You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Nebraska. Best suburbs in Nebraska. Best counties in Nebraska.
Etc., etc., etc.
But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Cornhusker State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.
Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Nebraska based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.
We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Nebraska ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.
$111,632 median income · 0.0% unemployment
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$104,375 median income · 1.7% unemployment
$96,944 median income · 2.3% unemployment
$94,034 median income · 0.0% unemployment
$80,577 median income · 1.1% unemployment
$82,699 median income · 0.3% unemployment
$89,408 median income · 2.9% unemployment
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$97,500 median income · 3.0% unemployment
$76,875 median income · 3.2% unemployment
$105,859 median income · 1.3% 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 small towns are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Nebraska
We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Nebraska possible.
Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Lowest Unemployment Rates
- Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
- Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
- Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
- Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
- Commute Times (Lower is better)
We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 83 to be exact.
We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 83, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Nebraska. Top of that list — Waverly.
This is our eleventh time ranking the best small places to live in Nebraska.
The full plate
Best Small Towns In Nebraska
Click any column to sort. Search by town name.
| Rank | Town | Population | Median Income | Median Home Value | Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waverly | 4,440 | $111,632 | $347,206 | 0.0% |
| 2 | Hickman | 3,004 | $104,375 | $381,940 | 1.7% |
| 3 | Ceresco | 1,225 | $96,944 | $340,543 | 2.3% |
| 4 | Arlington | 1,467 | $94,034 | $359,874 | 0.0% |
| 5 | Hartington | 1,621 | $80,577 | $268,711 | 1.1% |
| 6 | Milford | 2,565 | $82,699 | $308,177 | 0.3% |
| 7 | Ashland | 3,071 | $89,408 | $389,842 | 2.9% |
| 8 | Bennington | 2,366 | $97,500 | $410,275 | 3.0% |
| 9 | Eagle | 1,259 | $76,875 | $360,465 | 3.2% |
| 10 | Bennet | 1,218 | $105,859 | $408,126 | 1.3% |
| 11 | Albion | 1,822 | $74,492 | $310,900 | 1.5% |
| 12 | Pierce | 1,956 | $70,859 | $285,955 | 0.2% |
| 13 | Henderson | 1,049 | $82,500 | $214,158 | 0.7% |
| 14 | Fort Calhoun | 1,173 | $102,396 | $534,841 | 2.1% |
| 15 | Valley | 3,174 | $110,200 | $527,910 | 2.1% |
| 16 | Aurora | 4,664 | $77,679 | $270,501 | 2.1% |
| 17 | Alma | 1,154 | $75,703 | $194,061 | 1.3% |
| 18 | Grant | 1,413 | $71,389 | $215,909 | 0.4% |
| 19 | Wilber | 1,936 | $84,712 | $218,320 | 0.8% |
| 20 | St. Paul | 2,758 | $62,212 | $207,577 | 1.0% |
| 21 | Yutan | 1,832 | $103,350 | $374,208 | 8.8% |
| 22 | Louisville | 1,449 | $94,208 | $348,936 | 3.6% |
| 23 | Geneva | 2,193 | $80,398 | $174,574 | 0.0% |
| 24 | Battle Creek | 1,456 | $95,536 | $277,062 | 0.9% |
| 25 | Utica | 1,015 | $88,304 | $248,931 | 1.4% |
| 26 | Wahoo | 4,929 | $89,457 | $284,196 | 3.6% |
| 27 | Friend | 1,155 | $90,909 | $231,906 | 1.6% |
| 28 | Springfield | 1,595 | $92,955 | $455,774 | 4.5% |
| 29 | Central City | 3,061 | $73,229 | $202,434 | 0.0% |
| 30 | Minden | 3,108 | $68,449 | $201,596 | 2.6% |
| 31 | David City | 3,017 | $65,573 | $209,442 | 0.1% |
| 32 | Atkinson | 1,377 | $79,375 | $177,412 | 1.5% |
| 33 | North Bend | 1,152 | $85,882 | $277,118 | 0.2% |
| 34 | Gothenburg | 3,452 | $79,219 | $195,678 | 0.6% |
| 35 | Elm Creek | 1,107 | $79,148 | $240,786 | 0.0% |
| 36 | Gibbon | 1,763 | $70,069 | $250,787 | 5.7% |
| 37 | Sutton | 1,323 | $81,313 | $208,042 | 1.3% |
| 38 | Cambridge | 1,082 | $61,528 | $158,540 | 0.0% |
| 39 | Syracuse | 1,990 | $72,404 | $266,499 | 2.2% |
| 40 | Valentine | 2,633 | $56,898 | $220,958 | 0.0% |
| 41 | Wisner | 1,461 | $61,739 | $225,966 | 0.7% |
| 42 | Oakland | 1,552 | $68,900 | $201,114 | 0.0% |
| 43 | Imperial | 2,210 | $74,176 | $232,741 | 1.7% |
| 44 | West Point | 3,471 | $65,793 | $267,150 | 0.8% |
| 45 | Ord | 2,100 | $57,818 | $193,782 | 0.5% |
| 46 | Woodland Park | 1,657 | $74,000 | $191,904 | 0.0% |
| 47 | Dakota City | 2,675 | $76,806 | $246,999 | 5.4% |
| 48 | Neligh | 1,515 | $59,239 | $183,967 | 2.1% |
| 49 | Hebron | 1,577 | $65,833 | $165,410 | 1.4% |
| 50 | Pender | 1,379 | $73,125 | $211,145 | 3.9% |
| 51 | Stanton | 1,702 | $76,500 | $249,984 | 2.4% |
| 52 | Wood River | 1,494 | $75,417 | $175,217 | 0.4% |
| 53 | Weeping Water | 1,407 | $83,750 | $227,286 | 8.8% |
| 54 | Ainsworth | 1,697 | $53,490 | $144,202 | 0.9% |
| 55 | Sutherland | 1,209 | $72,857 | $227,017 | 5.6% |
| 56 | Superior | 1,879 | $63,810 | $95,584 | 1.1% |
| 57 | Broken Bow | 3,502 | $60,129 | $166,342 | 5.9% |
| 58 | O’Neill | 3,570 | $56,510 | $177,650 | 0.5% |
| 59 | Ogallala | 4,777 | $58,556 | $219,405 | 3.0% |
| 60 | Stromsburg | 1,074 | $58,988 | $195,210 | 0.2% |
| 61 | Cairo | 1,035 | $54,511 | $283,653 | 1.5% |
| 62 | Gordon | 1,721 | $59,226 | $102,488 | 2.4% |
| 63 | Ravenna | 1,382 | $64,423 | $218,441 | 2.1% |
| 64 | Madison | 2,079 | $62,738 | $208,826 | 3.9% |
| 65 | Bayard | 1,531 | $68,333 | $151,593 | 2.4% |
| 66 | Shelton | 1,389 | $81,278 | $241,650 | 5.9% |
| 67 | Falls City | 4,077 | $51,706 | $104,064 | 5.3% |
| 68 | Cozad | 3,937 | $54,471 | $176,493 | 1.3% |
| 69 | Laurel | 1,018 | $58,519 | $211,049 | 2.9% |
| 70 | Mitchell | 1,962 | $54,150 | $209,382 | 3.9% |
| 71 | Kimball | 2,225 | $56,174 | $159,867 | 0.0% |
| 72 | Wakefield | 1,305 | $56,964 | $195,419 | 3.9% |
| 73 | Fairbury | 3,888 | $52,995 | $113,056 | 1.4% |
| 74 | Harvard | 1,008 | $66,000 | $126,472 | 3.1% |
| 75 | Tekamah | 1,690 | $57,074 | $201,909 | 0.9% |
| 76 | Auburn | 3,470 | $57,531 | $162,443 | 4.1% |
| 77 | Plainview | 1,281 | $54,766 | $152,216 | 8.3% |
| 78 | Bridgeport | 1,342 | $60,404 | $146,515 | 9.3% |
| 79 | Winnebago | 1,058 | $41,447 | $77,179 | 12.5% |
| 80 | Fullerton | 1,346 | $47,750 | $157,108 | 3.2% |
| 81 | Creighton | 1,222 | $50,278 | $110,856 | 4.3% |
| 82 | Tecumseh | 1,882 | $45,357 | $177,101 | 6.3% |
| 83 | Wymore | 1,320 | $57,090 | $95,106 | 4.7% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024 via Saturday Night Science. 83 Nebraska towns between 1,000 and 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones
We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these small towns in Nebraska are the best in which to live.
And who can argue with that?
The best small towns in Nebraska are Waverly, Hickman, Ceresco, Arlington, Hartington, Milford, Ashland, Bennington, Eagle, and Bennet. Not sold on Nebraska? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Small Towns In Nebraska FAQs
What is the best small town to live in Nebraska?
Waverly is the best small town in Nebraska for 2026. The median household income there is $111,632 and the median home costs $347,206. Hickman and Ceresco round out the top three.
What are the best small towns in Nebraska?
The best small towns in Nebraska are Waverly, Hickman, Ceresco, Arlington, Hartington, Milford, Ashland, Bennington, Eagle, and Bennet. We ranked all 83 Nebraska towns with between 1,000 and 5,000 residents.
What counts as a small town?
For this ranking, a small town is any Nebraska place with between 1,000 and 5,000 residents. 83 towns fit that window this year.
How do you rank the best small towns in Nebraska?
Each town is scored on density, unemployment, housing costs, income, education, insurance coverage, and commute times, using Census American Community Survey data. The town with the best average across all of it, Waverly, takes the top spot.
How much does a home cost in Waverly?
The median home in Waverly runs $347,206, against $276,500 across Nebraska as a whole. Pair that with a $111,632 median household income, and you can see why it ranks so well.
