Is being in an area of Nebraska that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Omaha and Lincoln, while others want peace and quiet like in Chadron and Holdrege, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in Nebraska have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Cornhusker State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
What’s the fastest growing city in Nebraska for 2024? Based on the most recent ACS data, Gretna ranks as the fastest-growing city in Nebraska. If you happen to be a resident of Gretna, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in Nebraska grow like weeds.
For more Nebraska state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Nebraska
- Cheapest Places To Live In Nebraska
- Most Dangerous Cities In Nebraska
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Nebraska For 2024
1. Gretna
/10
Population: 9,019
Population 2010: 4,164
Percent Growth 116.6%
Absolute Growth: 4,855
More on Gretna: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
2. Papillion
/10
Population: 24,016
Population 2010: 18,829
Percent Growth 27.5%
Absolute Growth: 5,187
More on Papillion: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
3. Bellevue
/10
Population: 63,336
Population 2010: 50,241
Percent Growth 26.1%
Absolute Growth: 13,095
More on Bellevue: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
4. Omaha
/10
Population: 489,201
Population 2010: 407,334
Percent Growth 20.1%
Absolute Growth: 81,867
More on Omaha: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
5. Lincoln
/10
Population: 290,531
Population 2010: 253,035
Percent Growth 14.8%
Absolute Growth: 37,496
More on Lincoln: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
6. Grand Island
/10
Population: 52,822
Population 2010: 46,975
Percent Growth 12.4%
Absolute Growth: 5,847
More on Grand Island: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
7. Seward
/10
Population: 7,667
Population 2010: 6,846
Percent Growth 12.0%
Absolute Growth: 821
More on Seward: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
8. Kearney
/10
Population: 33,809
Population 2010: 30,214
Percent Growth 11.9%
Absolute Growth: 3,595
More on Kearney: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
9. La Vista
/10
Population: 16,713
Population 2010: 15,044
Percent Growth 11.1%
Absolute Growth: 1,669
More on La Vista: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
10. Columbus
/10
Population: 24,035
Population 2010: 21,640
Percent Growth 11.1%
Absolute Growth: 2,395
More on Columbus: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Cornhusker State for 2024
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2022)
We ranked all 32 Nebraska cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Cornhusker State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the fastest growing cities in Nebraska.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Nebraska with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Nebraska, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Nebraska are led by Gretna which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Nebraska are Gretna, Papillion, Bellevue, Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Seward, Kearney, La Vista, and Columbus.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Chadron
- North Platte
- Sidney
For more Nebraska reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Nebraska
- Safest Places In Nebraska
- Worst Places To Live In Nebraska
Fastest Growing Places In Nebraska For 2024
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gretna | 9,019 | 4,164 | 116.6% | 4,855 |
| 2 | Papillion | 24,016 | 18,829 | 27.5% | 5,187 |
| 3 | Bellevue | 63,336 | 50,241 | 26.1% | 13,095 |
| 4 | Omaha | 489,201 | 407,334 | 20.1% | 81,867 |
| 5 | Lincoln | 290,531 | 253,035 | 14.8% | 37,496 |
| 6 | Grand Island | 52,822 | 46,975 | 12.4% | 5,847 |
| 7 | Seward | 7,667 | 6,846 | 12.0% | 821 |
| 8 | Kearney | 33,809 | 30,214 | 11.9% | 3,595 |
| 9 | La Vista | 16,713 | 15,044 | 11.1% | 1,669 |
| 10 | Columbus | 24,035 | 21,640 | 11.1% | 2,395 |