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Aerial view of the old Haymarket and West Haymarket, Lincoln, Nebraska, USALincoln, the state capital · Photo: Hanyou23 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Nebraska · 57 graded towns

Towns and cities in Nebraska

21 of Nebraska’s 57 graded towns and cities (37%) grade A− or better nationally, against 25% of U.S. towns. Ashland ranks first in the state with an A+; jobs & income (A) and cost of living (A−) are its strongest grades; hazard risk (D) is its lowest.

Letters are national: the overall grade blends cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability and hazard risk. How grades work

How Nebraska compares: report cardBest places to liveBest small townsMost affordable townsSafest townsTowns with the best schoolsHealthiest towns
57
towns of 2,500+ with an overall grade
21
grade A− or better nationally
0
of 2,500+ without enough data for a grade
76
smaller places (1,000–2,499) with subject grades
Towns by letter
A+5A8A−8B+5B5B−8C+5C9C−2D2D−0

All 57 graded towns

Every town of 2,500+ residents with an overall grade, A to Z. The rank is among 57 Nebraska towns on the best places to live list.

57 graded towns, A to Z.

Sort:
  1. CAllianceBox Butte County#47 of 577,914
  2. A+AshlandSaunders County#1 of 573,483
  3. BAuburnNemaha County#29 of 573,498
  4. A+AuroraHamilton County#3 of 574,787
  5. B−BeatriceGage County#33 of 5712,318
  6. C+BellevueSarpy County#43 of 5764,863
  7. ABlairWashington County#8 of 577,997
  8. A−Broken BowCuster County#18 of 573,507
  9. A−Central CityMerrick County#21 of 573,184
  10. BChadronDawes County#31 of 574,975
  11. AChalcounincorporated, Sarpy County#11 of 5710,595
  12. B−ColumbusPlatte County#38 of 5725,248
  13. C+Columbus TownshipPlatte County#40 of 573,360
  14. BCozadDawson County#30 of 573,924
  15. CCreteSaline County#49 of 577,747
  16. ADavid CityButler County#6 of 573,068
  17. B−FairburyJefferson County#39 of 573,812
  18. B−Falls CityRichardson County#34 of 573,988
  19. CFremontDodge County#51 of 5728,350
  20. C+GeringScotts Bluff County#44 of 578,535
  21. AGothenburgDawson County#9 of 573,430
  22. DGrand IslandHall County#57 of 5753,943
  23. AGretnaSarpy County#10 of 579,207
  24. CHastingsAdams County#53 of 5725,121
  25. AHickmanLancaster County#13 of 573,663
  26. B−HoldregePhelps County#36 of 575,555
  27. B−KearneyBuffalo County#32 of 5734,782
  28. B+La VistaSarpy County#22 of 5716,543
  29. CLexingtonDawson County#48 of 5711,176
  30. CLincolnLancaster County#46 of 57301,522
  31. A−McCookRed Willow County#19 of 577,157
  32. A−MindenKearney County#14 of 573,133
  33. B−Nebraska CityOtoe County#37 of 577,512
  34. C+NorfolkMadison County#42 of 5726,677
  35. C−North PlatteLincoln County#55 of 5722,524
  36. B+O'NeillHolt County#25 of 573,567
  37. COffutt AFBunincorporated, Sarpy County#45 of 576,074
  38. B−OgallalaKeith County#35 of 574,698
  39. COmahaDouglas County#50 of 57488,797
  40. A−PapillionSarpy County#15 of 5725,127
  41. A−PlattsmouthCass County#16 of 576,955
  42. C+RalstonDouglas County#41 of 576,382
  43. A−SchuylerColfax County#20 of 576,800
  44. DScottsbluffScotts Bluff County#56 of 5714,259
  45. A+SewardSeward County#4 of 577,892
  46. CSidneyCheyenne County#52 of 576,432
  47. C−South Sioux CityDakota County#54 of 5714,158
  48. BTownship 1Washington County#27 of 574,517
  49. A−Township 2Washington County#17 of 573,213
  50. ATownship 7Washington County#7 of 572,760
  51. B+ValentineCherry County#23 of 572,635
  52. AValleyDouglas County#12 of 573,412
  53. A+WahooSaunders County#2 of 575,023
  54. A+WaverlyLancaster County#5 of 574,533
  55. B+WayneWayne County#26 of 576,338
  56. B+West PointCuming County#24 of 573,411
  57. BYorkYork County#28 of 578,284
Also in Nebraska

Not on the ranked list

Not graded

Every Nebraska town of 2,500+ residents has an overall grade.

Smaller places 76 with 1,000–2,499 residents

These have subject grades (safety, schools, health and the rest) but no overall grade or rank: the overall starts at 2,500 residents.

Go deeper

Lists in Nebraska

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Nebraska rankings →
Best places to live57 towns · #1 AshlandBest small towns40 towns · #1 AshlandMost affordable towns57 towns · #1 SchuylerSafest towns37 towns · #1 ValleyTowns with the best schools57 towns · #1 SewardHealthiest towns57 towns · #1 HickmanBest towns for jobs & income57 towns · #1 WaverlyMost walkable towns57 towns · #1 LincolnTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk57 towns · #1 ChadronBest towns for the outdoors57 towns · #1 PapillionMost historic towns57 towns · #1 Township 7Towns with the most civic life55 towns · #1 Chadron and ValentineTowns with the least snow57 towns · #1 BeatriceDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns57 towns · #1 ChadronDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters61 towns · #1 Falls City and OgallalaDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers61 towns · #1 McCookDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers61 towns · #1 WayneDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes57 towns · #1 Township 1Described, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes56 towns · #1 ValentineDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns55 towns · #1 HickmanDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries41 towns · #1 St. PaulDescribed, no letters