Hastings and Norfolk receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Hastings
Norfolk
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 46%
vs59 · Top 43%
Growth
38 · Bottom 30%
vs37 · Bottom 28%
Climate
60 · Bottom 16%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
30 · Bottom 24%
vs27 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs93 · Top 24%
Schools
55 · Top 46%
vs57 · Top 42%
Access
41 · Bottom 2%
vs65 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 44%
vs58 · Bottom 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Hastings | Norfolk | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,008 | 26,054 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,048 | $58,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,004 | $36,131 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,677/sq mi | 1,436/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $184,700 | $211,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $858 | $875 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.1% | 60.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.2% | 24.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.8% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 65 | 68 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -75.7% | -73.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 26.4" | 27.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 87 mi | 59 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.4 min | 14.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 37.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.82 | 14.99 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.2% | 44.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.5% | 50.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.2% | 51.2% | 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
Hastings
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, lightning.
Norfolk
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Full profiles: Hastings, NE · Norfolk, NE · How this is calculated: methodology