1st Advantage MortgageThe median Cedar County household earns $73,578, and 7% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Nebraska license first.
On this page
- Who lives in Cedar County
- Household income in Cedar County
- Jobs and commutes in Cedar County
- Housing costs in Cedar County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Cedar County
- Budget math at the Cedar County median
- Local borrowing considerations for Cedar County
- Cedar County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- A Cedar County borrower's checklist
- Checking a lender's license in Nebraska
- More guides for Cedar County
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Cedar County
With an estimated 8,315 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Cedar County ranks 34th of 93 in Nebraska for population. Spread over 740 square miles, that works out to roughly 11.2 residents per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Cedar County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Of the 11 Census places inside Cedar County, Hartington leads by population with about 1,621; 9 of the 11 are incorporated. Because Cedar County is small, the survey's margins of error are wide; treat the numbers as approximate.
Household income in Cedar County
Cedar County households have a median income of $73,578 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 27th of 93 in Nebraska.
| Band | Cedar County | Compared with Nebraska |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 19.2% | -1.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.6% | +2.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 31.4% | +3.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.8% | -4.6 pts |
The spread is wide: 36% of Cedar County households make $100,000 or more, and 19% make less than $35,000. Census counts 7.1% of Cedar County residents in poverty, against 10.6% across Nebraska. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.426 (0 is perfect equality). If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Cedar County median.
Jobs and commutes in Cedar County
Education and health care employs 27% of working residents, the largest share; agriculture, forestry and mining is next with 15%. The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 15% locally and 4% for Nebraska. Averaged over the five survey years, 1.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 10% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 10% work from home.
| Sector | Cedar County | Compared with Nebraska |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.6% | +2.1 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 14.7% | +10.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 10.7% | +0.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 8.8% | -1.8 pts |
| Construction | 7.4% | +0.3 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 7.0% | -0.8 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Cedar County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Housing costs in Cedar County
A typical Cedar County rental runs $716 a month including utilities, which is 33% below Nebraska. 31% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 15% spend half or more. With a median value of $185,000, a typical Cedar County house costs 2.5 times what the median household earns in a year. 80% of Cedar County households own their home and 20% rent. The median home was built in 1964, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Measure | Cedar County | Nebraska | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $716/mo | $1,072/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $185,000 | $238,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 80% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 31% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 18% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 2.5% | 2.9% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 12% | 8% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
Neighboring counties at a glance
Dixon County is closest, 22 miles from center to center; the sixth, Knox County, is 32 miles off. None of the six report a higher median household income than Cedar County; Yankton County is highest at $72,821 and Clay County lowest at $56,850. The list crosses into South Dakota, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar County | - | $73,578 | $716/mo | 80% |
| Dixon County, NE | 22 mi | $72,454 | $689/mo | 77% |
| Clay County, SD | 26 mi | $56,850 | $770/mo | 51% |
| Wayne County, NE | 28 mi | $66,215 | $800/mo | 61% |
| Yankton County, SD | 29 mi | $72,821 | $781/mo | 73% |
| Pierce County, NE | 29 mi | $72,357 | $884/mo | 78% |
| Knox County, NE | 32 mi | $64,636 | $647/mo | 78% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Cedar County
11 Census places fall mainly inside Cedar County; the 11 biggest are below. They account for 4,113 residents, leaving about 51% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $46,818 in Coleridge to $80,577 in Hartington. Live in one of these Cedar County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartington | city | 1,621 | $80,577 | $640 | 1 mi |
| Laurel | city | 1,018 | $58,519 | $815 | 15 mi |
| Coleridge | village | 553 | $46,818 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Wynot | village | 209 | $77,500 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Fordyce | village | 195 | $83,125 | n/a | 8 mi |
| Aten | CDP | 136 | n/a | n/a | 19 mi |
| Bow Valley | CDP | 106 | $86,250 | n/a | 8 mi |
| Belden | village | 101 | $70,625 | n/a | 14 mi |
| St. Helena | village | 97 | $85,625 | n/a | 14 mi |
| Magnet | village | 61 | $59,063 | n/a | 15 mi |
| Obert | village | 16 | $55,833 | n/a | 13 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Budget math at the Cedar County median
How much room does a median Cedar County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Monthly gross at the median, Cedar County: $6,132
- Less median rent of $716, which is 12% of it
- At 36%, room after rent is $1,491 a month
- With a 43% ceiling, about $1,921 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Two-income households and single earners in Cedar County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Local borrowing considerations for Cedar County
A few patterns in the Cedar County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Cedar County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
Cedar County residents: age, schooling, coverage
24% of Cedar County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 6.0%, against 7.2% for Nebraska.
| Residents | Cedar County | Nebraska | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 37.2 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 24.0% | 34.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 3.6% | 7.8% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.0% | 7.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 1.7% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 10.1% | 11.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 7.1% | 10.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 1.7% | 3.0% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Cedar County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 50.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 25.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 14.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.6% |
| 60+ min | 4.0% |
A Cedar County borrower's checklist
A short checklist for Cedar County borrowers:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Cedar County-area credit union.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Checking a lender's license in Nebraska
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Cedar County, check the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. The Nebraska guide covers state rules in more detail.
More guides for Cedar County
The Nebraska guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Cedar County earn?
The median is $73,578; 36% earn $100,000 or more and 19% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How much is rent in Cedar County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $716 a month; 31% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I own my home in Cedar County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 80% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
Which towns does the Cedar County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 11 Census places: Hartington, Laurel, Coleridge, Wynot, Fordyce.
Does living in Cedar County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Cedar County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.