For years, the perception of rural Nebraska is that it’s old, overwhelmingly white and dying. The reality is that 21 Nebraska counties outside the Omaha and Lincoln metro areas actually grew between 2010 and 2020. According to census data, the growth in 16 of those counties was 100% because of residents of color. It’s growth driven by first-generation immigrants who moved to Nebraska for work, and also propelled by their children and grandchildren who stay. Experts say the growth is key to the survival of small-town Nebraska, even though it can cause housing shortages, strain school systems and create cultural chasms that may take generations to bridge.