Douglas County, NE

This county of 609,733 residents needs 12,400 more housing units over the next five years. Douglas County is part of the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency.

Housing snapshot

Population
609,733 (2026)
Households
242,518
Median household income
$88,960 (2026)
Typical home value
$286,338
Owner-occupied
58%
Five-year housing need
12,400 units

Comparison to other Nebraska counties

Douglas County: $88,960 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$45K >$106K
Douglas County: 1.48 jobs to household ratio
<0.48 >1.66
Douglas County: Permits since 2021 represent 7.6% of housing
<0.1% >7.1%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

A typical home in Douglas County, NE costs $286,338, somewhat above the Nebraska average of $223,818. Douglas County, NE's median household income of $88,960 puts the typical home within reach for most households.

This chart tracks whether housing prices are keeping pace with local incomes. The gap between what homes cost and what households can afford reveals affordability trends over time.

How is the population changing?

Douglas County, NE has a population of roughly 590,736, growing modestly at 1.0% per year.

Population growth patterns reveal how communities are evolving. This chart shows historical population changes by age group and projects future trends based on demographic patterns.

How has employment changed over time?

Jobs by industry sector since 2012. Switch between local jobs — counted where the jobs are located — and resident jobs, counted where the workers live. On the local view the most recent year is a nowcast: it grows the latest local LODES job mix forward using recent county employment growth from QCEW and the BLS local employment series, so the newest point tracks today's economy instead of data that is roughly two years old.

How are households changing by income?

With roughly 242,518 households, Douglas County, NE is growing modestly at 1.0% per year.

Understanding how households at different income levels are growing or declining helps identify which groups face the greatest housing pressure and where new housing is most needed.

Who lives here today?

In Douglas County, NE, detached single-family accounts for 66% of the housing stock. Homeownership is the norm in Douglas County, NE, with 58% of units owner-occupied.

Households may have different structure type preferences depending on characteristics such as household size, income, employment, presence of children, age of individuals, and lifestyle choices. Understanding the housing stock in corresponding terms helps assess how well existing units align with existing households' ideals.

What does the housing stock look like?

The mix of housing types and ownership patterns shapes a community's character. This chart breaks down housing units by structure type and whether they're owner-occupied or rented.

How much new housing supply is needed?

To keep up with growth and fill current housing shortages, Douglas County, NE needs 12,400 new units over the next 5 years.

6,687
Units needed to keep up with expected growth
Projected total household growth from 2026 to 2031.
2.8%
Projected household growth rate
Expected increase in total households from 242,518 in 2026 to 249,205 in 2031.
5,713
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
1,625
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 1.3 per 1,000 units.
1,613
Ownership vacancy adjustment
Owner-occupied vacancy is 0.4%. This is below the minimum stable target of 1.5%.
2,463
Rental vacancy adjustment
Rental vacancy is 5.1%. This is below the minimum stable target of 7.4%.
12
Substandard housing adjustment
Substandard housing rate is 0.99%. This is above National avg. of 0.98%.
12,400
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
2,480
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
4.9%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
1.0%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

How do these communities compare to each other?