The best of Ainsworth’s subject grades is an A− for civic life; the weakest is a D for incomes. 33% of residents are 65 or older in Ainsworth, where Nebraska’s towns sit at 19% and U.S. towns at 18%. Only 4 of Nebraska’s 133 towns score lower on incomes. Ainsworth is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 74% of U.S. towns. Ainsworth’s trail density is 3.3 miles per square mile, above both Nebraska’s towns (0.3) and U.S. towns (0.4). East City Park, at 32 acres with 2.6 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Ainsworth has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

StrongestA⁻Civic life A⁻Hazard riskWeakestDJobs & income

What makes Ainsworth stand out

Where Ainsworth beats most towns.

Library visits per resident

3 times the library visits per person

than the typical Nebraska town

IMLS Public Libraries Survey.

Natural hazardsA⁻

Low risk of storm and flood damage

FEMA National Risk Index.

WalkabilityB⁺

More walkable than 74% of U.S. towns

8% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

How Ainsworth grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Nebraska), ordered by how far Ainsworth is from typical.

How grading works

Jobs & income$53K median household incomeDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 25% of U.S. communities; cold waves tops the listA⁻Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.8 of 20; 6.6% of households have no carB⁺Open →SchoolsB⁺Open →Cost of livingBOpen →HealthBrown County Hospital 0.5 miles awayB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors3 miles of trailsB⁺Open →History1 notable person born hereC⁺Open →Civic life14.7 library visits per resident; 13.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 48.2; 24% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nebraska, 1917

Ainsworth’s story

144 years in pictures

Census counts: 733 in 1890, a peak of 2,256 in 1980, 1,616 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1917 and 2 maps from 1954 on.

1882Ainsworth is settled

Explore the history →

Getting set up

Moving to Ainsworth: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Ainsworth, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerNebraska Public Power District10.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Ainsworth water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown site

SchoolsAinsworth Community SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Nebraska you can register online until 18 days before Election Day, in person until 11 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 18 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereBrown County ClerkBrown County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2024

ZIP code6921069210 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Ainsworth.

HousingCost of living grade B

The typical home in Ainsworth is valued at about $152K

The typical Ainsworth home is worth about $152,000, up 3.6% in a year, 45% below the Nebraska typical home. Ainsworth’s median rent is $807 a month.

$152KZillow home value

	Ainsworth	Nebraska towns	U.S. towns
Median rent	$807 a month	$914 a month	$1,185 a month
Households that own their home	71%	67%	73%

Typical home value

Ainsworth$152K

Nebraska$278K

+3.6%

value change, 1 year

Full pageAinsworth’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 3.6% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 2.8 years of income Rents$807 a month · Median rent

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

SchoolsB⁺

Ainsworth’s public schools outperform 70% of Nebraska districts

Its public schools are run by the Ainsworth Community Schools. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

70%of NE districts it outscoresB⁺School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Ainsworth Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4	Grades PK–4	138	B
Ainsworth High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	104	A⁻

Full pageAinsworth’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsAINSWORTH COMMUNITY SCHOOLS Every school4 schools · Ainsworth Elementary School Questions“Are Ainsworth’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NE on state tests and graduation

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A⁻

Cold waves leads a low hazard risk in Ainsworth

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 75% of U.S. communities.

25risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Cold wavesDroughtInland flooding

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageAinsworth’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters1 federal disaster · Paid out in Ainsworth Get ready6.6 events a year, on average · Ready for cold waves

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

In Ainsworth, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

Ainsworth has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 13° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.

36″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter15–37°

Spring34–60°

Summer59–84°

Fall37–63°

Oct 8

typical first frost

May 2

typical last frost

+0.9°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageAinsworth’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 87°, January lows 13°Rain & snow36″ of snow a winter · 24 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+0.9° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D

About one in three working residents works right in Ainsworth

About one in 3 of Ainsworth’s working residents works in town. The average trip to work in Ainsworth is 13 minutes. Since 2013, Ainsworth has lost 142 jobs, to 693 in 2023.

36%work in town

	Ainsworth	Nebraska towns	U.S. towns
Average trip to work	13 minutes	17 minutes	25 minutes
Working residents who work in town	36%	34%	8%
Median household income	$53,000	$69,000	$80,000
Below the poverty line	14%	11%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Ainsworth36%

Bassett5%

Omaha4%

Long Pine3%

O'Neill3%

8 mi

median commute distance

693

jobs based in Ainsworth

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

B+

Walkability grade: more walkable than 74% of U.S. towns

Full pageAinsworth’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here693 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work36% work in Ainsworth Commute times13 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 8 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

HealthB⁻

Health in Ainsworth trails 51% of U.S. towns

Ainsworth beats the Nebraska average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 17% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Ainsworth. Among 58 Nebraska towns, just 4 have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Ainsworth.

49%healthier than U.S. townsB⁻Health Grade

	Ainsworth	Nebraska towns	U.S. towns
Depression (CDC PLACES)	17%	18%	23%
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	28%	30%	33%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)	14%	14%	17%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	38%	34%	35%