Nebraska

State Office of Rural Health

Nebraska Office of Rural Health

Phone: 402.471.2337

Works to assure quality healthcare services to those living in rural Nebraska. Promotes programs and activities including student loan repayment programs, recruitment and retention, healthcare facilities serving underserved areas, and State 30 J1 Visa Waiver. Serves as the Nebraska Office of Primary Care.
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Nebraska Nonmetro Population

1,958,939

Estimated population

677,281 (34.6%)

People living in nonmetro areas

Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-year estimate

Nebraska Rural Healthcare Facilities

62

Critical Access Hospitals

1

Rural Emergency Hospitals

129

Rural Health Clinics

14

Federally Qualified Health Centers*

9

Short Term/PPS Hospitals*

*Sites according to data.HRSA.gov (July 2024), showing only locations outside of U.S. Census Bureau Urban Areas with a population of 50,000 or more

Selected Social Determinants of Health for Rural Nebraska

6.8% of its residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2022). According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per capita income for Nebraskans in 2021 was $61,205, with the rural per capita income at $58,984. The ERS reports, based on 2021 ACS data, that the poverty rate in rural Nebraska is 10.7%, compared with 10.4% in urban areas of the state. 9.0% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 7.9% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma according to 2017-2021 ACS data reported by ERS. The unemployment rate in rural Nebraska is at 2.2%, while in urban Nebraska it is at 2.4% (USDA-ERS, 2022).