Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Papillion's standout: it has 14 miles of trail. Overall it grades A−, ranked 15th of 57 in Nebraska. The median household earns $112K and it is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns. 14% of the land in Papillion is conserved, above both the Nebraska town median (3.6%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). On cost of living, just 9 of Nebraska’s 133 towns do worse. Papillion has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Third Sarpy County Courthouse.
Where Papillion beats most towns.
18,894 counted in 2010 and 24,159 in 2020; an estimated 25,127 in 2025.
Growth has leveled off: within 1% of 2020, after 27.9% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Nebraska), ordered by how far Papillion is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 444 in 1880, 24,159 in 2020. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 1866 and 4 maps from 1956 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Papillion. Close and well known come first.
10 mi Zoo & aquariumOmaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
40 mi Stadium & arenaMemorial Stadium
15 mi MuseumStrategic Air and Space Museum
11 mi MuseumJoslyn Art Museum
40 mi Stadium & arenaPinnacle Bank Arena
13 mi MuseumUSS HazardOmaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium: OmahaZoo, Public domain · Memorial Stadium: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0 · Strategic Air and Space Museum: User Kandykornhead on en.wikipedia, Public domain · Joslyn Art Museum: akasped, CC BY 2.0 · Pinnacle Bank Arena: CrunchySkies, CC BY-SA 3.0 · USS Hazard: Dave Aldworth / Oldfarm at English Wikipedia, Public domain
Who provides power, water and the rest in Papillion, 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 Papillion.
Papillion is one of Nebraska’s best towns for the outdoors, has less tooth loss than most of Nebraska and has seen reported crime fall by about half.
Its A+ for the outdoors ranks #1 of 57 in Nebraska.
At 1.1 miles per square mile, Papillion’s trail density is above both Nebraska’s towns (0.3) and U.S. towns (0.4). Walnut Creek Recreation Area, at 417 acres with 8.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Walnut Creek Recreation Area | 8.5 mi | 417 |
| 2. Halleck Park | 1.7 mi | 114 |
| 3. Prairie Queen Recreation Area | 0.8 mi | 403 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Papillion La Vista Community Schools. Two of its 13 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Papillion Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 635 | B+ |
| Papillion la Vista South HSLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 2,038 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NE on state tests and graduation
Its widest gap with Nebraska is tooth loss: 7.6% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 12.4% statewide.
10% of Papillion adults report frequent physical distress. Papillion beats the Nebraska average on 17 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 27% of Papillion adults feel lonely.
| Papillion | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 13% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 30% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 28% | 25% |
| What stands out | Papillion | NE |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.6% | 12.4% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.9% | 12.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The median property tax bill is $5,445, against $3,549 across Nebraska, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The typical Papillion home is worth about $413,000, up 2.6% in a year, 48% above the Nebraska typical home. Only 3 of the 56 Nebraska towns we compare have a higher median rent than Papillion.
| Papillion | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,269 a month | $907 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 74% | 67% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Reported crimes fell from 303 to 176 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 11 reported in 2025, 0.4 per 1,000 residents.
The violent crime rate in Papillion is 0.4 per 1,000 residents.
| Papillion | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.4 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 6.6 per 1,000 residents | 8 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Papillion has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 14° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Jobs based here grew from 12,378 in 2013 to 16,682.
Most working residents leave Papillion for work: only 12% work in town. Since 2013, Papillion has added 4,304 jobs, to 16,682 in 2023. 5.3% of residents live below the poverty line in Papillion.
| Papillion | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $112,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 35% | 8% |
| Work from home | 15% | 5.4% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.3% | 11% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 54% of U.S. communities. Since 1984, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Papillion.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
10 within 15 miles of the center of Papillion
About 5 of every 100 Papillion residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
13.8% of the town is conserved land, across 23 parks and preserves.
2 places in Papillion on the National Register of Historic Places.
7 notable people were born in Papillion.
City and county seat in Nebraska, United States
Papillion is a city in and the county seat of Sarpy County, Nebraska, United States. The city developed in the 1870s as a railroad town and is a southwest suburb of Omaha. The city is part of the larger five-county metro area of Omaha. Papillion's population was 24,159 at the 2020 census, making it the 7th most populous city in Nebraska. Its growth since the late 20th century has reflected Omaha's.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Papillion.
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Papillion grades A− overall, better than 84% of U.S. towns and #15 of 57 in Nebraska. It grades A for health, B+ for safety and B+ for schools.
That is 4.9 years of the area's median household income ($84,829 across the Omaha, NE-IA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
7 notable people were born here, including Merle Eugene Curti and Amber Rolfzen.
