City · Nebraska
Ogallala, Nebraska
Ogallala, city, in Keith County, Nebraska. Ogallala had 4,698 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,878 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,777 (±20). GEOID 3135980.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,698
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,878 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,777 ±20
Median household income
$58,556
±$6,363 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $76,475
Median home value
$155,800
±$10,864 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $238,600
Median gross rent
$667
±$130 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $1,072
Where is Ogallala and what county is it in?
Ogallala is a city in Keith County, Nebraska. It covers 5.0 square miles of land, 984 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 Ogallala, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,698 people lived in Ogallala on July 1, 2025, down 3.6% since 2020, while Nebraska grew 2.9%. The 2020 Census counted 4,878 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,777 (±20).
| Measure | Ogallala | Keith County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,777 ±20 | 8,219 | +241 |
| Households | 2,406 ±116 | 4,051 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.96 ±0.10 | 2.01 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,574 ±115 | 5,435 | +157 |
Ogallala's population since 2000
From 4,930 in 2000 to 4,698 in 2025: down 4.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ogallala 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 Ogallala?
The median resident of Ogallala is 47.1 years old; 22.6% are under 18 and 25.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 79.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 12.7%. 5.2% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Ogallala | Keith County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.1 ±1.9 | 48.4 | +4.7 |
| Under 18 years | 22.6% ±1.9 pts | 20.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 25.7% ±2.4 pts | 27.9% | – |
| Male | 48.4% ±2.4 pts | 50.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 12.7% ±1.7 pts | 9.1% | +3.7 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 79.8% ±3.0 pts | 85.4% | −7.8 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.7% ±1.2 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±0.5 pts | 0.7% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.5% ±2.6 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.2% ±2.1 pts | 3.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 9.1% ±4.2 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.2% ±2.2 pts | 8.2% | – |
| With a disability | 17.5% ±3.8 pts | 16.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.0% ±3.1 pts | 6.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.3% ±3.4 pts | 90.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.3% ±4.8 pts | 22.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.3% ±2.6 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.5% ±3.2 pts | 88.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.9% ±1.3 pts | 3.8% | – |
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 Ogallala earn?
Half of Ogallala's 2,406 households earn less than $58,556 a year (±$6,363), against $60,645 in Keith County and $76,475 in Nebraska. In 2015-2019 it was $51,400 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Ogallala | Keith County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,556 ±$6,363 | $60,645 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $67,300 ±$5,882 | $75,763 | – |
| Per capita income | $32,519 ±$2,718 | $36,684 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 12.4% ±4.8 pts | 10.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.3% ±10.9 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.4% ±4.4 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 90.8% ±3.5 pts | 92.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.4% ±3.8 pts | 89.1% | – |
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 Ogallala?
Owners occupy 68.4% of Ogallala's occupied homes and renters 31.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $155,800 by its owner (±$10,864). The median renter pays $667 a month including utilities, and 30.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Ogallala | Keith County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $155,800 ±$10,864 | $168,000 | +$23,870 |
| Median gross rent | $667 ±$130 | $771 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 30.3% ±11.6 pts | 26.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,258 ±$104 | $1,328 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 68.4% ±5.3 pts | 71.1% | +9.9 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 31.6% ±5.3 pts | 28.9% | – |
| Housing units | 2,574 ±115 | 5,435 | +157 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 76.9% ±5.8 pts | 70.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.7% ±3.2 pts | 18.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.9% ±1.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.4% ±1.9 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 19.8% ±4.3 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.2% ±3.6 pts | 5.6% | – |
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 Ogallala building?
Builders took permits for 15 new housing units in Ogallala in 2025 (15 in single-family houses), 3.2 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 Ogallala work and get to work?
78.5% of Ogallala's workers drive alone and 8.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 13.0 minutes.
| Measure | Ogallala | Keith County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.5% ±4.2 pts | 60.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% ±2.7 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 78.5% ±5.8 pts | 79.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.1% ±4.1 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 5.1% ±2.8 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.1% ±4.3 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 13.0 min ±2.7 | 14.9 min | no clear change |
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 Ogallala?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Ogallala, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $56,842 (Tract 1) to $61,523 (Tract 2).
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 Ogallala) · Census block assignment files
How does Ogallala compare with other places in Nebraska?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ogallala is the 5,074th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 35th-most populous of 528 in Nebraska.
Ogallala ranks 102nd of 136 places in Nebraska with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 35th | 528 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 118th | 132 |
| Residents per square mile | 92nd | 136 |
| Median household income | 102nd | 136 |
| Per capita income | 96th | 136 |
| Median home value | 84th | 135 |
| Median gross rent | 113th | 129 |
| Poverty rate | 40th | 109 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68th | 135 |
| Median age | 13th | 136 |
| Owner-occupied share | 90th | 135 |
| Work from home | 35th | 84 |
| Travel time to work | 117th | 135 |
Ogallala's figures with every place in Nebraska (CSV)
Every place in Nebraska, sortable · Compare Ogallala 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 Ogallala?
13 of the 57 figures for Ogallala 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 Ogallala 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 Ogallala.