Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
North Platte is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades C− overall, 55th among Nebraska's 57 graded towns, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is cost of living: homes are within reach, about $217K for a typical one, or 3.3 years of the North Platte area’s $65K median household income. Its lowest everyday mark is in schools: its public schools trail 75% of Nebraska towns on state tests and graduation. 64% of working residents work locally in North Platte, above both the Nebraska town median (33%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). Only 6 of Nebraska’s 131 towns score lower on health. North Platte is home to Mid-Plains Community College.
Where North Platte beats most towns.
Scout's Rest Ranch Headquarters| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Mid-Plains Community College | 1,560 |
Scout's Rest Ranch Headquarters is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier.
Census counts: 363 in 1880, 23,390 in 2020. The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 1865 and 3 maps from 1899 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Nebraska), ordered by how far North Platte is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in North Platte, 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 North Platte.
North Platte is healthier than towns with similar incomes and is safe by national standards but not by Nebraska’s.
Its public schools are run by the North Platte Public Schools. Three of its 13 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 513 | C+ |
| North Platte High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,145 | D |
| McDonald Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 247 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NE on state tests and graduation
At 27.3 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 81% of Nebraska’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 571 to 376 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
The property crime rate in North Platte is 15.7 per 1,000 residents.
| North Platte | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 15.7 per 1,000 residents | 7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.2 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Against the 8,373 U.S. towns with household incomes like North Platte’s, it is healthier than 55%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income.
32% of adults get no exercise outside work in North Platte. Among 57 Nebraska towns, just 1 have a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than North Platte. 17% of adults smoke cigarettes in North Platte.
| North Platte | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 28% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 31% | 36% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 39% | 35% |
| What stands out | North Platte | NE |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 8.7% | 6.1% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 16.6% | 12.3% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.1% | 6.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Typical home values rose 6.8% in the year to September 2026. 59% of North Platte households own their home.
| North Platte | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 59% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $921 a month | $907 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
North Platte has cold winters and warm summers, with very little rain. North Platte’s July high is 89°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
5.4 miles of trail in 10 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Cody Park, at 91 acres.
| North Platte | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 5.4% | 3.6% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Centennial Park | 0.7 mi | 75 |
| 2. Interstate Park | 0.6 mi | 47 |
| 3. Cody Park | 0.2 mi | 91 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The top destinations are Kearney (3%), Lincoln (3%) and Omaha (3%). Half commute less than 2 miles.
| North Platte | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 2.4% | 5.6% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $58,000 | $70,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 26 flood insurance claims have been paid out in North Platte.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
1 within 15 miles of the center of North Platte
About 4 of every 100 North Platte residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
6 places in North Platte on the National Register of Historic Places.
26 notable people were born in North Platte.
City in Nebraska, United States
North Platte is a city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Nebraska, United States. It is located in the west-central part of the state, along Interstate 80, at the confluence of the North and South Platte Rivers forming the Platte River. The population was 23,390 at the 2020 census, making it the 11th most populous city in Nebraska. North Platte is a railroad town; Union Pacific Railroad's large Bailey Yard is located within the city. Today, North Platte is served only by freight trains, but during World War II, the city was known for the North Platte Canteen, a volunteer organization serving food to millions of traveling soldiers. North Platte is the principal city of the North Plat…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
North Platte grades C− overall, better than 15% of U.S. towns and #55 of 57 in Nebraska. It grades C for health, C for safety and C for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a C.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
26 notable people were born here, including Chuck Hagel and Red Cloud.
