Thurston County, Nebraska: commercial real estate data.
Thurston County, Nebraska has a population of 6,627 across 394 square miles, down 2.0 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $605.3 m in 2024, 125 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 3 7(a) approvals worth $725,000.
115 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Thurston County
How many people live in Thurston County
- Population6,627
- Households1,990
- Average household size3.33
- Median household income$69,177
- Median age29.2
- Median gross rent$699 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$114,600
- Home value to household income1.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income12.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher22.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over3,661
- Population under 182,273
- Share under 1834.3 percent
- Population 65 and over834
- Share 65 and over12.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 643,520
- Civilian labor force3,038
- Unemployment rate10.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over69.8 percent
- Rank by population among Nebraska counties44th of 93
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents2766th
Thurston County is the 44th largest of 93 Nebraska counties by population. A median home costs 1.7 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 34.3 percent against 12.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Thurston County
Is Thurston County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.02 percent
- Census 2020 base population6,774
- Births, 2024142
- Deaths, 2024105
- Natural change, 202437
- Net domestic migration, 202421
- Net international migration, 202416
- Total net migration, 202437
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-305
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2501st
The county has lost 2.02 percent of its population since the 2020 census base.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Thurston County
Where people moving to Thurston County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving105
- People arriving, from those returns195
- Adjusted gross income arriving$5.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$49,495
- Largest single originThurston County Non-migrants (2,180 households)
- Largest single destination (2,180 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thurston County Non-migrants | 2,180 | 5,236 | $124.8 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 65 | 130 | $4.0 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 40 | 65 | $1.2 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 40 | 65 | $1.2 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Thurston County Non-migrants, 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.
Thurston County
What the Thurston County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$605.3 m
- County GDP, 2023$648.2 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-6.6 percent
- GDP change over five years41.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among Nebraska counties37th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents2267th
- GDP per resident$91,343
Output grew -6.6 percent in the latest year and 41.2 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.
Thurston County
Who employs people in Thurston County
- Covered employment, annual average3,471
- Establishments reporting164
- Average annual pay$57,494
- Average weekly wage$1,106
- Sector 56, employment152
- Sector 56, average annual pay$62,188
- Sector 42, employment149
- Sector 42, average annual pay$73,505
- Sector 31-33, employment138
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$58,482
- Sector 62, employment115
- Sector 62, average annual pay$49,911
- Sector 11, employment93
- Sector 44-45, employment88
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 56 | 152 | 7 | $62,188 |
| Sector 42 | 149 | 12 | $73,505 |
| Sector 31-33 | 138 | 7 | $58,482 |
| Sector 62 | 115 | 10 | $49,911 |
| Sector 11 | 93 | 20 | $45,928 |
| Sector 44-45 | 88 | 14 | $26,339 |
| Sector 23 | 43 | 9 | $66,272 |
| Sector 52 | 40 | 8 | $61,966 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 152 jobs, 4.4 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Thurston County
What businesses operate in Thurston County
- Establishments, all industries125
- Employment at those establishments2,687
- Annual payroll$199.0 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents18.9
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Thurston County
What is being built in Thurston County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20241
- Declared construction value permitted$320,650
- Single family units authorised1
- Multifamily units authorised0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$320,650
- Units authorised per 1,000 households0.5
Multifamily is 0.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Thurston County
How much SBA lending happens in Thurston County
- 7(a) approvals recorded3
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$725,000
- Average 7(a) approval$241,667
- Median 7(a) approval$255,000
- 10th percentile approval$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$450,000
- Largest single approval$450,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)30
- Jobs per approval10.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals3
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer0.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms0
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter3
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (1)
- Most active lenderFirst State Bank Nebraska (1)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$235,000
- Average 504 approval$235,000
- Median 504 approval$235,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval1.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved4.3
- Most active CDCNebraska Economic Development Corporation (1)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals75.0 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$960,000
The average approval of $241,667 sits close to the median of $255,000, so lending here is fairly evenly sized rather than driven by a few large deals. Only 0.0 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
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.
Thurston County
Do SBA loans in Thurston County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure3
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 0 resolved loans, too few to publish a rate. A rate computed on a handful of loans is noise, so none is shown.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Thurston County
Which parts of Thurston County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending3
- PENDER, approvals1
- Norfolk, approvals1
- WALTHILL, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| PENDER | 1 | $255,000 |
| Norfolk | 1 | $450,000 |
| WALTHILL | 1 | $20,000 |
PENDER accounts for 1 approvals against 1 in Norfolk. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Thurston County
How big is Thurston County
- Land area394 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Nebraska counties88th of 93
- Width, east to west28.2 mi
- Height, north to south18.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land17
- Establishments per square mile0.32
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.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Thurston 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 Thurston County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population6,627
- Households1,990
- Average household size3.33
- Median household income$69,177
- Median age29.2
Common questions
Thurston County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Thurston County, Nebraska?
6,627, in 1,990 households, ranking 44th of 93 Nebraska counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Thurston County growing?
The population has fallen 2.02 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 142 births against 105 deaths, with net migration of 37. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Thurston County?
$69,177. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $114,600, which is 1.7 times income, and median gross rent is $699 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Thurston County?
125 establishments, employing 2,687 people with an annual payroll of $199.0 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Thurston County?
Average annual pay is $57,494, or $1,106 a week, across 3,471 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Thurston County?
3 7(a) approvals totalling $725,000 since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $255,000, plus 1 504 approvals worth $235,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Thurston County?
1 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $320,650. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Thurston 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 Thurston County come from?
The largest single origin is Thurston County Non-migrants, with 2,180 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,495 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Thurston 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 Thurston County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.