City · Nebraska
Ralston, Nebraska
Ralston, city, in Douglas County, Nebraska. Ralston had 6,382 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 6,494 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 6,472 (±46). GEOID 3140605.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
6,382
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 6,494 · ACS 2020-2024: 6,472 ±46
Median household income
$69,403
±$10,627 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $76,475
Median home value
$230,800
±$9,398 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $238,600
Median gross rent
$1,215
±$88 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $1,072
Where is Ralston and what county is it in?
Ralston is a city in Douglas County, Nebraska. It covers 1.6 square miles of land, 3,974 residents per square mile in 2020.
Ralston is in the Omaha, NE-IA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 8 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Ralston, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 6,382 people lived in Ralston on July 1, 2025, down 1.6% since 2020, while Nebraska grew 2.9%. The 2020 Census counted 6,494 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 6,472 (±46).
| Measure | Ralston | Douglas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 6,472 ±46 | 590,736 | −849 |
| Households | 2,872 ±247 | 238,430 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.25 ±0.19 | 2.43 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,987 ±259 | 251,553 | no clear change |
Ralston's population since 2000
From 6,314 in 2000 to 6,382 in 2025: up 1.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ralston 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 Ralston?
The median resident of Ralston is 37.3 years old; 22.9% are under 18 and 16.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 70.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 24.3%. 7.2% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Ralston | Douglas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 ±3.4 | 35.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.9% ±4.8 pts | 25.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.2% ±3.8 pts | 14.1% | – |
| Male | 49.9% ±3.0 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 24.3% ±8.5 pts | 14.5% | +12.4 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 70.7% ±8.0 pts | 65.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±0.8 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 4.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±1.9 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±1.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.2% ±3.2 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 19.3% ±6.1 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.9% ±2.9 pts | 5.9% | – |
| With a disability | 10.8% ±2.5 pts | 11.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.8% ±7.5 pts | 8.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.9% ±4.3 pts | 91.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 26.8% ±4.7 pts | 42.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.7% ±2.7 pts | 15.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.5% ±2.9 pts | 86.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.3% ±1.3 pts | 2.8% | – |
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 Ralston earn?
Half of Ralston's 2,872 households earn less than $69,403 a year (±$10,627), against $80,391 in Douglas County and $76,475 in Nebraska. In 2015-2019 it was $77,307 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 4.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Ralston | Douglas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,403 ±$10,627 | $80,391 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $92,777 ±$9,000 | $114,185 | – |
| Per capita income | $41,090 ±$4,175 | $46,334 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 4.0% ±1.5 pts | 11.8% | −4.3 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 1.1% ±1.8 pts | 14.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.8% ±3.5 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.0% ±2.2 pts | 96.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 97.0% ±1.8 pts | 92.2% | – |
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 Ralston?
Owners occupy 63.3% of Ralston's occupied homes and renters 36.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $230,800 by its owner (±$9,398). The median renter pays $1,215 a month including utilities, and 42.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Ralston | Douglas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $230,800 ±$9,398 | $266,100 | +$49,888 |
| Median gross rent | $1,215 ±$88 | $1,201 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.4% ±9.6 pts | 39.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,749 ±$121 | $1,904 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 63.3% ±5.0 pts | 61.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 36.7% ±5.0 pts | 38.5% | – |
| Housing units | 2,987 ±259 | 251,553 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 9.8% ±8.0 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 63.7% ±4.4 pts | 65.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.9% ±2.8 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.0% ±3.0 pts | 15.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.9% ±2.6 pts | 6.8% | – |
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 Ralston building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Ralston in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 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 Ralston work and get to work?
80.7% of Ralston's workers drive alone and 10.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.0 minutes.
| Measure | Ralston | Douglas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 74.5% ±4.8 pts | 70.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.2% ±1.9 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.7% ±4.5 pts | 71.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.3% ±4.4 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.0% ±3.4 pts | 16.1% | +6.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.0 min ±2.8 | 20.0 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 Ralston?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Ralston, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $59,036 (Tract 74.59) to $90,625 (Tract 74.68).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 74.59Douglas County | 3,467 | $59,036 |
| Tract 74.68Douglas County | 2,554 | $90,625 |
| Tract 74.67Douglas County | 4,571 | $69,531 |
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 Ralston) · Census block assignment files
How does Ralston compare with other places in Nebraska?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ralston is the 4,285th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 29th-most populous of 528 in Nebraska.
Ralston ranks 72nd 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 | 29th | 528 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 97th | 132 |
| Residents per square mile | 2nd | 136 |
| Median household income | 72nd | 136 |
| Per capita income | 33rd | 136 |
| Median home value | 30th | 135 |
| Median gross rent | 13th | 129 |
| Poverty rate | 106th | 109 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55th | 135 |
| Median age | 83rd | 136 |
| Owner-occupied share | 108th | 135 |
| Work from home | 23rd | 84 |
| Travel time to work | 59th | 135 |
Ralston's figures with every place in Nebraska (CSV)
Every place in Nebraska, sortable · Compare Ralston 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 Ralston?
15 of the 57 figures for Ralston 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 Ralston 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 Ralston.