Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment, is Nebraska a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best counties to live in Nebraska.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Cornhusker State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been using Saturday Night Science to rank places for years.
The question becomes if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Nebraska, where would you go? To answer that, we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 93 counties in the state.
Washington County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Nebraska. And you should avoid Morrill County if you can — at least according to the data.
$94,396 median income · 1.8% unemployment
$94,066 median income · 2.5% unemployment
$103,321 median income · 2.6% unemployment
$91,836 median income · 1.7% unemployment
$83,994 median income · 2.3% unemployment
$71,667 median income · 0.0% unemployment
$76,295 median income · 0.4% unemployment
$80,687 median income · 0.7% unemployment
$76,250 median income · 0.4% unemployment
$74,947 median income · 1.2% unemployment
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Nebraska’s statewide median.
Nebraska statewide median: $76,475
Nebraska statewide median: $276,500
Nebraska statewide median: 3.0%
On the map
Where Nebraska’s best counties are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which Nebraska county is the best?
To give you the best county in Nebraska, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we made assumptions about what’s in a “best county” and what isn’t. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best data sources on the internet. Namely, the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in Nebraska across each of the criteria from one to 93, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Nebraska.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and best counties to raise a family in the Cornhusker State.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the best counties to live in Nebraska.
Read on to see why Washington County is the best county, while Morrill County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Nebraska.
The full plate
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Nebraska
Click any column to sort. Search by county name.
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington County | 21,106 | $94,396 | $392,211 |
| 2 | Saunders County | 23,048 | $94,066 | $347,170 |
| 3 | Sarpy County | 197,389 | $103,321 | $354,031 |
| 4 | Cass County | 27,161 | $91,836 | $306,528 |
| 5 | Hamilton County | 9,464 | $83,994 | $294,648 |
| 6 | Loup County | 578 | $71,667 | $354,651 |
| 7 | Fillmore County | 5,541 | $76,295 | $178,086 |
| 8 | Stanton County | 5,796 | $80,687 | $263,903 |
| 9 | Arthur County | 484 | $76,250 | $215,429 |
| 10 | Boone County | 5,356 | $74,947 | $289,334 |
| 11 | Seward County | 17,641 | $82,444 | $308,419 |
| 12 | Logan County | 773 | $74,271 | $184,150 |
| 13 | Cedar County | 8,315 | $73,578 | $236,620 |
| 14 | Howard County | 6,534 | $76,767 | $277,294 |
| 15 | Kearney County | 6,713 | $78,631 | $251,431 |
| 16 | Pierce County | 7,325 | $72,357 | $241,737 |
| 16 | York County | 14,286 | $77,757 | $228,855 |
| 18 | Otoe County | 16,241 | $82,188 | $241,495 |
| 19 | Hayes County | 843 | $69,250 | $303,183 |
| 20 | McPherson County | 475 | $58,684 | $388,592 |
| 21 | Wheeler County | 847 | $70,250 | $242,830 |
| 22 | Perkins County | 2,821 | $72,778 | $219,875 |
| 23 | Butler County | 8,424 | $79,268 | $240,325 |
| 24 | Polk County | 5,225 | $69,768 | $210,973 |
| 25 | Merrick County | 7,724 | $68,354 | $224,849 |
| 26 | Keya Paha County | 822 | $64,000 | $317,828 |
| 27 | Clay County | 6,095 | $78,986 | $177,248 |
| 28 | Cherry County | 5,498 | $66,270 | $220,949 |
| 29 | Blaine County | 422 | $69,583 | $135,469 |
| 30 | Gosper County | 2,040 | $77,500 | $317,827 |
| 31 | Valley County | 4,066 | $61,852 | $194,680 |
| 32 | Buffalo County | 50,579 | $75,911 | $295,746 |
| 33 | Garfield County | 1,718 | $62,804 | $230,637 |
| 34 | Cuming County | 8,975 | $71,104 | $260,269 |
| 35 | Phelps County | 9,009 | $68,919 | $218,487 |
| 36 | Gage County | 21,629 | $67,247 | $196,238 |
| 38 | Holt County | 10,102 | $68,513 | $175,144 |
| 38 | Colfax County | 10,641 | $82,530 | $230,930 |
| 38 | Webster County | 3,360 | $64,347 | $138,512 |
| 40 | Harlan County | 2,847 | $70,625 | $163,166 |
| 41 | Lancaster County | 326,696 | $74,793 | $299,034 |
| 42 | Custer County | 10,518 | $67,906 | $171,036 |
| 43 | Thayer County | 4,901 | $66,213 | $148,830 |
| 44 | Thomas County | 564 | $65,000 | $188,754 |
| 45 | Nuckolls County | 4,087 | $73,976 | $116,507 |
| 46 | Dundy County | 1,736 | $58,922 | $203,144 |
| 47 | Platte County | 34,716 | $71,552 | $276,480 |
| 48 | Banner County | 742 | $78,839 | $418,753 |
| 49 | Antelope County | 6,305 | $66,105 | $220,374 |
| 50 | Box Butte County | 10,714 | $68,892 | $171,749 |
| 51 | Sherman County | 2,967 | $63,578 | $191,718 |
| 52 | Wayne County | 9,844 | $66,215 | $245,627 |
| 53 | Douglas County | 590,736 | $80,391 | $293,766 |
| 54 | Adams County | 31,052 | $68,365 | $209,005 |
| 55 | Dodge County | 37,351 | $74,329 | $242,267 |
| 55 | Boyd County | 1,688 | $67,045 | $147,861 |
| 57 | Sioux County | 1,171 | $53,929 | $332,495 |
| 58 | Deuel County | 1,847 | $70,096 | $181,580 |
| 59 | Rock County | 1,319 | $58,125 | $147,435 |
| 60 | Dixon County | 5,545 | $72,454 | $194,095 |
| 61 | Frontier County | 2,569 | $70,132 | $173,926 |
| 62 | Chase County | 3,671 | $68,173 | $216,949 |
| 63 | Saline County | 14,650 | $79,910 | $215,666 |
| 64 | Greeley County | 2,202 | $63,929 | $210,255 |
| 65 | Lincoln County | 33,802 | $65,148 | $216,740 |
| 66 | Franklin County | 2,846 | $60,195 | $150,183 |
| 67 | Keith County | 8,219 | $60,645 | $233,673 |
| 68 | Jefferson County | 7,161 | $59,044 | $138,811 |
| 69 | Grant County | 626 | $70,147 | $158,414 |
| 70 | Dawson County | 24,202 | $69,880 | $202,736 |
| 71 | Johnson County | 5,261 | $57,632 | $204,612 |
| 72 | Dawes County | 8,140 | $56,280 | $186,105 |
| 73 | Burt County | 6,740 | $63,685 | $185,915 |
| 74 | Hitchcock County | 2,569 | $51,567 | $152,767 |
| 75 | Red Willow County | 10,557 | $63,697 | $172,068 |
| 76 | Furnas County | 4,568 | $61,048 | $128,195 |
| 77 | Madison County | 35,532 | $63,128 | $251,800 |
| 78 | Dakota County | 21,354 | $70,329 | $238,515 |
| 79 | Richardson County | 7,751 | $60,108 | $115,210 |
| 80 | Knox County | 8,363 | $64,636 | $194,779 |
| 81 | Hooker County | 647 | $49,464 | $133,472 |
| 82 | Nance County | 3,324 | $65,179 | $170,684 |
| 83 | Kimball County | 3,248 | $56,712 | $161,253 |
| 84 | Brown County | 2,869 | $54,676 | $144,449 |
| 85 | Hall County | 62,536 | $69,251 | $255,439 |
| 86 | Cheyenne County | 9,533 | $60,348 | $167,181 |
| 87 | Thurston County | 6,627 | $69,177 | $159,045 |
| 88 | Scotts Bluff County | 35,843 | $63,614 | $191,212 |
| 89 | Sheridan County | 5,014 | $60,121 | $136,484 |
| 90 | Garden County | 1,761 | $41,882 | $193,001 |
| 91 | Nemaha County | 7,046 | $60,924 | $174,283 |
| 92 | Pawnee County | 2,530 | $62,188 | $160,445 |
| 93 | Morrill County | 4,534 | $58,500 | $151,929 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS + FBI crime data via Saturday Night Science. All 93 Nebraska counties.
Summary
Summary: The Best Counties In Nebraska To Call Home For 2026
Living in Nebraska can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
The best counties in Nebraska are Washington County, Saunders County, Sarpy County, Cass County, Hamilton County, Loup County, Fillmore County, Stanton County, Arthur County, and Boone County.
But now you know the outstanding parts and the parts to avoid, and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome. Not sold on Nebraska? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Counties In Nebraska FAQs
What is the best county to live in Nebraska?
Washington County is the best county to live in Nebraska for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Saunders County and Sarpy County are next.
What are the best counties in Nebraska?
The best counties to live in Nebraska are Washington County, Saunders County, Sarpy County, Cass County, Hamilton County, Loup County, Fillmore County, Stanton County, Arthur County, and Boone County. We ranked all 93 Nebraska counties.
How do you rank the best counties?
Counties are scored on crime, home values, income, unemployment, education, insurance coverage, and poverty, using Census American Community Survey and FBI data. The county with the best average across all seven, Washington County, wins.
How expensive is it to live in Washington County?
The median household income in Washington County is $94,396 and the median home costs $392,211. Statewide, the typical Nebraska home runs $276,500.
Which county in Nebraska should you think twice about?
Morrill County lands at the bottom of the quality-of-life ranking for Nebraska. People make good lives there anyway; the numbers just say it is the toughest of the 93 counties.
