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State index

Nebraska state guide

Compare large Nebraska cities by 2025 Census population, young-grad fit, BLS state unemployment, schooling access, cost pressure, commute, and safety-check notes. The current Nebraska subset includes 32 Midwest city pages with a combined 2025 population estimate of 1,281,138.

What the current Nebraska catalog shows

Wayne, Nebraska has the strongest verified population-growth signal in this Nebraska subset at +6.02% since the 2020 estimates base. Wahoo, Nebraska has the lowest ACS rent-to-income baseline among the matched catalog cities at 12.2%. These figures describe the WhereToLive.us city subset, not a statewide average.

Catalog cities 32

32 have matched ACS place data.

Catalog median rent $944

Median of matched city ACS gross-rent estimates; not a statewide rent.

Catalog median income $68,813

Median of matched city ACS household-income estimates; not a statewide income.

Catalog median home value $212,650

Median of matched city ACS owner-occupied home values.

Average grad fit 70/100

Wayne, Nebraska leads this subset at 77/100.

Catalog median commute 18.0 min

Median of matched city approximate ACS commute estimates.

City Catalog Grad fit Median rent Median income 2025 population City unemployment Growth Jobs Cost
Omaha, Nebraska #42 73/100 $1,187 $73,201 488,797 4.2% -0.62% strong rent watch
Lincoln, Nebraska #72 75/100 $1,086 $71,867 301,522 3.3% +3.49% strong rent watch
Bellevue, Nebraska Nebraska coverage 70/100 $1,226 $85,462 64,863 3.2% -0.30% strong rent-friendly
Grand Island, Nebraska Nebraska coverage 69/100 $947 $63,795 53,943 4.6% +1.54% strong rent-friendly
Kearney, Nebraska Nebraska coverage 74/100 $949 $69,724 34,782 2.9% +2.82% strong rent-friendly
Fremont, Nebraska Nebraska coverage 71/100 $1,080 $71,152 28,350 4.2% +4.51% strong rent watch
Norfolk, Nebraska Nebraska coverage 71/100 $875 $58,884 26,677 3.2% +2.94% strong rent-friendly
Columbus, Nebraska Nebraska coverage 73/100 $892 $64,626 25,248 2.4% +5.02% strong rent-friendly
Papillion, Nebraska Nebraska coverage 71/100 $1,269 $111,679 25,127 3.2% -0.58% strong rent-friendly
Hastings, Nebraska Nebraska coverage 70/100 $858 $64,048 25,121 2.9% -0.08% strong rent-friendly
North Platte, Nebraska 2025 population #1758 61/100 $921 $58,097 22,524 3.9% -3.75% strong rent watch
La Vista, Nebraska 2025 population #2256 67/100 $1,317 $81,961 16,543 3.4% -1.23% strong rent watch
Scottsbluff, Nebraska 2025 population #2498 64/100 $966 $56,359 14,259 2.6% -1.35% strong rent watch
South Sioux City, Nebraska 2025 population #2508 66/100 $1,127 $68,223 14,158 5.0% +0.78% strong rent watch
Beatrice, Nebraska 2025 population #2781 68/100 $758 $57,264 12,318 1.7% +0.54% strong rent-friendly
Lexington, Nebraska 2025 population #2967 73/100 $966 $67,666 11,176 2.1% +4.62% strong rent-friendly
Gretna, Nebraska 2025 population #3412 73/100 $1,540 $123,992 9,207 0.6% -0.50% strong rent-friendly
Gering, Nebraska 2025 population #3586 69/100 $823 $75,093 8,535 0.6% -1.02% strong rent-friendly
York, Nebraska 2025 population #3663 71/100 $862 $63,265 8,284 1.7% +2.79% strong rent-friendly
Blair, Nebraska 2025 population #3746 73/100 $937 $81,452 7,997 2.1% +2.51% strong rent-friendly
Alliance, Nebraska 2025 population #3767 64/100 $694 $65,160 7,914 2.0% -3.12% strong rent-friendly
Seward, Nebraska 2025 population #3776 75/100 $1,018 $72,564 7,892 1.7% +3.22% strong rent-friendly
Crete, Nebraska 2025 population #3823 70/100 $936 $77,209 7,747 4.4% +1.97% strong rent-friendly
Nebraska City, Nebraska 2025 population #3891 72/100 $947 $67,117 7,512 1.4% +4.04% strong rent-friendly
McCook, Nebraska 2025 population #4016 63/100 $823 $56,917 7,157 1.4% -3.62% strong rent-friendly
Plattsmouth, Nebraska 2025 population #4087 75/100 $941 $73,929 6,955 0.7% +5.46% strong rent-friendly
Schuyler, Nebraska 2025 population #4141 72/100 $1,049 $80,399 6,800 1.6% +4.06% strong rent-friendly
Sidney, Nebraska 2025 population #4267 68/100 $819 $54,734 6,432 3.1% +0.48% strong rent-friendly
Ralston, Nebraska 2025 population #4288 63/100 $1,215 $69,403 6,382 2.2% -1.63% strong rent watch
Wayne, Nebraska 2025 population #4302 77/100 $792 $53,702 6,338 6.5% +6.02% strong rent-friendly
Holdrege, Nebraska 2025 population #4622 71/100 $835 $55,789 5,555 1.8% +0.18% strong rent-friendly
Wahoo, Nebraska 2025 population #4889 75/100 $907 $89,457 5,023 3.6% +4.60% strong rent-friendly