Gretna, Papillion, Valley: These cities aren’t just some of the best places to live in Nebraska. They are also home to some of the richest people in the Cornhusker State.
Gretna in particular houses the richest residents in the state thanks, in part, to a median household income of $123,992 and a ridiculously low poverty rate of 4.2%.
If you’re thinking of moving to one of these towns, you’ll probably need to start saving. The richest places in Nebraska share common characteristics such as having a genius level populous, sky high home prices, and a Pleasantville level of married couples.
How did we come up with these mega wealthy cities? We analyzed Census data from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey for the 50 places in Nebraska with more than 3,000 people.
$123,992 median income · 4.2% poverty · #1 income in Nebraska
Gretna is a city in Sarpy County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 4,441 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$111,679 median income · 5.3% poverty · #2 income in Nebraska
Located in
Sarpy County, Nebraska
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$110,200 median income · 5.3% poverty · #4 income in Nebraska
Data | Movers
$111,632 median income · 0.5% poverty · #3 income in Nebraska
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$104,375 median income · 2.6% poverty · #5 income in Nebraska
$89,408 median income · 4.3% poverty · #7 income in Nebraska
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$81,452 median income · 7.8% poverty · #10 income in Nebraska
Located in
Washington County, Nebraska
Blair is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,990 at the 2010 census. Blair is a part of the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$81,961 median income · 7.5% poverty · #9 income in Nebraska
Located in
Sarpy County, Nebraska
La Vista is a city in Sarpy County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 15,758 at the 2010 census. The city was incorporated on February 23, 1960.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$85,462 median income · 7.8% poverty · #8 income in Nebraska
Located in
Sarpy County, Nebraska
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$89,457 median income · 14.2% poverty · #6 income in Nebraska
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
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: 10.6%
On the map
Where the money lives in Nebraska
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the richest places in Nebraska for 2026
The first thing most people reach for is personal income. After all, rich people have really high salaries. But one statistic doesn’t capture what it means to be one of the “richest places,” so we applied Saturday Night Science to two measures from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey:
- Median household income
- Median home value
Median household income is the most digestible way to understand how rich a place is, and home values are a measure of accumulated wealth. The two combine to define a “Rich City.”
After collecting the data for all 50 places in Nebraska with more than 3,000 people, we ranked each place from 1 to 50 on both criteria, then averaged the two ranks into a “Rich Score.” The place with the lowest Rich Score, Gretna, is crowned the richest city in Nebraska for 2026. The median Nebraska home is 50 years old — old enough that it pays to compare home warranty plans before something expensive breaks.
The full plate
All 50 richest cities in Nebraska, ranked
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Rich Score | Population | Median income | Median home value | Poverty | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gretna | 1.50 | 9,193 | $123,992 | $425,558 | 4.2% | 0.6% |
| 2 | Papillion | 2.50 | 25,244 | $111,679 | $409,004 | 5.3% | 3.2% |
| 3 | Valley | 2.50 | 3,174 | $110,200 | $527,910 | 5.3% | 2.1% |
| 4 | Waverly | 5.00 | 4,440 | $111,632 | $347,206 | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| 5 | Hickman | 5.00 | 3,004 | $104,375 | $381,940 | 2.6% | 1.7% |
| 6 | Ashland | 5.50 | 3,071 | $89,408 | $389,842 | 4.3% | 2.9% |
| 7 | Blair | 8.00 | 7,914 | $81,452 | $351,845 | 7.8% | 2.1% |
| 8 | La Vista | 9.00 | 16,563 | $81,961 | $307,597 | 7.5% | 3.4% |
| 9 | Bellevue | 10.00 | 64,510 | $85,462 | $297,049 | 7.8% | 3.2% |
| 10 | Wahoo | 10.50 | 4,929 | $89,457 | $284,196 | 14.2% | 3.6% |
| 11 | Plattsmouth | 13.50 | 6,731 | $73,929 | $306,416 | 5.1% | 0.7% |
| 12 | Aurora | 14.50 | 4,664 | $77,679 | $270,501 | 4.8% | 2.1% |
| 13 | Seward | 14.50 | 7,678 | $72,564 | $307,288 | 9.6% | 1.7% |
| 14 | Kearney | 15.00 | 34,246 | $69,724 | $309,678 | 12.4% | 2.9% |
| 15 | Omaha | 15.50 | 488,837 | $73,201 | $294,189 | 13.5% | 4.2% |
| 16 | Lincoln | 17.00 | 294,856 | $71,867 | $291,062 | 12.7% | 3.3% |
| 17 | Schuyler | 18.00 | 6,578 | $80,399 | $230,809 | 6.8% | 1.6% |
| 18 | Crete | 18.50 | 7,527 | $77,209 | $238,976 | 11.6% | 4.4% |
| 19 | Ralston | 21.00 | 6,472 | $69,403 | $264,642 | 4.0% | 2.2% |
| 20 | Fremont | 21.00 | 27,567 | $71,152 | $253,066 | 11.6% | 4.2% |
| 21 | Gering | 22.00 | 8,550 | $75,093 | $209,551 | 12.4% | 0.6% |
| 22 | West Point | 23.00 | 3,471 | $65,793 | $267,150 | 7.4% | 0.8% |
| 23 | Columbus | 24.00 | 24,488 | $64,626 | $269,084 | 11.3% | 2.4% |
| 24 | Gothenburg | 24.50 | 3,452 | $79,219 | $195,678 | 10.1% | 0.6% |
| 25 | Central City | 25.00 | 3,061 | $73,229 | $202,434 | 4.1% | 0.0% |
| 26 | South Sioux City | 25.50 | 13,907 | $68,223 | $228,788 | 12.2% | 5.0% |
| 27 | Grand Island | 27.50 | 52,884 | $63,795 | $252,575 | 15.2% | 4.6% |
| 28 | Norfolk | 28.00 | 26,054 | $58,884 | $256,017 | 14.3% | 3.2% |
| 29 | Minden | 29.00 | 3,108 | $68,449 | $201,596 | 4.8% | 2.6% |
| 30 | Lexington | 29.00 | 10,862 | $67,666 | $205,386 | 13.8% | 2.1% |
| 31 | David City | 29.50 | 3,017 | $65,573 | $209,442 | 15.1% | 0.1% |
| 32 | York | 30.50 | 8,141 | $63,265 | $219,748 | 11.5% | 1.7% |
| 33 | Nebraska City | 31.00 | 7,369 | $67,117 | $201,348 | 12.1% | 1.4% |
| 34 | Ogallala | 32.50 | 4,777 | $58,556 | $219,405 | 12.4% | 3.0% |
| 35 | Hastings | 34.00 | 25,008 | $64,048 | $200,241 | 14.8% | 2.9% |
| 36 | North Platte | 34.50 | 22,831 | $58,097 | $208,704 | 15.4% | 3.9% |
| 37 | Wayne | 36.00 | 6,121 | $53,702 | $234,128 | 19.9% | 6.5% |
| 38 | Alliance | 37.50 | 8,075 | $65,160 | $173,241 | 12.8% | 2.0% |
| 39 | Beatrice | 40.00 | 12,225 | $57,264 | $182,539 | 17.4% | 1.7% |
| 40 | Broken Bow | 41.00 | 3,502 | $60,129 | $166,342 | 8.8% | 5.9% |
| 41 | Holdrege | 41.00 | 5,546 | $55,789 | $194,781 | 16.6% | 1.8% |
| 42 | McCook | 42.00 | 7,314 | $56,917 | $177,179 | 17.3% | 1.4% |
| 43 | Scottsbluff | 42.00 | 14,376 | $56,359 | $179,641 | 15.4% | 2.6% |
| 44 | O’Neill | 42.00 | 3,570 | $56,510 | $177,650 | 18.5% | 0.5% |
| 45 | Chadron | 42.50 | 5,160 | $54,590 | $193,554 | 13.2% | 1.8% |
| 46 | Auburn | 43.50 | 3,470 | $57,531 | $162,443 | 14.1% | 4.1% |
| 47 | Cozad | 45.50 | 3,937 | $54,471 | $176,493 | 10.9% | 1.3% |
| 48 | Sidney | 45.50 | 6,419 | $54,734 | $168,006 | 16.2% | 3.1% |
| 49 | Fairbury | 49.00 | 3,888 | $52,995 | $113,056 | 14.9% | 1.4% |
| 50 | Falls City | 50.00 | 4,077 | $51,706 | $104,064 | 11.4% | 5.3% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, Zillow research. 50 cities with more than 3,000 residents.
Gretna is the richest place in Nebraska for 2026
When we set out to identify the richest places in Nebraska, we weren’t sure what we’d find, but it ended up being some of the best places to live in the state. The richest cities in Nebraska are Gretna, Papillion, and Valley, and when you look at the data they sit at the very top of the income ladder for everyone who lives there.
Breaking into the top ten takes a median household income of at least $81,452. If you’re curious about the other end of the ledger, the poorest places are listed to the right. Not sold on Nebraska? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Richest Cities In Nebraska FAQs
What is the richest city in Nebraska?
Gretna is the richest city in Nebraska for 2026. The median household income in Gretna is $123,992, the median home value is $425,558, and the poverty rate sits at 4.2%. Papillion and Valley round out the top three.
Where do the richest people live in Nebraska?
The richest people in Nebraska live in Gretna, Papillion, and Valley, based on income and home value data from the American Community Survey. Every place in the top ten posts a median household income of at least $81,452.
How much money do you need to be considered rich in Nebraska?
You need a household income around $81,452 to keep up in the ten richest places in Nebraska. That is the lowest median income in the top ten; the highest is $123,992. The statewide median is $76,475.
How expensive are homes in the richest cities in Nebraska?
The median home value across the ten richest cities in Nebraska is $366,892, compared to $276,500 statewide. In Gretna, the typical home runs $425,558.
What is the poorest city in Nebraska?
Falls City is the poorest city in Nebraska. It ranks last of the 50 places we analyzed on income and home value.
