Douglas County is a county in Nebraska, United States, anchored by Omaha on the west bank of the Missouri River. It had a population of 584,526 at the 2020 census and covers 339 square miles (879 km2) centred near 41°17′N 96°09′W.
Omaha is the county seat and its postal code is 68102. The county has four incorporated cities, two villages, two census-designated places, and a handful of unincorporated communities. It observes Central Time and carries FIPS code 31055.
Towns & Villages in Douglas County
Douglas County’s population is heavily concentrated in Omaha, Nebraska’s largest city, which occupies most of the county’s eastern and central land area. Bennington, Ralston and Valley are separately incorporated cities; Boys Town and Waterloo are villages; King Lake and Venice are unincorporated census-designated places. The table below uses City · seat for the county seat, City and Village for other incorporated places, CDP for census-designated places, and Unincorp. for communities with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha | City · seat | 486,051 | 68102 (+ many) |
| Ralston | City | — | 68127 |
| Bennington | City | — | 68007 |
| Valley | City | — | 68064 |
| Boys Town | Village | — | 68010 |
| Waterloo | Village | — | 68069 |
| Elkhorn | CDP | — | 68022 |
| King Lake | CDP | — | — |
| Venice | CDP | — | — |
| Elk City | Unincorp. | — | 68022 |
| Irvington | Unincorp. | — | 68102 |
| Briggs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Debolt | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lane | Unincorp. | — | — |
Elkhorn was an independent city until Omaha annexed it in 2007; it now functions as an Omaha neighborhood and CDP rather than a separate municipality, though it keeps its own ZIP code and post office. Ralston is a fully independent city completely surrounded by Omaha on all sides. Millard and South Omaha, sometimes listed as separate places in older directories, are historic Omaha neighborhoods, not distinct incorporated places, and are not listed separately above.
ZIP Codes
- 68102 — downtown Omaha (also the county government seat)
- 68127 — Ralston (shares this ZIP with south Omaha)
- 68007 — Bennington
- 68064 — Valley
- 68069 — Waterloo
- 68010 — Boys Town
- 68022 — Elkhorn (also serves Elk City and the King Lake area)
Omaha itself carries several dozen additional ZIP codes covering its many neighborhoods, from 68101 through the 681xx range; smaller unincorporated communities such as Briggs, Debolt and Lane use a neighboring town’s ZIP rather than one of their own.
Geography
Douglas County sits where the Missouri River bluffs meet the Platte River valley in eastern Nebraska. The Missouri forms the county’s entire eastern border with Iowa, and the Platte River runs along part of the southern and western edges before joining the Missouri near Plattsmouth. Land rises from river-bottom farmland in the west to the bluffs and rolling terrain that Omaha itself is built on.
Douglas County borders Washington County to the north, Dodge County to the northwest, Saunders County to the west, Sarpy County to the south, and Pottawattamie County, Iowa, across the Missouri River to the east.
Demographics
Douglas County had 584,526 residents at the 2020 census, the most of any county in Nebraska — more than a quarter of the state’s total population. Omaha is by far the largest community, with Ralston a distant second among incorporated places. Median household income in the county runs close to the Nebraska median of $74,590, reflecting a mostly urban and suburban economy. With 327 square miles of land, the county’s overall density is roughly 1,790 people per square mile, though this is skewed heavily toward Omaha’s urban core; outlying areas near Waterloo and Valley remain rural.
Economy & Local Life
Douglas County’s economy centers on Omaha, headquarters to several Fortune 500 companies including Berkshire Hathaway, Union Pacific Railroad, Mutual of Omaha and Kiewit Corporation. Offutt Air Force Base sits just south of the county line in Sarpy County and draws commuters and contractors from across the metro. Creighton University and the University of Nebraska Omaha anchor higher education in the county seat, alongside the University of Nebraska Medical Center, one of the region’s largest employers. The College World Series, held annually at Omaha’s Charles Schwab Field, is the county’s best-known recurring event.
History
Douglas County was organized on November 23, 1854, one of the original counties created in Nebraska Territory, and named for Illinois senator Stephen A. Douglas (1813–1861), an architect of the Kansas–Nebraska Act that had created the territory that same year. Omaha grew quickly as a Missouri River crossing point and was named the eastern terminus of the Union Pacific Railroad in the 1860s, cementing its role as the county’s dominant city. Ralston and several smaller municipalities incorporated separately in the following decades even as Omaha’s city limits expanded around them; Elkhorn remained independent until its 2007 annexation into Omaha.
Getting There
Interstate 80 crosses the county east–west through Omaha, joined by Interstates 480 and 680 as metro-area loops, plus U.S. Routes 6 and 75 and Nebraska Highways 31, 36, 50, 64, 85, 92 and 133. Eppley Airfield, Omaha’s commercial airport, sits inside the county along the Missouri River.
- Ralston — 8 miles southwest of downtown Omaha
- Bennington — 14 miles northwest of downtown Omaha
- Valley — 18 miles west of downtown Omaha
- Waterloo — 20 miles west of downtown Omaha
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Douglas County, Nebraska?
It sits in eastern Nebraska on the Missouri River, directly across from Council Bluffs, Iowa, and is the core of the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area.
What is the population of Douglas County?
584,526 at the 2020 census, the highest of any Nebraska county.
How big is Douglas County?
339 square miles (879 km2), of which most of the land is within or near Omaha’s city limits.
What is the county seat of Douglas County?
Omaha is the county seat, and it is the largest city in Nebraska.
How many towns and villages are in Douglas County?
Four incorporated cities (Omaha, Bennington, Ralston, Valley), two villages (Boys Town, Waterloo), two census-designated places (King Lake, Venice), and several smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Douglas County?
Dozens, since Omaha alone carries most of the 681xx range; smaller municipalities each keep their own, including 68007 for Bennington, 68064 for Valley and 68069 for Waterloo.
Why is it named Douglas County?
It was named for Illinois senator Stephen A. Douglas, who helped write the 1854 Kansas–Nebraska Act that created Nebraska Territory the same year the county was organized.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.