State Profile

Nebraska

Population (2019): 1.934 million

Nebraska’s public health outcomes stack up unevenly against those of the United States, but it has taken several steps that strengthened its preparedness for public health emergencies. Deaths owed to drug misuse, alcohol, or suicide trail the country as a whole. Its rates of obesity and related conditions indicate a mixed picture, with the percentage of adults with obesity higher than the U.S. median, even as rates of diabetes and hypertension rank low. Finally, the state achieved a score of six out of a possible 10 measures of public health preparedness for diseases, disasters, and bioterrorism.