Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Of the 58 Nebraska towns we compare, none has a lower median household income than Bancroft. Bancroft has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Bancroft beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 344 in 1890, a peak of 742 in 1910, 496 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1890 and 2 maps from 1966 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bancroft, 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 Bancroft.
The typical Bancroft home is worth about $168,000, up 12% in a year, 40% below the Nebraska typical home. At $826 a month, Bancroft’s median rent is near the Nebraska town median ($914 a month) and below the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month).
| Bancroft | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $826 a month | $914 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 71% | 67% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 79% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Bancroft for work: only 9% work in town. 5.1% of residents live below the poverty line in Bancroft, against 11% in Nebraska’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. The average trip to work in Bancroft is 23 minutes.
| Bancroft | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 9.2% | 34% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.1% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Bancroft has cold winters and warm summers. Among 58 Nebraska towns, just 2 have a lower July high than Bancroft.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
People 65 and older are 25% of residents (17% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (23% statewide). 28% of residents are under 18 in Bancroft. 25% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 35% across Nebraska.
| Bancroft | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 28% | 24% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 25% | 28% | 29% |
| Median age | 37.8 years | 37.5 years | 40.5 years |
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±7.2 points. Across Nebraska, 49.7% of residents are women.
| Bancroft | NE | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 14.3% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.5% | 11.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.4% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.8% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.2% | 13.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.8% | 11.1% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.3% | 11.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.1% | 9.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 16.7% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.5% | 7.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 40.3% | 25% | 26% |
| Some college | 19.2% | 21.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.9% | 11% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.2% | 22.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 500, single groups can be off by several points
Bancroft beats the Nebraska average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 20% of Bancroft adults binge drink.
| Bancroft | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 19% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 31% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 40% | 35% |
| What stands out | Bancroft | NE |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with heart disease | 7.2% | 6.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.5% | 8.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bancroft Park | — | 13 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Bancroft
About 2 of every 100 Bancroft residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
Where Bancroft’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Village in Nebraska, United States
Bancroft is a village in Cuming County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 496 as of the 2020 census. John Neihardt, who later became Nebraska's poet laureate, lived in Bancroft for twenty years and wrote many of his works there. His study is preserved at the John G. Neihardt State Historic Site in the village.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bancroft has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
