In Nebraska, the median household income is $76,475 and 67% of homes are owner-occupied (ACS 2020 to 2024). A safe personal loan starts with a license check, three written offers compared on total cost, and a payment that fits your own budget.
On this page
- Nebraska by the numbers
- What the numbers mean for Nebraska borrowers
- Largest places in Nebraska
- More Nebraska cities and towns
- Counties with the most residents
- How Nebraska earns a living
- More context for Nebraska budgets
- Checking a lender in Nebraska
- Can Nebraska residents use the questionnaire?
- Local guides in Nebraska
- Frequently asked questions
Nebraska by the numbers
How does Nebraska stack up? Each row below gives the state figure, the national figure and where Nebraska lands among 51 jurisdictions, using Census survey data collected from 2020 through 2024.
| What we measured | Nebraska | United States | Rank of 51 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $76,475 | $80,734 | 29th |
| Home value, median | $238,600 | $332,700 | 38th |
| Homeownership rate | 67% | 65% | 34th |
| Cost-burdened owners with a mortgage | 22% | 28% | 44th |
| Years of median income to buy the median home | 3.1x | 4.1x | 43rd |
| Commutes of 45 minutes or longer | 7% | 17% | 50th |
| Working from home | 11% | 15% | 38th |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree | 35% | 36% | 26th |
| Median age | 37.2 | 38.9 | 45th |
| Income inequality (Gini index) | 0.456 | 0.483 | 37th |
| Households earning under $35,000 | 21% | 21% | 30th |
| Households earning $100,000 or more | 37% | 41% | 27th |
| People below the poverty line | 10.6% | 12.5% | 34th |
| Unemployment rate (ACS) | 3.0% | 5.2% | 49th |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,072 | $1,413 | 35th |
| Rent-burdened renters (30%+) | 45% | 51% | 42nd |
What the numbers mean for Nebraska borrowers
Commutes shape budgets too: 7% of Nebraska workers travel 45 minutes or more each way (U.S.: 17%), and 11% work from home. A long drive also means more wear, so a repair fund of even a few hundred dollars can keep a breakdown from becoming a loan.
Jobs and hardship: an average 3.0% unemployment rate in the 2020 to 2024 survey, and 10.6% of people below the federal poverty line. If your job is seasonal or hourly, lenders may ask for more months of statements to see a steady pattern.
Rent is a pressure point for 45% of Nebraska renter households, who spend 30 percent or more of income on it (U.S.: 51%). Median gross rent is $1,072 a month, 35th highest among the 51. For a renter, the safest loan is the smallest one that fixes the problem, sized to what is left after rent.
Ranked by median household income, Nebraska comes in 29th with $76,475, 5% below the country's $80,734. Income is the first thing a lender verifies, so have recent pay stubs or tax returns ready before you compare offers.
Largest places in Nebraska
Nebraska's 12 biggest cities and towns by population, from the 2020 to 2024 ACS. Where we publish a local guide, the name links to it.
| City or town | County | Population | Household income (median) | Median gross rent | Home value (median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha | Douglas County | 488,837 | $73,201 | $1,187 | $245,500 |
| Lincoln | Lancaster County | 294,856 | $71,867 | $1,086 | $264,000 |
| Bellevue | Sarpy County | 64,510 | $85,462 | $1,226 | $247,000 |
| Grand Island | Hall County | 52,884 | $63,795 | $947 | $218,600 |
| Kearney | Buffalo County | 34,246 | $69,724 | $949 | $244,600 |
| Fremont | Dodge County | 27,567 | $71,152 | $1,080 | $214,700 |
| Norfolk | Madison County | 26,054 | $58,884 | $875 | $211,700 |
| Papillion | Sarpy County | 25,244 | $111,679 | $1,269 | $311,000 |
| Hastings | Adams County | 25,008 | $64,048 | $858 | $184,700 |
| Columbus | Platte County | 24,488 | $64,626 | $892 | $213,600 |
| North Platte | Lincoln County | 22,831 | $58,097 | $921 | $169,100 |
| La Vista | Sarpy County | 16,563 | $81,961 | $1,317 | $260,900 |
Counting places of 20,000 or more people, median household income in Nebraska tops out at $111,679 in Papillion and bottoms out at $58,097 in North Platte. The state has 4 places over 50,000 and 17 over 10,000. Median rent in that group ranges from $858 in Hastings to $1,269 in Papillion.
More Nebraska cities and towns
Places ranked 13 to 32 by population.
| Community | Residents | Median income | Median rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scottsbluff | 14,376 | $56,359 | $966 |
| South Sioux City | 13,907 | $68,223 | $1,127 |
| Beatrice | 12,225 | $57,264 | $758 |
| Lexington | 10,862 | $67,666 | $966 |
| Chalco | 10,595 | $85,672 | $1,195 |
| Gretna | 9,193 | $123,992 | $1,540 |
| Gering | 8,550 | $75,093 | $823 |
| York | 8,141 | $63,265 | $862 |
| Alliance | 8,075 | $65,160 | $694 |
| Blair | 7,914 | $81,452 | $937 |
| Seward | 7,678 | $72,564 | $1,018 |
| Crete | 7,527 | $77,209 | $936 |
| Nebraska City | 7,369 | $67,117 | $947 |
| McCook | 7,314 | $56,917 | $823 |
| Plattsmouth | 6,731 | $73,929 | $941 |
| Schuyler | 6,578 | $80,399 | $1,049 |
| Ralston | 6,472 | $69,403 | $1,215 |
| Sidney | 6,419 | $54,734 | $819 |
| Wayne | 6,121 | $53,702 | $792 |
| Offutt AFB | 6,074 | $72,500 | $1,666 |
Measured as a year of median rent against median household income, housing weighs most in Offutt AFB (28%) and least in Alliance (13%) among these 20 places.
Counties with the most residents
Nebraska has 93 counties or equivalents. The 16 most populous are below.
| County | Residents | Median income | Median rent | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 590,736 | $80,391 | $1,201 | $266,100 |
| Lancaster County | 326,696 | $74,793 | $1,085 | $275,200 |
| Sarpy County | 197,389 | $103,321 | $1,334 | $314,100 |
| Hall County | 62,536 | $69,251 | $943 | $224,600 |
| Buffalo County | 50,579 | $75,911 | $936 | $246,400 |
| Dodge County | 37,351 | $74,329 | $1,060 | $208,600 |
| Scotts Bluff County | 35,843 | $63,614 | $909 | $168,500 |
| Madison County | 35,532 | $63,128 | $881 | $208,500 |
| Platte County | 34,716 | $71,552 | $897 | $223,900 |
| Lincoln County | 33,802 | $65,148 | $900 | $189,500 |
| Adams County | 31,052 | $68,365 | $857 | $193,100 |
| Cass County | 27,161 | $91,836 | $996 | $254,900 |
| Dawson County | 24,202 | $69,880 | $925 | $166,200 |
| Saunders County | 23,048 | $94,066 | $960 | $271,700 |
| Gage County | 21,629 | $67,247 | $774 | $174,000 |
| Dakota County | 21,354 | $70,329 | $1,069 | $185,700 |
Sarpy County posts the highest county median income in Nebraska at $103,321, while Garden County posts the lowest at $41,882. A statewide average hides that spread, which is why the same loan can be comfortable in one county and a stretch in the next.
How Nebraska earns a living
Where Nebraska residents work, by the four largest industries, compared with the U.S. (ACS 2020 to 2024).
| Industry | Share of Nebraska workers | U.S. share | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education, health care and social assistance | 24% | 24% | +1.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 11% | 11% | -0.2 pts |
| Manufacturing | 10% | 10% | +0.5 pts |
| Professional, scientific and administrative services | 9% | 13% | -3.1 pts |
Nebraska's signature sector, measured against the U.S., is agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining at 4% of employed residents. Whatever the sector, bring proof of income that covers at least the last two months.
More context for Nebraska budgets
Education and age round out the picture: 35% of Nebraska adults have at least a bachelor's degree (U.S.: 36%), the median age is 37.2, and the Gini index is 0.456.
Roughly one in 3 Nebraska households earns six figures (37%), and 9% clear $200,000, while 21% live on less than $35,000. Higher earners still need to compare offers: a large income does not make an expensive loan a good deal.
The typical Nebraska home is valued at $238,600 (3.1 times median income), and 67% of households own the place they live in. Among owners with a mortgage, 22% spend 30 percent or more of income on housing (U.S.: 28%).
Checking a lender in Nebraska
License checks come first. Nebraska's banking agency, per the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, is the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance, and many consumer lenders also show their state licenses on NMLS Consumer Access.
- If a lender stops answering, the CFPB complaint form usually gets a response within weeks.
- Ask for the lender's license number and look it up on NMLS Consumer Access.
- Report fee-first offers at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Can Nebraska residents use the questionnaire?
Not every state has a lending partner yet. Choose Nebraska on the location step and the questionnaire will tell you right away whether matching is open; if it is not, you can leave an email for the waitlist.
Local guides in Nebraska
City-level guides for Nebraska (1 so far):
Frequently asked questions
Where do I check a lender's license in Nebraska?
In Nebraska, the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance is the banking agency named by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors. NMLS Consumer Access lists many lenders' licenses, and the CFPB accepts complaints from every state.
What do households in Nebraska earn?
The Census Bureau puts it at $76,475, which places Nebraska 29th of 51 (U.S.: $80,734).
What is the median rent in Nebraska?
$1,072 a month at the median, 35th of 51. 45% of Nebraska renters are cost-burdened, against 51% nationwide.
How many Nebraska residents live below the poverty line?
10.6% in the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates, compared with 12.5% nationally. Households under strain should look at free options, such as hardship plans and nonprofit counseling, before a loan.