1st Advantage MortgageIn Perkins County, Nebraska, the typical household earns $72,778 a year and the typical rent is $922. 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
- A quick profile of Perkins County
- Household income in Perkins County
- What it costs to live in Perkins County
- The Perkins County job picture
- Regional comparison for Perkins County
- Perkins County towns compared
- Who lives in Perkins County, in numbers
- Local borrowing considerations for Perkins County
- Debt-to-income at Perkins County's medians
- Before you sign
- Checking a lender's license in Nebraska
- More guides for Perkins County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Perkins County
Perkins County is home to about 2,821 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 69th most populous of 93 county-level areas in Nebraska. Spread over 883 square miles, that works out to roughly 3.2 residents per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Perkins County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Grant is the biggest of its 4 Census places, at roughly 1,413 people (50% of the county total). Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Perkins County figure on this page as a rough guide.
Household income in Perkins County
Half of Perkins County households take in less than $72,778 a year and half take in more, 5% below the Nebraska median of $76,475.
| Yearly household income | Perkins County | Gap to Nebraska |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 23.2% | +2.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.0% | +2.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 28.3% | +0.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.6% | -4.8 pts |
Some 23% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 33% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 7.2%, 3 points lower than the state's 10.6%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.408 here. If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Perkins County median.
What it costs to live in Perkins County
Renters in Perkins County pay a median of $922 a month, 14% below the Nebraska figure of $1,072. By the Census definition, 31% of Perkins County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $157,200, about 2.2 times the median household income. Owners occupy 79% of homes.
| Measure | Perkins County | Nebraska | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $922/mo | $1,072/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $157,200 | $238,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 79% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 31% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 28% | 22% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Perkins County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
The Perkins County job picture
The biggest employer of Perkins County residents, by industry, is agriculture, forestry and mining at 23% of workers, followed by education and health care (22%). Compared with Nebraska, the county leans toward agriculture, forestry and mining (23% against 4%). The survey's unemployment rate for Perkins County averages 1.5% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 3.0%). 5% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 7% work from home.
| Industry | Share of Perkins County workers | vs Nebraska |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 23.3% | +19.1 pts |
| Education and health care | 22.2% | -2.3 pts |
| Construction | 9.1% | +2.0 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 8.9% | +2.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 7.8% | -2.8 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.1% | -0.2 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Regional comparison for Perkins County
Six nearby counties, 23 to 42 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $52,386 in Sedgwick County to $70,096 in Deuel County; none of these neighbors top Perkins County's median. Some neighbors are in Colorado. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Perkins County resident follows Nebraska rules.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perkins County | - | $72,778 | $922/mo | 79% |
| Chase County, NE | 23 mi | $68,173 | $800/mo | 79% |
| Keith County, NE | 23 mi | $60,645 | $771/mo | 71% |
| Hayes County, NE | 38 mi | $69,250 | $508/mo | 68% |
| Sedgwick County, CO | 38 mi | $52,386 | $774/mo | 72% |
| Deuel County, NE | 41 mi | $70,096 | $872/mo | 82% |
| Phillips County, CO | 42 mi | $64,674 | $999/mo | 72% |
Perkins County towns compared
The table lists the 4 largest of 4 Census places in Perkins County, by population. Together all 4 hold about 1,960 people, so roughly 31% of residents live outside any named place. No Perkins County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 4.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant | city | 1,413 | $71,389 | $971 | 5 mi |
| Madrid | village | 226 | $75,000 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Venango | village | 182 | $74,500 | $1,275 | 23 mi |
| Elsie | village | 139 | $48,333 | $620 | 12 mi |
Who lives in Perkins County, in numbers
College graduates make up 26% of the adult population. 5.6% of residents have no health coverage.
| People and households | Perkins County | Nebraska | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 37.2 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 25.8% | 34.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.1% | 7.8% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.6% | 7.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 2.6% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.6% | 11.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 7.2% | 10.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 1.5% | 3.0% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 59.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 26.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 9.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 2.3% |
| 60+ min | 2.6% |
Local borrowing considerations for Perkins County
Where the Perkins County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
- Consolidating cards in Perkins County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
Debt-to-income at Perkins County's medians
Here is the Perkins County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Start: $6,065 gross per month ($72,778 / 12)
- Less median rent of $922, which is 15% of it
- 35% debt-to-income limit: $1,201 left for all other debt payments
- 45% debt-to-income limit: $1,807 left for all other debt payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Before you sign
A short checklist for Perkins County borrowers:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Checking a lender's license in Nebraska
The Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance is the place to verify any lender's Nebraska license. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Nebraska state guide for the statewide picture.
More guides for Perkins County
The Nebraska guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Perkins County household make?
About $72,778 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 5% below the Nebraska median.
How does Perkins County rent compare with Nebraska?
$922 locally versus $1,072 for the state, 14% below.
Should Perkins County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 79% of Perkins County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
Does this page cover Grant?
Yes, along with the other 3 Census places in Perkins County, such as Madrid, Venango, Elsie.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Perkins County or elsewhere in Nebraska, the same rules apply.