,006 people lived in Nebraska on July 1, 2025 (+2.9% since 2020), or 0.6% of the national total in this dataset. Douglas County is the most populous county equivalent, with 606,460 residents — 30.1% of the state. The largest by land, Cherry County, has 5,561.

Across the state there are 26 people per square mile of land. County densities range from 1,857 in Douglas County to 0.43 in McPherson County; the median county equivalent has 8. Switch the map above to density to see where the state’s population concentrates.

Compare the largest and smallest county equivalents in Nebraska to see land, water, and total area on the same scale.

These calculations use the 2026 Census county records listed below. County-equivalent boundaries vary between states; area alone does not measure population, density, or usable land. See coverage and calculation rules.

#	County / equivalent	Land	Water	Water share	Population	Per mi²
1	Cherry CountyGEOID 31031	5,960.1 mi²	49.5 mi²	0.8%	5,561	0.93
2	Custer CountyGEOID 31041	2,575.5 mi²	0.5 mi²	0%	10,500	4.1
3	Lincoln CountyGEOID 31111	2,564.2 mi²	11 mi²	0.4%	33,303	13
4	Sheridan CountyGEOID 31161	2,440.2 mi²	29.6 mi²	1.2%	4,809	2
5	Holt CountyGEOID 31089	2,411.9 mi²	5.6 mi²	0.2%	10,067	4.2
6	Sioux CountyGEOID 31165	2,066.7 mi²	0.6 mi²	0%	1,188	0.57
7	Garden CountyGEOID 31069	1,704.8 mi²	26 mi²	1.5%	1,804	1.1
8	Morrill CountyGEOID 31123	1,423.7 mi²	6.4 mi²	0.4%	4,404	3.1
9	Dawes CountyGEOID 31045	1,396.4 mi²	4.5 mi²	0.3%	7,858	5.6
10	Brown CountyGEOID 31017	1,221.4 mi²	3.7 mi²	0.3%	2,826	2.3
11	Cheyenne CountyGEOID 31033	1,196 mi²	0.1 mi²	0%	9,528	8
12	Knox CountyGEOID 31107	1,108.2 mi²	31.5 mi²	2.8%	8,335	7.5
13	Box Butte CountyGEOID 31013	1,075.2 mi²	2.7 mi²	0.2%	10,494	9.8
14	Keith CountyGEOID 31101	1,062.1 mi²	47.8 mi²	4.3%	8,100	7.6
15	Dawson CountyGEOID 31047	1,013.8 mi²	5.6 mi²	0.6%	24,452	24
16	Rock CountyGEOID 31149	1,008.3 mi²	3.4 mi²	0.3%	1,259	1.2
17	Frontier CountyGEOID 31063	974.7 mi²	5.4 mi²	0.6%	2,655	2.7
18	Buffalo CountyGEOID 31019	968.2 mi²	7.2 mi²	0.7%	51,172	53
19	Kimball CountyGEOID 31105	951.9 mi²	0.6 mi²	0.1%	3,391	3.6
20	Dundy CountyGEOID 31057	919.7 mi²	1.2 mi²	0.1%	1,568	1.7
21	Chase CountyGEOID 31029	894.4 mi²	3.1 mi²	0.3%	3,718	4.2
22	Perkins CountyGEOID 31135	883.3 mi²	1.1 mi²	0.1%	2,849	3.2
23	McPherson CountyGEOID 31117	859.3 mi²	1 mi²	0.1%	369	0.43
24	Antelope CountyGEOID 31003	857.2 mi²	1.4 mi²	0.2%	6,352	7.4
25	Gage CountyGEOID 31067	851.5 mi²	8.5 mi²	1%	21,711	25
26	Lancaster CountyGEOID 31109	837.6 mi²	8.8 mi²	1%	334,049	399
27	Grant CountyGEOID 31075	776.7 mi²	6.7 mi²	0.9%	561	0.72
28	Keya Paha CountyGEOID 31103	772.9 mi²	1 mi²	0.1%	792	1
29	Saunders CountyGEOID 31155	748.7 mi²	11.1 mi²	1.5%	23,702	32
30	Banner CountyGEOID 31007	746 mi²	0.2 mi²	0%	686	0.92
31	Cedar CountyGEOID 31027	740.2 mi²	5.7 mi²	0.8%	8,373	11
32	Scotts Bluff CountyGEOID 31157	739.6 mi²	5.9 mi²	0.8%	35,586	48
33	Hooker CountyGEOID 31091	721 mi²	0.5 mi²	0.1%	686	0.95
34	Furnas CountyGEOID 31065	719.2 mi²	1.4 mi²	0.2%	4,524	6.3
35	Red Willow CountyGEOID 31145	717.2 mi²	0.8 mi²	0.1%	10,307	14
36	Arthur CountyGEOID 31005	715.2 mi²	3 mi²	0.4%	396	0.55
37	Hayes CountyGEOID 31085	713.1 mi²	0.2 mi²	0%	821	1.2
38	Thomas CountyGEOID 31171	712.6 mi²	0.8 mi²	0.1%	639	0.9
39	Blaine CountyGEOID 31009	710.7 mi²	3.6 mi²	0.5%	458	0.64
40	Hitchcock CountyGEOID 31087	710 mi²	8.5 mi²	1.2%	2,467	3.5
41	Boone CountyGEOID 31011	686.5 mi²	0.7 mi²	0.1%	5,355	7.8
42	Platte CountyGEOID 31141	675.2 mi²	9.4 mi²	1.4%	35,649	53
43	Otoe CountyGEOID 31131	615.6 mi²	3.4 mi²	0.5%	16,531	27
44	Butler CountyGEOID 31023	584.8 mi²	6 mi²	1%	8,507	15
45	Franklin CountyGEOID 31061	575.8 mi²	0.2 mi²	0%	2,795	4.9
46	Fillmore CountyGEOID 31059	575.4 mi²	1.2 mi²	0.2%	5,458	9.5
47	Wheeler CountyGEOID 31183	575.2 mi²	0.4 mi²	0.1%	789	1.4
48	Nuckolls CountyGEOID 31129	575.2 mi²	0.7 mi²	0.1%	4,100	7.1
49	Webster CountyGEOID 31181	574.9 mi²	0.1 mi²	0%	3,336	5.8
50	Saline CountyGEOID 31151	574.1 mi²	2.2 mi²	0.4%	14,996	26
51	Thayer CountyGEOID 31169	573.8 mi²	1.2 mi²	0.2%	4,842	8.4
52	Pierce CountyGEOID 31139	573.2 mi²	1.3 mi²	0.2%	7,378	13
53	Madison CountyGEOID 31119	572.6 mi²	2.8 mi²	0.5%	36,106	63
54	York CountyGEOID 31185	572.5 mi²	3.3 mi²	0.6%	14,564	25
55	Clay CountyGEOID 31035	572.3 mi²	1.2 mi²	0.2%	6,170	11
56	Seward CountyGEOID 31159	571.4 mi²	4.5 mi²	0.8%	18,032	32
57	Logan CountyGEOID 31113	570.7 mi²	0.5 mi²	0.1%	669	1.2
58	Cuming CountyGEOID 31039	570.5 mi²	4.2 mi²	0.7%	8,823	15
59	Jefferson CountyGEOID 31095	570.2 mi²	5.5 mi²	1%	7,070	12
60	Greeley CountyGEOID 31077	569.8 mi²	0.8 mi²	0.1%	2,154	3.8
61	Garfield CountyGEOID 31071	569.4 mi²	2 mi²	0.4%	1,710	3
62	Howard CountyGEOID 31093	569.3 mi²	6.3 mi²	1.1%	6,538	11
63	Valley CountyGEOID 31175	568.1 mi²	2.4 mi²	0.4%	4,094	7.2
64	Sherman CountyGEOID 31163	565.9 mi²	5.8 mi²	1%	2,924	5.2
65	Loup CountyGEOID 31115	563.3 mi²	7.7 mi²	1.4%	570	1
66	Adams CountyGEOID 31001	563.3 mi²	1 mi²	0.2%	31,071	55
67	Cass CountyGEOID 31025	556.9 mi²	9 mi²	1.6%	27,657	50
68	Harlan CountyGEOID 31083	553.5 mi²	20.6 mi²	3.6%	3,000	5.4
69	Richardson CountyGEOID 31147	551.8 mi²	2.7 mi²	0.5%	7,530	14
70	Hall CountyGEOID 31079	546.5 mi²	5.6 mi²	1%	63,633	116
71	Hamilton CountyGEOID 31081	542 mi²	2.7 mi²	0.5%	9,678	18
72	Phelps CountyGEOID 31137	539.8 mi²	0.7 mi²	0.1%	8,994	17
73	Boyd CountyGEOID 31015	539.4 mi²	5.2 mi²	0.9%	1,674	3.1
74	Dodge CountyGEOID 31053	528.8 mi²	14.2 mi²	2.6%	38,057	72
75	Kearney CountyGEOID 31099	516.2 mi²	0.2 mi²	0%	6,790	13
76	Burt CountyGEOID 31021	491.6 mi²	5.5 mi²	1.1%	6,678	14
77	Merrick CountyGEOID 31121	487.8 mi²	9 mi²	1.8%	7,905	16
78	Dixon CountyGEOID 31051	475.6 mi²	7.1 mi²	1.5%	5,602	12
79	Gosper CountyGEOID 31073	458.2 mi²	4.5 mi²	1%	1,803	3.9
80	Wayne CountyGEOID 31179	442.9 mi²	0.4 mi²	0.1%	10,020	23
81	Nance CountyGEOID 31125	441.6 mi²	6.6 mi²	1.5%	3,290	7.5
82	Deuel CountyGEOID 31049	439.8 mi²	0.9 mi²	0.2%	1,862	4.2
83	Polk CountyGEOID 31143	438.8 mi²	1.8 mi²	0.4%	5,270	12
84	Pawnee CountyGEOID 31133	431.1 mi²	1.9 mi²	0.4%	2,510	5.8
85	Stanton CountyGEOID 31167	427.6 mi²	3.4 mi²	0.8%	5,744	13
86	Colfax CountyGEOID 31037	411.5 mi²	5.1 mi²	1.2%	10,934	27
87	Nemaha CountyGEOID 31127	407.3 mi²	2.3 mi²	0.6%	7,102	17
88	Thurston CountyGEOID 31173	393.6 mi²	2.5 mi²	0.6%	6,752	17
89	Washington CountyGEOID 31177	389.9 mi²	3.3 mi²	0.8%	21,302	55
90	Johnson CountyGEOID 31097	376.1 mi²	0.6 mi²	0.2%	5,218	14
91	Douglas CountyGEOID 31055	326.5 mi²	12.8 mi²	3.8%	606,460	1,857
92	Dakota CountyGEOID 31043	264.4 mi²	3 mi²	1.1%	21,687	82
93	Sarpy CountyGEOID 31153	238 mi²	9.5 mi²	3.8%	208,303	875

County / equivalent

Land

Water

Water share

Population

Per mi²

Cherry CountyGEOID 31031

5,960.1 mi²

49.5 mi²

0.8%

5,561

0.93

Custer CountyGEOID 31041

2,575.5 mi²

0.5 mi²

10,500

4.1

Lincoln CountyGEOID 31111

2,564.2 mi²

11 mi²

0.4%

33,303

Sheridan CountyGEOID 31161

2,440.2 mi²

29.6 mi²

1.2%

4,809

Holt CountyGEOID 31089

2,411.9 mi²

5.6 mi²

0.2%

10,067

4.2

Sioux CountyGEOID 31165

2,066.7 mi²

0.6 mi²

1,188

0.57

Garden CountyGEOID 31069

1,704.8 mi²

26 mi²

1.5%

1,804

1.1

Morrill CountyGEOID 31123

1,423.7 mi²

6.4 mi²

0.4%

4,404

3.1

Dawes CountyGEOID 31045

1,396.4 mi²

4.5 mi²

0.3%

7,858

5.6

Brown CountyGEOID 31017

1,221.4 mi²

3.7 mi²

0.3%

2,826

2.3

Cheyenne CountyGEOID 31033

1,196 mi²

0.1 mi²

9,528

Knox CountyGEOID 31107

1,108.2 mi²

31.5 mi²

2.8%

8,335

7.5

Box Butte CountyGEOID 31013

1,075.2 mi²

2.7 mi²

0.2%

10,494

9.8

Keith CountyGEOID 31101

1,062.1 mi²

47.8 mi²

4.3%

8,100

7.6

Dawson CountyGEOID 31047

1,013.8 mi²

5.6 mi²

0.6%

24,452

Rock CountyGEOID 31149

1,008.3 mi²

3.4 mi²

0.3%

1,259

1.2

Frontier CountyGEOID 31063

974.7 mi²

5.4 mi²

0.6%

2,655

2.7

Buffalo CountyGEOID 31019

968.2 mi²

7.2 mi²

0.7%

51,172

Kimball CountyGEOID 31105

951.9 mi²

0.6 mi²

0.1%

3,391

3.6

Dundy CountyGEOID 31057

919.7 mi²

1.2 mi²

0.1%

1,568

1.7

Chase CountyGEOID 31029

894.4 mi²

3.1 mi²

0.3%

3,718

4.2

Perkins CountyGEOID 31135

883.3 mi²

1.1 mi²

0.1%

2,849

3.2

McPherson CountyGEOID 31117

859.3 mi²

1 mi²

0.1%

369

0.43

Antelope CountyGEOID 31003

857.2 mi²

1.4 mi²

0.2%

6,352

7.4

Gage CountyGEOID 31067

851.5 mi²

8.5 mi²

21,711

Lancaster CountyGEOID 31109

837.6 mi²

8.8 mi²

334,049

399

Grant CountyGEOID 31075

776.7 mi²

6.7 mi²

0.9%

561

0.72

Keya Paha CountyGEOID 31103

772.9 mi²

1 mi²

0.1%

792

Saunders CountyGEOID 31155

748.7 mi²

11.1 mi²

1.5%

23,702

Banner CountyGEOID 31007

746 mi²

0.2 mi²

686

0.92

Cedar CountyGEOID 31027

740.2 mi²

5.7 mi²

0.8%

8,373

Scotts Bluff CountyGEOID 31157

739.6 mi²

5.9 mi²

0.8%

35,586

Hooker CountyGEOID 31091

721 mi²

0.5 mi²

0.1%

686

0.95

Furnas CountyGEOID 31065

719.2 mi²

1.4 mi²

0.2%

4,524

6.3

Red Willow CountyGEOID 31145

717.2 mi²

0.8 mi²

0.1%

10,307

Arthur CountyGEOID 31005

715.2 mi²

3 mi²

0.4%

396

0.55

Hayes CountyGEOID 31085

713.1 mi²

0.2 mi²

821

1.2

Thomas CountyGEOID 31171

712.6 mi²

0.8 mi²

0.1%

639

0.9

Blaine CountyGEOID 31009

710.7 mi²

3.6 mi²

0.5%

458

0.64

Hitchcock CountyGEOID 31087

710 mi²

8.5 mi²

1.2%

2,467

3.5

Boone CountyGEOID 31011

686.5 mi²

0.7 mi²

0.1%

5,355

7.8

Platte CountyGEOID 31141

675.2 mi²

9.4 mi²

1.4%

35,649

Otoe CountyGEOID 31131

615.6 mi²

3.4 mi²

0.5%

16,531

Butler CountyGEOID 31023

584.8 mi²

6 mi²

8,507

Franklin CountyGEOID 31061

575.8 mi²

0.2 mi²

2,795

4.9

Fillmore CountyGEOID 31059

575.4 mi²

1.2 mi²

0.2%

5,458

9.5

Wheeler CountyGEOID 31183

575.2 mi²

0.4 mi²

0.1%

789

1.4

Nuckolls CountyGEOID 31129

575.2 mi²

0.7 mi²

0.1%

4,100

7.1

Webster CountyGEOID 31181

574.9 mi²

0.1 mi²

3,336

5.8

Saline CountyGEOID 31151

574.1 mi²

2.2 mi²

0.4%

14,996

Thayer CountyGEOID 31169

573.8 mi²

1.2 mi²

0.2%

4,842

8.4

Pierce CountyGEOID 31139

573.2 mi²

1.3 mi²

0.2%

7,378

Madison CountyGEOID 31119

572.6 mi²

2.8 mi²

0.5%

36,106

York CountyGEOID 31185

572.5 mi²

3.3 mi²

0.6%

14,564

Clay CountyGEOID 31035

572.3 mi²

1.2 mi²

0.2%

6,170

Seward CountyGEOID 31159

571.4 mi²

4.5 mi²

0.8%

18,032

Logan CountyGEOID 31113

570.7 mi²

0.5 mi²

0.1%

669

1.2

Cuming CountyGEOID 31039

570.5 mi²

4.2 mi²

0.7%

8,823

Jefferson CountyGEOID 31095

570.2 mi²

5.5 mi²

7,070

Greeley CountyGEOID 31077

569.8 mi²

0.8 mi²

0.1%

2,154

3.8

Garfield CountyGEOID 31071

569.4 mi²

2 mi²

0.4%

1,710

Howard CountyGEOID 31093

569.3 mi²

6.3 mi²

1.1%

6,538

Valley CountyGEOID 31175

568.1 mi²

2.4 mi²

0.4%

4,094

7.2

Sherman CountyGEOID 31163

565.9 mi²

5.8 mi²

2,924

5.2

Loup CountyGEOID 31115

563.3 mi²

7.7 mi²

1.4%

570

Adams CountyGEOID 31001

563.3 mi²

1 mi²

0.2%

31,071

Cass CountyGEOID 31025

556.9 mi²

9 mi²

1.6%

27,657

Harlan CountyGEOID 31083

553.5 mi²

20.6 mi²

3.6%

3,000

5.4

Richardson CountyGEOID 31147

551.8 mi²

2.7 mi²

0.5%

7,530

Hall CountyGEOID 31079

546.5 mi²

5.6 mi²

63,633

116

Hamilton CountyGEOID 31081

542 mi²

2.7 mi²

0.5%

9,678

Phelps CountyGEOID 31137

539.8 mi²

0.7 mi²

0.1%

8,994

Boyd CountyGEOID 31015

539.4 mi²

5.2 mi²

0.9%

1,674

3.1

Dodge CountyGEOID 31053

528.8 mi²

14.2 mi²

2.6%

38,057

Kearney CountyGEOID 31099

516.2 mi²

0.2 mi²

6,790

Burt CountyGEOID 31021

491.6 mi²

5.5 mi²

1.1%

6,678

Merrick CountyGEOID 31121

487.8 mi²

9 mi²

1.8%

7,905

Dixon CountyGEOID 31051

475.6 mi²

7.1 mi²

1.5%

5,602

Gosper CountyGEOID 31073

458.2 mi²

4.5 mi²

1,803

3.9

Wayne CountyGEOID 31179

442.9 mi²

0.4 mi²

0.1%

10,020

Nance CountyGEOID 31125

441.6 mi²

6.6 mi²

1.5%

3,290

7.5

Deuel CountyGEOID 31049

439.8 mi²

0.9 mi²

0.2%

1,862

4.2

Polk CountyGEOID 31143

438.8 mi²

1.8 mi²

0.4%

5,270

Pawnee CountyGEOID 31133

431.1 mi²

1.9 mi²

0.4%

2,510

5.8

Stanton CountyGEOID 31167

427.6 mi²

3.4 mi²

0.8%

5,744

Colfax CountyGEOID 31037

411.5 mi²

5.1 mi²

1.2%

10,934

Nemaha CountyGEOID 31127

407.3 mi²

2.3 mi²

0.6%

7,102

Thurston CountyGEOID 31173

393.6 mi²

2.5 mi²

0.6%

6,752

Washington CountyGEOID 31177

389.9 mi²

3.3 mi²

0.8%

21,302

Johnson CountyGEOID 31097

376.1 mi²

0.6 mi²

0.2%

5,218

Douglas CountyGEOID 31055

326.5 mi²

12.8 mi²

3.8%

606,460

1,857

Dakota CountyGEOID 31043

264.4 mi²

3 mi²

1.1%

21,687

Sarpy CountyGEOID 31153

238 mi²

9.5 mi²

3.8%

208,303

875

Nebraska counties by area

Understanding Nebraska’s county areas

Where water changes the picture

Where people live

Complete area table