Merrick County, NE

County

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2021 Population

7,687

1.78% 1-year decline

US Senator

Deb Fischer

Republican Party

US Senator

Pete Ricketts

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

43.3

0.464% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

11.1%

9.13% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$57,778

10.6% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$138,100

15.2% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Merrick County, NE had a population of 7.69k people with a median age of 43.3 and a median household income of $57,778. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Merrick County, NE declined from 7,826 to 7,687, a −1.78% decrease and its median household income grew from $52,254 to $57,778, a 10.6% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Merrick County, NE are White (Non-Hispanic) (91.5%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.48%), White (Hispanic) (2.34%), Other (Hispanic) (1.29%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (1%).

None of the households in Merrick County, NE reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.1% of the residents in Merrick County, NE are U.S. citizens.

In 2021, the median property value in Merrick County, NE was $138,100, and the homeownership rate was 78.7%.

Most people in Merrick County, NE drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Merrick County, NE was 2 cars per household.

Merrick County, NE borders Hall County, NE, Hamilton County, NE, Howard County, NE, Nance County, NE, Platte County, NE, and Polk County, NE.

United States Nebraska Grand Island, NE

Population & Diversity

Merrick County, NE is home to a population of 7.69k people, from which 98.1% are citizens. As of 2021, 3.43% of Merrick County, NE residents were born outside of the country (264 people).

In 2021, there were 36.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (7.04k people) in Merrick County, NE than any other race or ethnicity. There were 191 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 180 White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

98.1%

2021 Citizenship

98%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 98.1% of Merrick County, NE residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Merrick County, NE was 98%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Merrick County, NE

White (Non-Hispanic)
7.04k ± 25
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
191 ± 46.3
White (Hispanic)
180 ± 61

5.09%

Hispanic Population

391 people

5.09% of the people in Merrick County, NE are hispanic (391 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Merrick County, NE as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

3.43%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

264 people

3.45%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

270 people

As of 2021, 3.43% of Merrick County, NE residents (264 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Merrick County, NE was 3.45%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
211 ± 62
Gulf War (2001-)
133 ± 57
Gulf War (1990s)
36 ± 26

Merrick County, NE has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.59 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Merrick County, NE employs 4.04k people. The largest industries in Merrick County, NE are Health Care & Social Assistance (685 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (476 people), and Manufacturing (442 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($92,639), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($53,688), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($51,875).

Employment

Occupations

4.04k

2021 Value

± 325

0.348%

1 Year growth

± 10.9%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Merrick County, NE grew at a rate of 0.348%, from 4.02k employees to 4.04k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Merrick County, NE, are Management Occupations (597 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (454 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (302 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Merrick County, NE.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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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Industries

Employment by Industries

4.04k

2021 Value

± 325

0.348%

1 Year growth

± 10.9%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Merrick County, NE grew at a rate of 0.348%, from 4.02k employees to 4.04k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Merrick County, NE, are Health Care & Social Assistance (685 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (476 people), and Manufacturing (442 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Merrick County, NE, though some of these residents may live in Merrick County, NE and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$43,038

Median earning men ± $3,320

$28,210

Median earning women ± $3,010

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($65,958), Information ($57,708), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($49,205).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($43,000), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($37,500), and Manufacturing ($34,000).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Nebraska. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

76
Wholesale Trade
73
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
53
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

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 $26B, followed by Live animals/fish ($14.9B) and Cereal grains ($13.5B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Nebraska.

$145B

2020 Value in Nebraska

$286B

Projected 2050 Value in Nebraska

97.1% growth

In 2020, total outbound Nebraska trade was $145B. This is expected to increase 97.1% to $286B 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
$10.2B
Kansas
$7.65B
Texas
$6.86B

In 2020, the top outbound Nebraska domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Iowa with $10.2B, followed by Kansas with $7.65B and Texas and $6.86B.

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 Merrick County, NE went to Donald J. Trump with 80.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (17.5%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.23%).

Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts 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 Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (80.3%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (17.5%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (2.23%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Merrick County, NE for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Nebraska

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Nebraska.

Senator from Nebraska

Deb Fischer
Assumed office on January 3, 2013
Pete Ricketts
Assumed office on January 23, 2023
Appointed to the seat on January 12, 2023 following the resignation of Ben Sasse.

Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts 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 Representative Elections

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

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2021, 0.964% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.968% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (380k), Some college (367k), and Bachelors Degree (301k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Merrick County, NE was $138,100 in 2021, which is 0.564 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $119,900 to $138,100, a 15.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Merrick County, NE is 78.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Merrick County, NE have an average commute time of 20.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Merrick County, NE is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Merrick County, NE is $57,778. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Merrick County, NE was Census Tract 9668 with a value of $61,250, followed by Census Tract 9666 and Census Tract 9667, with respective values of $56,625 and $55,078.

Property

$138,100

Median Property Value 2021

±$15,404

$2,467

Median Property Taxes

±$213

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Merrick County, NE the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Merrick County, NE compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

78.7%

Homeownership

2021

65.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 78.7% of the housing units in Merrick County, NE were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 77.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Merrick County, NE compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9668
Census Tract 9666
Census Tract 9667

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Merrick County, NE was Census Tract 9668 with a value of $61,250, followed by Census Tract 9666 and Census Tract 9667, with respective values of $56,625 and $55,078.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Merrick County, NE colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

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

$57,778

Median Household Income

± $5,563

3.14k

Number of Households

± 260

In 2021, the median household income of the 3.14k households in Merrick County, NE grew to $57,778 from the previous year's value of $52,254.

The following chart displays the households in Merrick County, NE 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 $60k - $75k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Merrick County, NE is from Nebraska.

0.444

2021 Wage GINI in Nebraska

0.441

2020 Wage GINI in Nebraska

In 2021, the income inequality in Nebraska was 0.444 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.499% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (84%)
Carpooled (7.22%)
Worked At Home (4.53%)

In 2021, 84% of workers in Merrick County, NE drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.22%) and those who worked at home (4.53%).

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.

Commute Time

20.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Merrick County, NE have a shorter commute time (20.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.73% of the workforce in Merrick County, NE have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

11.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Merrick County, NE (835 out of 7.55k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 55 - 64, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Merrick County, NE is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

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.

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.

Health

91.8% of the population of Merrick County, NE has health coverage, with 45.7% on employee plans, 9.92% on Medicaid, 15.3% on Medicare, 19.1% on non-group plans, and 1.83% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Merrick County, NE see 2585 patients per year on average, which represents a 33.1% decrease from the previous year (3866 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1952 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 3904 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.1% were men and 49.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,585 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Merrick County, NE

Primary care physicians in Merrick County, NE see an average of 2,585 patients per year. This represents a 33.1% decrease from the previous year (3,866 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.7% under 18 years, 17.4% between 18 and 34 years, 38.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.1% were men and 49.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

8.16%

Uninsured

45.7%

Employer Coverage

9.92%

Medicaid

15.3%

Medicare

19.1%

Non-Group

1.83%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Merrick County, NE grew by 4.86% from 7.78% to 8.16%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Merrick County, NE.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 37.7% in Merrick County, NE.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Merrick County, NE.

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