AreaProfile

Nebraska Area Profiles

17 published city profiles across Nebraska, each built from the same authoritative sources and compared on the same terms.

Find places in Nebraska that fit you →

Statewide signals

OpportunityTop 10% of 51 states measured68
GrowthTop 26% of 51 states measured60
Housing affordabilityTop 12% of 51 states measured77
Climate33rd of 51 states measured59
Physical resilienceTop 50% of 51 states measured54
Access35th of 51 states measured63
Economic stabilityTop 16% of 51 states measured78

Cities

17 published profiles across 13 areas

Omaha, NE-IA

5 cities

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
OmahaDouglas County488,83766
BellevueSarpy County64,51069
PapillionSarpy County25,24479
La VistaSarpy County16,56373
ChalcoSarpy County10,59577

Lincoln, NE

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
LincolnLancaster County294,85674

Grand Island, NE

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
Grand IslandHall County52,88450

Kearney, NE

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
KearneyBuffalo County34,24662

Fremont, NE

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
FremontDodge County27,56757

Norfolk, NE

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
NorfolkMadison County26,05453

Hastings, NE

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
HastingsAdams County25,00851

Columbus, NE

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
ColumbusPlatte County24,48860

North Platte, NE

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
North PlatteLincoln County22,83164

Scottsbluff, NE

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
ScottsbluffScotts Bluff County14,37649

Sioux City, IA-NE-SD

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
South Sioux CityDakota County13,90751

Beatrice, NE

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
BeatriceGage County12,22563

Lexington, NE

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
LexingtonDawson County10,86238

Strongest opportunity

  1. Papillion 87
  2. Chalco 85
  3. La Vista 84
  4. Bellevue 82
  5. Fremont 81

Fastest development

  1. Chalco 83
  2. North Platte 75
  3. Beatrice 75
  4. Papillion 72
  5. La Vista 71

Statewide physical risk

HailHigh
Strong windModerate
TornadoElevated
Ice stormModerate
WildfireModerate
DroughtModerate
LightningModerate
Heat waveModerate

Low or minimal exposure: winter weather, cold wave, inland flooding, landslide, earthquake, hurricane, coastal flooding, avalanche, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Population-weighted across every county in Nebraska, derived from the FEMA National Risk Index. Exposure varies substantially within a state — check the individual city and ZIP profiles.

Statewide data

MetricValueCompared nationallySource period
Broadband access ±0.2%2024 ACS 5-Year90.6%Bottom 49%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Distance to major airportNASR current cycle54 miBottom 38%of 51NASR current cycle
Major airports within 100 milesNASR current cycle1Bottom 16%of 51NASR current cycle
No internet access ±0.2%2024 ACS 5-Year6.6%Top 45%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Annual precipitation1991-2020 Normals22.9"30th percentileof 511991-2020 Normals
Average January low1991-2020 Normals15°F32nd percentileof 511991-2020 Normals
Average July high1991-2020 Normals87°F50th percentileof 511991-2020 Normals
Comfortable months1991-2020 Normals5Bottom 22%of 511991-2020 Normals
Seasonal temperature swing1991-2020 Normals49°F76th percentileof 511991-2020 Normals
Average household size ±0.012024 ACS 5-Year2.4227th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Households ±2,7282024 ACS 5-Year797,84727th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median age ±0.22024 ACS 5-Year37.212th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Population2024 ACS 5-Year1,978,70727th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Population change (1 year)July 1, 2024 estimate+0.9%Top 34%of 51July 1, 2024 estimate
Population change (4 years)July 1, 2024 estimate+2.1%Top 48%of 51July 1, 2024 estimate
Population density2024 ACS 5-Year26/sq mi14th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Population estimateJuly 1, 2024 estimate2,005,46528th percentileof 51July 1, 2024 estimate
Average permitted value per unit12 months ending July 2026$208,4688th percentileof 5112 months ending July 2026
Housing units permitted (12 months)12 months ending July 202610,359Bottom 32%of 5112 months ending July 2026
Multifamily share of permits12 months ending July 202641.5%78th percentileof 5112 months ending July 2026
Permit change (3 years)12 months ending July 2026+15.1%Top 26%of 5112 months ending July 2026
Permit change (year over year)12 months ending July 2026−7.7%Bottom 18%of 5112 months ending July 2026
Permits per 1,000 residents12 months ending July 20265.2Top 26%of 5112 months ending July 2026
Cost of living index202390.3Top 22%of 512023
Home price change (1 year)2026 Q2+3.2%42nd percentileof 512026 Q2
Home price change (5 years)2026 Q2+41.1%36th percentileof 512026 Q2
Home price change (10 years)2026 Q2+91.4%54th percentileof 512026 Q2
Home price to income ±0.02024 ACS 5-Year2.4Top 12%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Homeownership rate ±0.5%2024 ACS 5-Year66.5%33rd percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units ±6282024 ACS 5-Year863,44427th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent ±$82024 ACS 5-Year$1,072Top 33%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value ±$1,3652024 ACS 5-Year$238,60027th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median property taxes ±$222024 ACS 5-Year$3,54969th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Owner household income ±$8092024 ACS 5-Year$97,496Top 43%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Property tax rate ±0.01%2024 ACS 5-Year1.49%86th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Rent as a share of income ±0.3%2024 ACS 5-Year27.9%Top 18%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Seasonal and second homes ±8032024 ACS 5-Year14,53510th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Second homes2024 ACS 5-Year1.7%14th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Vacancy rate2024 ACS 5-Year5.9%35th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Vacant housing units ±2,3612024 ACS 5-Year65,59714th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income ±$6332024 ACS 5-Year$76,475Bottom 45%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income ±$3842024 ACS 5-Year$41,751Bottom 49%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate ±0.3%2024 ACS 5-Year9.7%Top 27%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Average commute ±0.1 min2024 ACS 5-Year20.6 minTop 10%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Bachelor's degree or higher ±0.4%2024 ACS 5-Year34.6%Top 49%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Drove alone to work ±0.3%2024 ACS 5-Year76.1%76th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
EmploymentAugust 20261,064,255Bottom 30%of 51August 2026
Employment change (3 years)August 2026+2.2%Top 16%of 51August 2026
Employment change (year over year)August 2026−0.4%Top 46%of 51August 2026
Labor forceAugust 20261,095,33330th percentileof 51August 2026
Labor force participation ±0.2%2024 ACS 5-Year84.0%Top 6%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Public transit to work ±0.1%2024 ACS 5-Year0.5%18th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment change (year over year)August 20260.0%Bottom 42%of 51August 2026
Unemployment rateAugust 20262.8%Top 8%of 51August 2026
Worked from home ±0.3%2024 ACS 5-Year11.0%27th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility2024-25 school year34.4%7th percentileof 452024-25 school year
Math proficiency2018-19 school year52.5%Top 14%of 502018-19 school year
Public schools2024-25 school year1,07738th percentileof 512024-25 school year
Reading proficiency2018-19 school year52.3%Top 46%of 492018-19 school year
Schools behind the staffing ratio2024-25 school year97335th percentileof 502024-25 school year
Students per teacher2024-25 school year14.1Top 45%of 502024-25 school year

Counties in Nebraska

12 published

Some measures are published by county and nowhere finer — death rates by intent among them. On a county page those describe the geography they are printed on.

Douglas County, NE
590,736 residents · 3.7 homicide deaths per 100k
Lancaster County, NE
326,696 residents · 1.8 homicide deaths per 100k
Sarpy County, NE
197,389 residents · 1.7 homicide deaths per 100k
Hall County, NE
62,536 residents · 0.0 homicide deaths per 100k
Buffalo County, NE
50,579 residents · 0.0 homicide deaths per 100k
Dodge County, NE
37,351 residents · 0.0 homicide deaths per 100k
Scotts Bluff County, NE
35,843 residents · 3.6 homicide deaths per 100k
Madison County, NE
35,532 residents · 0.0 homicide deaths per 100k
Platte County, NE
34,716 residents · 3.5 homicide deaths per 100k
Lincoln County, NE
33,802 residents · 3.1 homicide deaths per 100k
Adams County, NE
31,052 residents · 0.0 homicide deaths per 100k
Dakota County, NE
21,354 residents · 0.0 homicide deaths per 100k