1st Advantage MortgageIn Custer County, Nebraska, the typical household earns $67,906 a year and the typical rent is $853. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Custer County by the numbers
- Work, industries and travel time in Custer County
- Household income in Custer County
- Rent, home values and ownership in Custer County
- How Custer County compares with nearby counties
- Places inside Custer County
- Debt-to-income at Custer County's medians
- Custer County households compared
- What the numbers mean for Custer County borrowers
- Lender oversight for Custer County
- Before you sign
- More guides for Custer County
- Frequently asked questions
Custer County by the numbers
Roughly 10,518 residents live in Custer County, Nebraska, 25th by population among the state's 93 counties and county equivalents. It covers 2,575 square miles of land, or about 4 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Custer County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Broken Bow is the biggest of its 12 Census places, at roughly 3,502 people (33% of the county total).
Work, industries and travel time in Custer County
The biggest employer of Custer County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 21% of workers, followed by agriculture, forestry and mining (19%). The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 19% locally and 4% for Nebraska. Averaged over the five survey years, 2.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 9% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Industry | Share of Custer County workers | vs Nebraska |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.9% | -3.6 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 18.6% | +14.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.2% | +0.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.5% | -1.0 pts |
| Construction | 7.2% | +0.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.2% | -3.2 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Custer County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Household income in Custer County
At $67,906, the typical Custer County household income is 3% above the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Band | Custer County | Compared with Nebraska |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 21.7% | +0.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 49.1% | +7.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 24.0% | -3.9 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.2% | -4.2 pts |
Some 22% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 29% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 7.1% of Custer County residents in poverty, against 10.6% across Nebraska. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Rent, home values and ownership in Custer County
A typical Custer County rental runs $853 a month including utilities, which is 20% below Nebraska. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 32% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $157,800, about 2.3 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 69%. Median construction year: 1958.
| Measure | Custer County | Nebraska | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $853/mo | $1,072/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $157,800 | $238,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 69% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 32% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 25% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 1.7% | 2.9% | n/a |
How Custer County compares with nearby counties
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Custer County's, from 37 to 41 miles away. Income ranges from $61,852 in Valley County to $74,271 in Logan County; 4 of these neighbors top Custer County's median.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custer County | - | $67,906 | $853/mo | 69% |
| Loup County, NE | 37 mi | $71,667 | $688/mo | 73% |
| Dawson County, NE | 37 mi | $69,880 | $925/mo | 66% |
| Logan County, NE | 38 mi | $74,271 | $761/mo | 79% |
| Blaine County, NE | 40 mi | $69,583 | $873/mo | 74% |
| Valley County, NE | 40 mi | $61,852 | $626/mo | 74% |
| Sherman County, NE | 41 mi | $63,578 | $818/mo | 75% |
Places inside Custer County
Here are the 12 most populous of the county's 12 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 67% of Custer County residents live in one of the 12. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $51,146 in Callaway to $64,688 in Arnold. Rent is cheapest in Callaway ($631) and steepest in Ansley ($1,034). This guide covers each of the 12 places and the rural areas around them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broken Bow | city | 3,502 | $60,129 | $876 | 5 mi |
| Arnold | village | 945 | $64,688 | $946 | 24 mi |
| Ansley | village | 563 | $64,688 | $1,034 | 19 mi |
| Callaway | village | 562 | $51,146 | $631 | 12 mi |
| Sargent | city | 534 | $54,423 | $631 | 25 mi |
| Merna | village | 383 | $61,875 | $983 | 7 mi |
| Mason City | village | 189 | $64,375 | $838 | 25 mi |
| Oconto | village | 167 | $55,625 | $875 | 18 mi |
| Anselmo | village | 93 | $60,673 | $658 | 17 mi |
| Comstock | village | 80 | $47,500 | n/a | 27 mi |
| Berwyn | village | 51 | $46,250 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Westerville | CDP | 19 | n/a | n/a | 18 mi |
Debt-to-income at Custer County's medians
How much room does a median Custer County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- $5,659 a month: gross income for a household at the Custer County median
- Rent at the median, $853, takes 15% of that
- Under a 36% cap, $2,037 total minus rent leaves $1,184
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Custer County households compared
Degree holders: 24% of adults over 25. 7.1% of residents have no health coverage.
| Measure | Custer County | Nebraska statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1 | 37.2 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 24.3% | 34.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.0% | 7.8% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.1% | 7.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.2% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 11.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 7.1% | 10.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.6% | 3.0% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Custer County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 57.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 23.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 11.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.4% |
| 60+ min | 3.5% |
What the numbers mean for Custer County borrowers
Where the Custer County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
- Consolidating cards in Custer County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
Lender oversight for Custer County
Consumer lenders serving Custer County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Nebraska that is the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Nebraska state guide for the statewide picture.
Before you sign
A short checklist for Custer County borrowers:
- Price the Custer County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Custer County-area credit union.
- A Nebraska license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
More guides for Custer County
The Nebraska guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Custer County earn?
The median is $67,906; 29% earn $100,000 or more and 22% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Custer County?
$853 a month at the median, about 15% of median household income.
Which towns does the Custer County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 12 Census places: Broken Bow, Arnold, Ansley, Callaway, Sargent.
Can Custer County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Nebraska county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.
Who regulates personal lenders for Custer County residents?
The Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance licenses consumer lenders in Nebraska; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.