Laurel, Nebraska 2nd St E from Elm St, 2010
Laurel’s story
134 years in pictures
Census counts: 514 in 1900, 972 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1971 on.
- 1892Laurel is settled
Photo: Ammodramus · Public domain
Population
961
2025 Census estimate · −1.5% since 2020
Typical home
$208K
+7.7% in a year
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
38.5
years
Jobs based here
356
Balanced
Is Laurel a good place to live?
Of the 58 Nebraska towns we compare, none has a lower July high than Laurel. Laurel has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
961 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Laurel: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Laurel, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of LaurelEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Laurel water system3 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers92% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpLaurel Regional Recycling CenterDrop-offTown site
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.govWho runs elections hereCedar County ClerkCedar County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2024
ZIP code6874568745 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 Laurel.
Housing
Laurel’s typical home value is about $208K
The typical Laurel home is worth about $208,000, up 7.7% in a year, 25% below the Nebraska typical home. Laurel’s median rent is $815 a month, where Nebraska’s towns sit at $914 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month.
$208KZillow home value
| Laurel | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $815 a month | $914 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 66% | 67% | 73% |
Typical home value
Laurel$208K
Nebraska$278K
+7.7%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Laurel’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by Laurel-Concord-Coleridge School. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel-Concord-Coleridge Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 183 | A− |
| Laurel-Concord-Coleridge High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 135 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Compared with most of Nebraska and the rest of the country, a typical January night in Laurel is colder
Laurel’s January low is 11°F, below both Nebraska’s towns (14°F) and U.S. towns (22°F). Laurel has cold, snowy winters and warm summers.
32″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–33°
Spring36–59°
Summer60–82°
Fall38–61°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Laurel stands out in Nebraska and nationally, with more of its residents who live below the poverty line
19% of Laurel residents live below the poverty line. Most working residents leave Laurel for work: only 12% work in town. The median household income in Laurel is $59,000.
12%work in town
| Laurel | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 34% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Laurel12%
Wayne8%
Randolph7%
Norfolk6%
Omaha4%
18 mi
median commute distance
356
jobs based in Laurel
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
High risk in Laurel, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 61% of U.S. communities.
61risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Safety
Crime reported in Laurel
No violent or property crimes were reported in Laurel in 2024. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Laurel is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
0
violent crimes reported in 2024
0
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Health
How healthy Laurel is
Laurel beats the Nebraska average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 28% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Laurel.
| Laurel | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 31% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 18% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Nebraska
6 better22 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Laurel | NE |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.2% | 9.5% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.9% | 8.3% |
Providence Medical Center
13.7 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
More young adults than Nebraska overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 28% of residents (23% statewide). 38% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 35% across Nebraska.
38.5median age · NE 37.2
| Laurel | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 38% | 28% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 21% | 24% | 22% |
| Median age | 38.5 years | 37.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 17% | 19% | 18% |
LaurelNebraskaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
14%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma7%
High school24%
Some college19%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s24%
Graduate14%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5 points. Across Nebraska, 49.7% of residents are women.
| Laurel | NE | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.8% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11% | 11.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 13.8% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.8% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.4% | 13.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.5% | 11.1% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.3% | 11.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11% | 9.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.4% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.2% | 7.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 23.9% | 25% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.6% | 21.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12% | 11% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.9% | 22.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 14.4% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,000, single groups can be off by several points
Outdoors
Laurel has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
0.2 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 843 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Laurel City Park | — | 3 |
| 2. Laurel Lions Club Park Campground | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Laurel
20pages on Laurel
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Laurel
About 3 of every 100 Laurel residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
About Laurel
City in Nebraska, United States
Laurel is a city in Cedar County, Nebraska located at the merger of Highway 20 and Highway 15 in the northeast corner of the state. Laurel sits roughly 40 miles east of Norfolk, Nebraska, west of Sioux City, Iowa, and south of Yankton, South Dakota. Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska is 15 miles south of Laurel. Its population was 975 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1892
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,476 ft
- ZIP code
- 68745
- Area code
- 402
Questions about Laurel
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Laurel, NE a good place to live?
Laurel has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Laurel, NE known for?
2 notable people were born here, including James Coburn and Mark Calcavecchia.