Nebraska doesn't get a lot of attention for its colleges, but there are 10 towns in the state with at least one four-year school -- and some of them make great places to spend four years.
We wanted to know which ones are the best college towns. You know the type of place: plenty of students, plenty to do, affordable rent, and safe enough to walk around at night.
So we used Saturday Night Science to rank all 10 of them on the colleges themselves, the town around them, and things to do. Wayne came out on top.
The 10 Best College Towns In Nebraska For 2026
Want the bigger picture? See where Nebraska's towns land among the best college towns in America.
For more reading, check out:
| Colleges | Wayne State College |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 3,010 (49 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 6,121 |
| Median rent | $792 |
| Graduation rate | 56% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $22,565 |
Wayne is home to Wayne State College. There are 49 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $792 a month, and the average cost to attend is $22,565 a year. It ranks 1st for crime among the 10 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | University of Nebraska at Kearney |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 4,088 (12 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 34,246 |
| Median rent | $949 |
| Graduation rate | 53% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $25,808 |
Kearney is home to University of Nebraska at Kearney. There are 12 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $949 a month, and the average cost to attend is $25,808 a year. It ranks 4th for crime among the 10 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | York University |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 428 (5 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 8,141 |
| Median rent | $862 |
| Graduation rate | 50% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $34,268 |
York is home to York University. There are 5 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $862 a month, and the average cost to attend is $34,268 a year. It ranks 3rd for crime among the 10 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | University of Nebraska at Omaha, Creighton University, University of Nebraska Medical Center |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 18,651 (4 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 488,837 |
| Median rent | $1,187 |
| Graduation rate | 76% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $35,604 |
Omaha is home to University of Nebraska at Omaha, Creighton University, University of Nebraska Medical Center. There are 4 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $1,187 a month, and the average cost to attend is $35,604 a year. It ranks 10th for crime among the 10 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Chadron State College |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 1,540 (30 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 5,160 |
| Median rent | $881 |
| Graduation rate | 55% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $21,132 |
Chadron is home to Chadron State College. There are 30 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $881 a month, and the average cost to attend is $21,132 a year. It ranks 6th for crime among the 10 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Midland University |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 1,159 (4 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 27,567 |
| Median rent | $1,080 |
| Graduation rate | 49% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $55,719 |
Fremont is home to Midland University. There are 4 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $1,080 a month, and the average cost to attend is $55,719 a year. It ranks 5th for crime among the 10 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Concordia University-Nebraska |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 1,283 (17 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 7,678 |
| Median rent | $1,018 |
| Graduation rate | 60% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $53,292 |
Seward is home to Concordia University-Nebraska. There are 17 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $1,018 a month, and the average cost to attend is $53,292 a year. It ranks 2nd for crime among the 10 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Bryan College of Health Sciences |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 21,655 (7 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 294,856 |
| Median rent | $1,086 |
| Graduation rate | 64% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $38,802 |
Lincoln is home to University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Bryan College of Health Sciences. There are 7 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $1,086 a month, and the average cost to attend is $38,802 a year. It ranks 9th for crime among the 10 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Hastings College |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 891 (4 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 25,008 |
| Median rent | $858 |
| Graduation rate | 65% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $51,422 |
Hastings is home to Hastings College. There are 4 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $858 a month, and the average cost to attend is $51,422 a year. It ranks 7th for crime among the 10 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Doane University |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 978 (13 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 7,527 |
| Median rent | $936 |
| Graduation rate | 64% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $57,836 |
Crete is home to Doane University. There are 13 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $936 a month, and the average cost to attend is $57,836 a year. It ranks 8th for crime among the 10 towns we ranked.
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the best college towns in Nebraska
First, we decided that every town on the list had to have at least one four-year college -- a school that grants bachelor's degrees -- and at least 5,000 residents. There are 10 towns in Nebraska that fit the bill.
Then we ranked every town on these categories:
- The town: unemployment rate, median rent, and crime per capita
- The colleges: graduation rate, the average cost to attend, and student body diversity
- Things to do: bars, museums and libraries per capita, and population density
- Students: undergrads as a share of the population
- Size: population, since bigger towns have more going on
We ranked each town on every measure, averaged those ranks into a score for each category, and then averaged the categories. The town with the best overall score is the best college town in Nebraska.
Our data comes from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (enrollment, graduation rates, cost, and diversity), the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey, the FBI's 2024 crime report. We left out colleges that are online-only or mostly online, since their students don't actually live in town. A handful of towns don't report crime to the FBI, so we gave them the average.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best college towns in Nebraska.
Summary
There You Have It -- The Best College Towns In Nebraska
If you're looking for the best college towns in Nebraska, Wayne is where to start.
The best college towns in Nebraska are Wayne, Kearney, York, Omaha, Chadron, Fremont, Seward, Lincoln, Hastings, and Crete.
For more college towns, check out the best college towns in America.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best college town in Nebraska for 2026?
Wayne is the best college town in Nebraska for 2026, followed by Kearney and York.
How did you rank the best college towns in Nebraska?
We looked at every town in Nebraska with at least 5,000 residents and a four-year college, then ranked them on city characteristics, college characteristics, things to do, the share of residents who are students, and size. The town with the best average rank is number one.
What is the worst college town in Nebraska?
Crete ranks last of the 10 college towns we ranked in Nebraska for 2026.
Best College Towns In Nebraska For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Undergrads | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wayne, NE | 6,121 | 3,010 | $792 |
| 2 | Kearney, NE | 34,246 | 4,088 | $949 |
| 3 | York, NE | 8,141 | 428 | $862 |
| 4 | Omaha, NE | 488,837 | 18,651 | $1,187 |
| 5 | Chadron, NE | 5,160 | 1,540 | $881 |
| 6 | Fremont, NE | 27,567 | 1,159 | $1,080 |
| 7 | Seward, NE | 7,678 | 1,283 | $1,018 |
| 8 | Lincoln, NE | 294,856 | 21,655 | $1,086 |
| 9 | Hastings, NE | 25,008 | 891 | $858 |
| 10 | Crete, NE | 7,527 | 978 | $936 |
Best College Towns By State
Best College Towns In Arkansas
Best College Towns In California
Best College Towns In Colorado
Best College Towns In Connecticut
Best College Towns In Illinois
Best College Towns In Maryland
Best College Towns In Massachusetts
Best College Towns In Michigan
Best College Towns In Minnesota
Best College Towns In Mississippi
Best College Towns In Missouri
Best College Towns In Nebraska
Best College Towns In New Hampshire
Best College Towns In New Jersey
Best College Towns In New Mexico
Best College Towns In New York
Best College Towns In Oklahoma
Best College Towns In Pennsylvania
Best College Towns In Rhode Island
Best College Towns In South Carolina
Best College Towns In South Dakota
Best College Towns In Tennessee
Best College Towns In Virginia
Best College Towns In Washington