Wayne County, Nebraska: commercial real estate data.
Wayne County, Nebraska had an estimated 9,870 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 9,703, across 443 square miles. County output reached $804.4 m in 2024, 252 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 9 7(a) approvals worth $2.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Wayne County
How many people live in Wayne County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20249,844
- Households3,753
- Average household size2.62
- Median household income$66,215
- Median age30.0
- Median gross rent$800 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$221,600
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher30.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over5,462
- Population under 182,001
- Share under 1820.3 percent
- Population 65 and over1,650
- Share 65 and over16.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 646,193
- Civilian labor force5,434
- Unemployment rate4.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over69.3 percent
- Rank by population among Nebraska counties27th of 93
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2492nd of 3,222
Wayne County is the 27th largest of 93 Nebraska counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 20.3 percent against 16.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Wayne County
Is Wayne County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 20249,870
- Census 2020 base population9,703
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.72 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-12
- Births, 2024102
- Deaths, 202467
- Natural change, 202435
- Net domestic migration, 2024-84
- Net international migration, 202436
- Total net migration, 2024-48
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-29
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1268th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.72 percent since the 2020 census base. More people left than moved in during 2024 and births over deaths did not make up the difference, so the population fell.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Wayne County
Where are people moving to Wayne County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving196
- People arriving, from those returns355
- Tax returns filed by households leaving297
- Net household movement-101
- Adjusted gross income arriving$9.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-4.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$48,495
- Average income of a leaving household$45,609
- Largest single originDixon County (23 households)
- Largest single destinationMadison County (48 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dixon County | 23 | 50 | $1.3 m |
| Madison County | 21 | 45 | $1.2 m |
Households arriving report $2,886 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Dixon County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Wayne County
What is the Wayne County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$804.4 m
- County GDP, 2023$855.1 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-5.9 percent
- GDP change over five years65.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Nebraska areas BEA publishes30th of 93
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2023rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$81,717
Output grew -5.9 percent in the latest year and 65.2 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Wayne County
Employment by industry in Wayne County
- Covered employment, annual average4,188
- Establishments reporting281
- Average annual pay$45,234
- Average weekly wage$870
- Manufacturing, employment819
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$56,463
- Health care and social assistance, employment460
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$46,014
- Retail trade, employment450
- Retail trade, average annual pay$22,706
- Wholesale trade, employment182
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$67,540
- Finance and insurance, employment140
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment126
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 819 | 12 | $56,463 |
| Health care and social assistance | 460 | 23 | $46,014 |
| Retail trade | 450 | 42 | $22,706 |
| Wholesale trade | 182 | 18 | $67,540 |
| Finance and insurance | 140 | 19 | $62,173 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 126 | 20 | $45,702 |
| Construction | 103 | 26 | $46,860 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 77 | 14 | $44,946 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 819 jobs, 19.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Wayne County
How many businesses are in Wayne County?
- Establishments, all industries252
- Employment at those establishments3,382
- Annual payroll$119.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents25.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Wayne County
Building permits in Wayne County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20249
- Declared construction value permitted$4.2 m
- Single family units authorized9
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$461,556
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.4
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Wayne County
SBA loans in Wayne County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded9
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$2.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$313,233
- Median 7(a) approval$300,000
- Largest single approval$800,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)42
- Jobs per approval4.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active6
- Distinct industries receiving approvals6
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer33.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter5
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals22.2 percent
- Leading industry by approval countBroilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production (4)
- Most active lenderFirst State Bank Nebraska (4)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.1 m
- Average 504 approval$548,000
- Median 504 approval$548,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval12.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved21.9
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$3.9 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wayne County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Wayne County
Do SBA loans in Wayne County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Exempt from disclosure7
Only 2 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wayne County
SBA lending by place in Wayne County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Wayne, approvals5
- Carroll, approvals2
- Wakefield, approvals1
- Winside, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Wayne | 5 | $2,291,100 |
| Carroll | 2 | $140,000 |
| Wakefield | 1 | $300,000 |
| Winside | 1 | $88,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wayne County
How large is Wayne County?
- Land area443 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Nebraska counties80th of 93
- Width, east to west28 mi
- Height, north to south18.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land22
- Establishments per square mile0.57
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Wayne County
Flood risk in Wayne County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Wayne County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 310484
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate50.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Wayne County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Wayne County (community 310484), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Wayne County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 50.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Wayne County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Wayne County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20249,844
- Households3,753
- Average household size2.62
- Median household income$66,215
- Median age30.0
Common questions
Wayne County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Wayne County, Nebraska?
The Census Bureau estimates 9,870 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 9,844, in 3,753 households, ranking 27th of 93 Nebraska counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Wayne County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.72 percent since the 2020 census base of 9,703, to 9,870 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 102 births against 67 deaths, with net migration of -48. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Wayne County?
$66,215. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $221,600, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $800 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Wayne County?
252 establishments, employing 3,382 people with an annual payroll of $119.5 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Wayne County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 819 jobs, 19.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 4,188 jobs at an average annual pay of $45,234, or $870 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Wayne County?
9 7(a) approvals totaling $2.8 m since FY2020, across 6 lenders, with a median approval of $300,000, plus 2 504 approvals worth $1.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Wayne County?
9 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $4.2 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Wayne County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Wayne County come from?
The largest single origin is Dixon County, with 23 households. Arriving households report an average income of $48,495 against $45,609 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Wayne County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Wayne County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Wayne County
Cities and places in Wayne.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in Wayne County. All 6 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne | city | 6,121 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Wakefield | city | 1,305 | 1 | 36.7 percent here, 63.3 percent Dixon County |
| Winside | village | 485 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Carroll | village | 286 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Hoskins | village | 250 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sholes | village | 14 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby