68803 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
68803
68901
Opportunity
70 · Top 20%
vs54 · Bottom 47%
Growth
55 · Top 42%
vs36 · Bottom 27%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs60 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
28 · Bottom 22%
vs30 · Bottom 24%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
48 · Bottom 45%
vs51 · Bottom 49%
Access
42 · Bottom 2%
vs42 · Bottom 2%
Economic stability
67 · Top 36%
vs58 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | 68803 | 68901 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,534 | 26,264 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,463 | $66,585 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,685 | $36,905 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 294/sq mi | 175/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $244,200 | $190,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $927 | $858 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.9% | 66.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.7% | 29.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.8% | 14.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 177 | 65 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.3 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 77.0% | -75.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 26.6" | 26.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 87 mi | 86 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.5 min | 15.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.9 | 38.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.31 | 13.82 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.0% | 44.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.7% | 46.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 16.3% | 44.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
68803
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
68901
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, lightning.
Full profiles: 68803 — Grand Island, NE · 68901 — Hastings, NE · How this is calculated: methodology