1st Advantage MortgageAbout 72% of Seward County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $82,444. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Seward County at a glance
- What Seward County households earn
- Housing costs in Seward County
- Work, industries and travel time in Seward County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Seward County
- Budget math at the Seward County median
- People and households in Seward County
- What the numbers mean for Seward County borrowers
- Licensing and complaints for Seward County
- A Seward County borrower's checklist
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Seward County at a glance
Roughly 17,641 residents live in Seward County, Nebraska, 18th by population among the state's 93 counties and county equivalents. Spread over 571 square miles, that works out to roughly 30.9 residents per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Lincoln, NE metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. The Census Bureau counts 11 places in the county (10 incorporated, 1 census-designated); the largest is Seward, with about 7,678 residents, or 44% of the county.
What Seward County households earn
Seward County households have a median income of $82,444 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 7th of 93 in Nebraska.
| Yearly household income | Seward County | Gap to Nebraska |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 14.8% | -5.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 46.1% | +4.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 31.7% | +3.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.4% | -2.0 pts |
About 15% of households earn under $35,000, while 39% clear $100,000. Census counts 7.4% of Seward County residents in poverty, against 10.6% across Nebraska. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.391 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Seward County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Housing costs in Seward County
Renters in Seward County pay a median of $980 a month, 9% below the Nebraska figure of $1,072. 37% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 20% spend half or more. Home values center on $241,300, or 2.9 years of median income. The ownership rate is 72%.
| Seward County | Nebraska | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $980/mo | $1,072/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $241,300 | $238,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 72% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 37% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 16% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 1.8% | 2.9% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 6% | 8% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Seward 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.
Work, industries and travel time in Seward County
Education and health care employs 27% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 15%. Compared with Nebraska, the county leans toward manufacturing (15% against 10%). Averaged over the five survey years, 2.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 11% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Sector | Seward County | Compared with Nebraska |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.6% | +2.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 14.7% | +4.3 pts |
| Construction | 8.8% | +1.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 7.2% | -3.4 pts |
| Public administration | 6.7% | +2.4 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.6% | -2.9 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Neighboring counties at a glance
York County is closest, 24 miles from center to center; the sixth, Fillmore County, is 34 miles off. Income ranges from $69,768 in Polk County to $79,910 in Saline County; none of these neighbors top Seward County's median.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seward County | - | $82,444 | $980/mo | 72% |
| York County, NE | 24 mi | $77,757 | $877/mo | 76% |
| Lancaster County, NE | 24 mi | $74,793 | $1,085/mo | 59% |
| Butler County, NE | 24 mi | $79,268 | $776/mo | 80% |
| Saline County, NE | 25 mi | $79,910 | $914/mo | 76% |
| Polk County, NE | 31 mi | $69,768 | $681/mo | 79% |
| Fillmore County, NE | 34 mi | $76,295 | $716/mo | 80% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Seward County
11 Census places fall mainly inside Seward County; the 11 biggest are below. They account for 13,094 residents, leaving about 26% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $72,564 in Seward to $88,304 in Utica. Median rent ranges from $892 in Milford to $1,018 in Seward. Live in one of these Seward County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seward | city | 7,678 | $72,564 | $1,018 | 3 mi |
| Milford | city | 2,565 | $82,699 | $892 | 8 mi |
| Utica | village | 1,015 | $88,304 | $967 | 11 mi |
| Beaver Crossing | village | 357 | $62,813 | $938 | 10 mi |
| Staplehurst | village | 322 | $83,060 | $917 | 7 mi |
| Goehner | village | 309 | $96,767 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Bee | village | 281 | $99,688 | $900 | 10 mi |
| Pleasant Dale | village | 244 | $64,250 | $916 | 12 mi |
| Garland | village | 180 | $51,979 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Cordova | village | 131 | $49,250 | n/a | 15 mi |
| Tamora | CDP | 12 | n/a | n/a | 5 mi |
Budget math at the Seward County median
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Seward County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $82,444 a year is $6,870 of gross monthly income
- Less median rent of $980, which is 14% of it
- At 36%, room after rent is $1,493 a month
- With a 43% ceiling, about $1,974 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
People and households in Seward County
33% of Seward County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 6.1% of residents have no health coverage.
| Residents | Seward County | Nebraska | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.0 | 37.2 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 33.2% | 34.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.3% | 7.8% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.1% | 7.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.3% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 11.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 7.4% | 10.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.1% | 3.0% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Seward County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 38.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 28.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 22.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.4% |
| 60+ min | 5.3% |
What the numbers mean for Seward County borrowers
Based on the Seward County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
- Consolidating cards in Seward County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
Licensing and complaints for Seward County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Seward County resident can confirm its license with the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. The Nebraska guide covers state rules in more detail.
A Seward County borrower's checklist
Before you apply, wherever you live in Seward County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Ask a Seward County credit union about member loans.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Nebraska guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Seward County earn?
The median is $82,444; 39% earn $100,000 or more and 15% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Seward County?
$980 a month at the median, about 14% of median household income.
I live in a small Seward County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Seward, Milford, Utica, Beaver Crossing, Staplehurst and 6 more.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Seward County or elsewhere in Nebraska, the same rules apply.
Where can someone in Seward County check a lender's license?
With the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.