Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,316, settled in 1878. 3.7 times the library visits per person than the typical Nebraska town.
The best of Atkinson’s subject grades are an A for cost of living, an A− for schools, and an A+ for civic life. 42% of working residents work locally in Atkinson, above both Nebraska’s towns (34%) and U.S. towns (8%). Only 3 of Nebraska’s 133 towns score higher on hazard risk. Only 7 of Nebraska’s 127 towns score higher on civic life. Brantly Sturdevant House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Atkinson has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Atkinson beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Nebraska), ordered by how far Atkinson is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 701 in 1890, 1,306 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1954 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Atkinson, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Atkinson.
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 83% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
At $655 a month, Atkinson’s median rent is below both the Nebraska town median ($914 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Typical home values rose 12% in the year to September 2026.
| Atkinson | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $655 a month | $914 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 67% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Atkinson has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 12° and about 33 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
People 65 and older are 24% of residents (17% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (23% statewide). 28% of Atkinson residents are under 18. 35% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 35% across Nebraska.
| Atkinson | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 28% | 24% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 24% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 35% | 28% | 29% |
| Median age | 39.7 years | 37.5 years | 40.5 years |
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.4 points. Across Nebraska, 49.7% of residents are women.
| Atkinson | NE | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 14.4% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.7% | 11.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.3% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.1% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.5% | 13.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.3% | 11.1% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.5% | 11.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 17.1% | 9.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.2% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.4% | 7.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 29.1% | 25% | 26% |
| Some college | 13.6% | 21.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 16.1% | 11% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 29.8% | 22.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 4.9% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,300, single groups can be off by several points
Atkinson’s average trip to work is 13 minutes. Since 2013, Atkinson has lost 175 jobs, to 631 in 2023. 7.8% of residents live below the poverty line in Atkinson.
| Atkinson | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 11% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Atkinson beats the Nebraska average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. Among 58 Nebraska towns, just 3 have a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Atkinson.
| Atkinson | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 30% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 18% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 31% | 36% |
| What stands out | Atkinson | NE |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82% | 77.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.9% | 8.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Atkinson's reported crime rate is well below Nebraska's. Among 46 Nebraska towns, just 2 have a lower violent crime rate than Atkinson. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Atkinson | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.5 per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
None within 15 miles of Atkinson; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Atkinson residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
3 notable people were born in Atkinson.
City in Nebraska, United States
Atkinson is a city in Holt County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 1,306 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
3.7 times the library visits per person than the typical Nebraska town.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
3 notable people were born here, including Jim Hendricks and Rodney L. Johnson.
