How many people live in Buffalo County, NE?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 51,200 people living in Buffalo County, NE. That makes Buffalo County the fifth-most populous county in Nebraska. It is home to 2.5% of people living in the state.
51.2K
population of Buffalo County, NE (2024)
2.5%
County share of the Nebraska population (2024)
About 51,200 people lived in Buffalo County, NE in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are Buffalo County, NE’s age demographics?
About 8,900 Buffalo County, NE residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 17.3% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 17.5% of Nebraska’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 11,400 Buffalo County residents, or 22.4% of the population, were children under 18. For comparison, the age group represents 24.2% of Nebraska’s population and 21.6% in the US overall.
A higher share of Buffalo County, NE's population is aged 18–24 than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are Buffalo County, NE’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic white residents make up 84.2% of the Buffalo County, NE population, higher than the national share of 57.5%.
In contrast, Buffalo County’s non-Hispanic Black or African American population accounts for 1%, below the 12.6% nationwide, and the Hispanic population makes up 11.2% of the county, compared with 20% nationally.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
Buffalo County, NE has a higher share of a non-Hispanic white population than Nebraska as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in Buffalo County, NE is Kearney with about 34,700 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in Buffalo County, NE ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kearney | 34,741 |
| 2. | Gibbon | 1,917 |
| 3. | Ravenna | 1,383 |
| 4. | Shelton (pt.) | 1,045 |
| 5. | Elm Creek | 981 |
| 6. | Pleasanton | 380 |
| 7. | Riverdale | 245 |
| 8. | Amherst | 203 |
| 9. | Miller | 129 |
| 10. | Balance of Buffalo County | 10,132 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.