City · Nebraska
Laurel, Nebraska
Laurel, city, in Cedar County, Nebraska. Laurel had 961 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 972 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,018 (±140). GEOID 3126350.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
961
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 972 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,018 ±140
Median household income
$58,519
±$7,484 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $76,475
Median home value
$164,200
±$25,971 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $238,600
Median gross rent
$815
±$162 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $1,072
Where is Laurel and what county is it in?
Laurel is a city in Cedar County, Nebraska. It covers 1.3 square miles of land, 734 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Laurel, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 961 people lived in Laurel on July 1, 2025, down 1.5% since 2020, while Nebraska grew 2.9%. The 2020 Census counted 972 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,018 (±140).
| Measure | Laurel | Cedar County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,018 ±140 | 8,315 | no clear change |
| Households | 456 ±60 | 3,444 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.20 ±0.19 | 2.38 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 505 ±69 | 3,899 | no clear change |
Laurel's population since 2000
From 986 in 2000 to 961 in 2025: down 2.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Laurel as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Laurel?
The median resident of Laurel is 38.5 years old; 20.8% are under 18 and 17.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 83.9%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 7.9%.
| Measure | Laurel | Cedar County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.5 ±10.7 | 41.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.8% ±4.3 pts | 25.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.4% ±5.2 pts | 22.3% | – |
| Male | 48.9% ±4.0 pts | 51.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.9% ±3.7 pts | 2.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 83.9% ±4.4 pts | 95.0% | −12.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.4% ±1.8 pts | 0.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.9% ±3.2 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.2% ±2.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.6% ±2.9 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.6% ±2.9 pts | 7.6% | – |
| With a disability | 13.1% ±4.0 pts | 11.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.8% ±4.6 pts | 6.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.8% ±3.8 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 38.3% ±6.9 pts | 24.0% | +9.5 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 14.4% ±4.5 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 80.2% ±7.1 pts | 92.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 6.0% ±4.2 pts | 1.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Laurel earn?
Half of Laurel's 456 households earn less than $58,519 a year (±$7,484), against $73,578 in Cedar County and $76,475 in Nebraska. In 2015-2019 it was $61,590 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 19.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Laurel | Cedar County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,519 ±$7,484 | $73,578 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $80,559 ±$15,305 | $94,908 | – |
| Per capita income | $35,716 ±$6,535 | $39,183 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 19.2% ±6.4 pts | 7.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 18.4% ±12.8 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.7% ±6.8 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.9% ±4.4 pts | 90.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.5% ±3.0 pts | 82.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Laurel?
Owners occupy 66.4% of Laurel's occupied homes and renters 33.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $164,200 by its owner (±$25,971). The median renter pays $815 a month including utilities, and 30.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Laurel | Cedar County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $164,200 ±$25,971 | $185,000 | +$55,284 |
| Median gross rent | $815 ±$162 | $716 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 30.1% ±18.5 pts | 21.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,360 ±$112 | $1,356 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 66.4% ±9.8 pts | 79.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 33.6% ±9.8 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Housing units | 505 ±69 | 3,899 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±13.7 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 90.7% ±6.3 pts | 90.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±4.8 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.8% ±3.3 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 30.3% ±8.4 pts | 32.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.4% ±2.2 pts | 1.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Laurel building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Laurel in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 4.2 per 1,000 residents against 5.3 across Nebraska.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Laurel work and get to work?
82.8% of Laurel's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 21.4 minutes.
| Measure | Laurel | Cedar County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 73.8% ±7.2 pts | 68.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% ±2.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 82.8% ±6.2 pts | 79.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.8% ±4.4 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 2.5% ±1.9 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.9% ±4.0 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.4 min ±4.5 | 18.8 min | +6.4 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Laurel?
No census tract lies mostly in Laurel; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9772Cedar County | 3,953 | $68,826 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Laurel) · Census block assignment files
How does Laurel compare with other places in Nebraska?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Laurel is the 10,436th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 113th-most populous of 528 in Nebraska.
Laurel is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 113th | 528 |
Laurel's figures with every place in Nebraska (CSV)
Every place in Nebraska, sortable · Compare Laurel with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Laurel?
18 of the 57 figures for Laurel on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Laurel are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Laurel.