Wayne, NE Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Wayne. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Wayne compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Wayne, Nebraska

Cost of living in Wayne research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Wayne is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Nebraska, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

88 Cost of living index 0.9x lower vs US
#6 Cheapest in Nebraska (of 34)
#742 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$234,128 Median home value
$792 Median rent
$53,702 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Wayne, NE?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Wayne has an overall cost of living index of 88, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Nebraska, Wayne has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Nebraska's index of 89.

The standard of living in Wayne ranks as #6 most affordable out of the 34 places we measured in Nebraska. By definition, that implies Wayne ranks as the #28 most expensive place in the Cornhusker State.

For more reading on life in Wayne, check out:

Wayne Cost Of Living Vs. Nebraska

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wayne. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Wayne is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Wayne is 99.

  • The Health index in Wayne is 77.

  • The Housing index in Wayne is 98.

  • The Transportation index in Wayne is 93.

  • The Utilities index in Wayne is 94.

Living Expense Wayne Nebraska National Average
Overall 88 89 100
Services 98 98 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 77 77 100
Housing 98 99 100
Transportation 93 98 100
Utilities 94 96 100

Wayne Cost Of Living Compared To Nebraska Averages

Services
Wayne 98
Nebraska avg 98
Groceries
Wayne 99
Nebraska avg 99
Health
Wayne 77
Nebraska avg 77
Housing
Wayne 98
Nebraska avg 99
Transportation
Wayne 93
Nebraska avg 98
Utilities
Wayne 94
Nebraska avg 96

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Nebraska, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Wayne, NE Housing Cost Breakdown

$234,128Median Home Value
$792Median Rent
$53,702Median Income

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Nebraska, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Wayne is $234,128.

  • The Median Rent in Wayne is $792.

  • The Median Income in Wayne is $53,702.

  • The Home Value To Income in Wayne is 4.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Wayne is 0.18x.

Statistic Wayne Nebraska United States
Median Home Value $234,128 $276,499 $332,700
Median Rent $792 $1,072 $1,413
Median Income $53,702 $76,475 $80,734
Home Value To Income 4.4x 3.6x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.17x 0.21x

Wayne, NE Costs By Category

Detailed Wayne Services costs vs. Nebraska
Item Wayne Nebraska
Shampoo $1.23 $1.28
Movie $12.12 $12.13
Bowling $18.36 $18
Haircut $23.69 $24.26
Beauty Salon $32.5 $45.56
Detailed Wayne Groceries costs vs. Nebraska
Item Wayne Nebraska
Ground Beef $6.11 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.67 $4.67
Potatoes $4.5 $4.93
Pizza $11.19 $12.09
Beer $9.76 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.71 $3.7
Detailed Wayne Health costs vs. Nebraska
Item Wayne Nebraska
Optometrist $123.1 $125.68
Doctor $135.27 $135.78
Dentist $90.11 $113.29
Detailed Wayne Transportation costs vs. Nebraska
Item Wayne Nebraska
Gasoline $3.22 $3.46
Tire Balancing $68.12 $59.92
Detailed Wayne Utilities costs vs. Nebraska
Item Wayne Nebraska
All Electricity $174.82 $193.99
Phone $200.78 $192.25

Wayne SnackAbility

6Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 7/10
Housing 6/10
Affordability 8/10
Diversity 6/10
SafetyN/A
Amenities 8.5/10
Education 8.5/10
Commute 9.5/10