Nebraska by the Numbers: CPAR’S Data Series Delivers In-Demand Insights

Where are Nebraska’s young professionals going? Which Nebraska counties are growing the most? What’s happening with Nebraska home values?

➡️ What’s new: The Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) presented data on shifting demographic and economic trends to more than 100 community partners at the Annual Data and Research Series for Community Impact in December, delivering much needed answers to some of the state’s most pressing questions.

💡Why it matters: As Nebraska’s State Data Center, CPAR’s long-standing partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau makes CPAR the go-to source for data retrieval, analysis, and dissemination in Nebraska.

🔑 Key findings: Trends from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey (ACS) that attendees unpacked included:

• Most Nebraskans who left the state moved to other states in the region, notably Colorado and Iowa.

• Brain drain in Nebraska has persisted since 2010, but the trend moved in a positive direction from 2022 to 2023.

• Those most likely to move out of state are the young workforce ages 24 to 34 and those with incomes over $75,000.

• A shift to metro areas?

  • The core metropolitan counties of Lancaster, Sarpy, and Hall gained population from other parts of the state.

  • Some population gains occurred in the outlying metro counties, including Cass and Saunders, largely attributed to the growth of ‘exurbs’ in areas like Ashland, Plattsmouth, Wahoo, and Valley.

  • Despite these gains, all county types net lost population to other states.

• From 2018 to 2023, there was a 24.4% increase in the median value of owner-occupied units in Nebraska, which is high for the region.

• Omaha employment is growing, adding 67,000 jobs since the COVID pandemic.

• Unemployment in Omaha is also low – currently 3% compared to the 4.2% national rate.

🎤 What they’re saying:

Josie Schafer, Ph.D., Director, UNO CPAR: “The key message we want attendees to leave with is that access to data can help us make better decisions that will impact our communities and region for years to come. We work hard to contextualize data so that leaders understand the implications of decisions and we collaborate with partners to develop action-oriented strategies and solutions to enhance quality of life for all Nebraskans.”

🌎 The big picture: UNO CPAR is committed to pragmatic research and discovery that directly benefits Nebraska. By providing leaders with high-quality, reliable data, CPAR supports informed decision-making that aligns with UNO’s mission of transforming lives through education and community engagement.