Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Nebraska

Many people choose not to leave the state they were raised in for reasons ranging from wanting to be close to family, to not having the resources to leave, to sticking with a lower cost of living.

In order to determine where people stay put in your home state, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Nebraska using data from the Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percentage of residents who were born in the state according to the latest data, which is 2024 five-year estimates. The percentage of residents who were born in another state, a U.S. territory, and another country is also included.

Read on to find out where the most loyal Nebraska residents live.

50. Dodge County
- Population: 37,351
- Born in Nebraska: 26,754 (71.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 7,637 (20.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 126 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,834 (7.6% of population)

49. Webster County
- Population: 3,360
- Born in Nebraska: 2,414 (71.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 874 (26.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 16 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 56 (1.7% of population)

48. Nemaha County
- Population: 7,046
- Born in Nebraska: 5,065 (71.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,906 (27.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 17 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 58 (0.8% of population)

47. Nuckolls County
- Population: 4,087
- Born in Nebraska: 2,946 (72.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,073 (26.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 20 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 48 (1.2% of population)

46. York County
- Population: 14,286
- Born in Nebraska: 10,299 (72.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,522 (24.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 75 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 390 (2.7% of population)

45. Jefferson County
- Population: 7,161
- Born in Nebraska: 5,168 (72.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,791 (25.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 0 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 202 (2.8% of population)

44. Otoe County
- Population: 16,241
- Born in Nebraska: 11,756 (72.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,600 (22.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 31 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 854 (5.3% of population)

43. Buffalo County
- Population: 50,579
- Born in Nebraska: 37,069 (73.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 10,824 (21.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 242 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,444 (4.8% of population)

42. Seward County
- Population: 17,641
- Born in Nebraska: 13,094 (74.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,161 (23.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 166 (0.9% of population)
- Born in another country: 220 (1.2% of population)

41. Adams County
- Population: 31,052
- Born in Nebraska: 23,055 (74.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 6,156 (19.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 84 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,757 (5.7% of population)

40. Burt County
- Population: 6,740
- Born in Nebraska: 5,007 (74.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,615 (24.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 32 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 86 (1.3% of population)

39. Frontier County
- Population: 2,569
- Born in Nebraska: 1,926 (75.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 572 (22.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 5 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 66 (2.6% of population)

38. Hooker County
- Population: 647
- Born in Nebraska: 489 (75.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 157 (24.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 0 (0.0% of population)

37. Gosper County
- Population: 2,040
- Born in Nebraska: 1,544 (75.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 489 (24.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 6 (0.3% of population)

36. Clay County
- Population: 6,095
- Born in Nebraska: 4,650 (76.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,257 (20.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 31 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 157 (2.6% of population)

35. Gage County
- Population: 21,629
- Born in Nebraska: 16,507 (76.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,766 (22.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 67 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 289 (1.3% of population)

34. Holt County
- Population: 10,102
- Born in Nebraska: 7,732 (76.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,106 (20.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 27 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 237 (2.3% of population)

33. Brown County
- Population: 2,869
- Born in Nebraska: 2,196 (76.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 560 (19.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 17 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 96 (3.3% of population)

32. Harlan County
- Population: 2,847
- Born in Nebraska: 2,180 (76.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 599 (21.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 5 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 63 (2.2% of population)

31. Grant County
- Population: 626
- Born in Nebraska: 480 (76.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 119 (19.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 5 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 22 (3.5% of population)

30. Thomas County
- Population: 564
- Born in Nebraska: 435 (77.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 108 (19.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 4 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 17 (3.0% of population)

29. Thayer County
- Population: 4,901
- Born in Nebraska: 3,792 (77.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,049 (21.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 12 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 48 (1.0% of population)

28. Logan County
- Population: 773
- Born in Nebraska: 601 (77.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 149 (19.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 13 (1.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 10 (1.3% of population)

27. Franklin County
- Population: 2,846
- Born in Nebraska: 2,221 (78.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 585 (20.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 2 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 38 (1.3% of population)

26. Custer County
- Population: 10,518
- Born in Nebraska: 8,216 (78.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,034 (19.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 67 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 201 (1.9% of population)

25. Garfield County
- Population: 1,718
- Born in Nebraska: 1,347 (78.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 371 (21.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 0 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 0 (0.0% of population)

24. Blaine County
- Population: 422
- Born in Nebraska: 333 (78.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 88 (20.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 0 (0.0% of population)

23. Arthur County
- Population: 484
- Born in Nebraska: 382 (78.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 89 (18.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 0 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 13 (2.7% of population)

22. Hayes County
- Population: 843
- Born in Nebraska: 667 (79.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 141 (16.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 0 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 35 (4.2% of population)

21. Polk County
- Population: 5,225
- Born in Nebraska: 4,149 (79.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 883 (16.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 56 (1.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 137 (2.6% of population)

20. Stanton County
- Population: 5,796
- Born in Nebraska: 4,604 (79.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,094 (18.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 16 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 82 (1.4% of population)

19. Fillmore County
- Population: 5,541
- Born in Nebraska: 4,410 (79.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,063 (19.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 5 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 63 (1.1% of population)

18. Saunders County
- Population: 23,048
- Born in Nebraska: 18,477 (80.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,076 (17.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 144 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 351 (1.5% of population)

17. Antelope County
- Population: 6,305
- Born in Nebraska: 5,062 (80.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,086 (17.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 10 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 147 (2.3% of population)

16. Cuming County
- Population: 8,975
- Born in Nebraska: 7,212 (80.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,146 (12.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 18 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 599 (6.7% of population)

15. Hamilton County
- Population: 9,464
- Born in Nebraska: 7,621 (80.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,693 (17.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 28 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 122 (1.3% of population)

14. Rock County
- Population: 1,319
- Born in Nebraska: 1,064 (80.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 242 (18.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 0 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 13 (1.0% of population)

13. Phelps County
- Population: 9,009
- Born in Nebraska: 7,280 (80.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,529 (17.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 27 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 173 (1.9% of population)

12. Loup County
- Population: 578
- Born in Nebraska: 468 (81.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 97 (16.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 0 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 13 (2.2% of population)

11. Kearney County
- Population: 6,713
- Born in Nebraska: 5,438 (81.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,167 (17.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 107 (1.6% of population)

10. Pierce County
- Population: 7,325
- Born in Nebraska: 6,007 (82.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,189 (16.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 4 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 125 (1.7% of population)

9. Merrick County
- Population: 7,724
- Born in Nebraska: 6,342 (82.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,164 (15.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 46 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 172 (2.2% of population)

8. Butler County
- Population: 8,424
- Born in Nebraska: 6,919 (82.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,292 (15.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 16 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 197 (2.3% of population)

7. Valley County
- Population: 4,066
- Born in Nebraska: 3,361 (82.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 627 (15.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 0 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 78 (1.9% of population)

6. Nance County
- Population: 3,324
- Born in Nebraska: 2,766 (83.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 536 (16.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 5 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 17 (0.5% of population)

5. Greeley County
- Population: 2,202
- Born in Nebraska: 1,852 (84.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 313 (14.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 19 (0.9% of population)
- Born in another country: 18 (0.8% of population)

4. Howard County
- Population: 6,534
- Born in Nebraska: 5,555 (85.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 863 (13.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 6 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 110 (1.7% of population)

3. Sherman County
- Population: 2,967
- Born in Nebraska: 2,525 (85.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 421 (14.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 4 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 17 (0.6% of population)

2. McPherson County
- Population: 475
- Born in Nebraska: 407 (85.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 56 (11.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 3 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 9 (1.9% of population)

1. Boone County
- Population: 5,356
- Born in Nebraska: 4,640 (86.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 588 (11.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 10 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 118 (2.2% of population)