#1Ashland
Saunders County · 3,483 peopleStrongest: jobs & income A, cost of living A−·lowest: hazard risk D
A−Cost–SafetyB+SchoolsA−HealthAJobsA−WalkDHazards
Ashland, #1 on this list · Barnes Oil Company · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0Nebraska rankings · 2026
Best small towns in Nebraska
Ashland ranks first of Nebraska’s 40 graded small towns (2,500–9,999 residents), with an A+: jobs & income (A) and cost of living (A−) are its strongest grades; hazard risk (D) is its lowest. 19 of the 40 (48%) grade A− or better nationally, against 25% of U.S. towns.
The overall grade, sorted: cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability and hazard risk, from Census, FBI, state, CDC, EPA and FEMA data. How grades work
#1A+
#2Wahoo
Saunders County · 5,023 peopleStrongest: schools A, walkability A·lowest: hazard risk C+
BCostA−SafetyASchoolsB+HealthBJobsAWalkC+Hazards
#3Aurora
Hamilton County · 4,787 peopleStrongest: cost of living A, safety A−·lowest: hazard risk C−
ACostA−SafetyBSchoolsA−HealthB+JobsA−WalkC−Hazards
Where they are: Two of the top 10 are in Saunders County.
All 40 small towns
Overall score, highest first. The score (0–100) blends the seven livability grades and sets the order; the letter places that score among every U.S. town of 2,500+, and A+ is the top 5%, so neighbors on the list often share a letter. Each town links to its page, where the grade sheet shows every subject. The rank is the town’s place among all 57 Nebraska towns.
40 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownScoreGradeWhat drives it
1AshlandSaunders County · 3,483 people77.1top 0.6%A+Strongest: jobs & income A, cost of living A−·lowest: hazard risk D
2WahooSaunders County · 5,023 people73.5top 2.6%A+Strongest: schools A, walkability A·lowest: hazard risk C+
3AuroraHamilton County · 4,787 people72.8top 3.1%A+Strongest: cost of living A, safety A−·lowest: hazard risk C−
4SewardSeward County · 7,892 people72.2top 3.8%A+Strongest: schools A+, health A·lowest: hazard risk C
5WaverlyLancaster County · 4,533 people71.4top 4.7%A+Strongest: jobs & income A+, health A·lowest: cost of living C+
6David CityButler County · 3,068 people69.9top 6.9%AStrongest: cost of living A, schools A−·lowest: jobs & income C+
7Township 7Washington County · 2,760 people68.4top 9.5%AStrongest: schools A+, jobs & income A·lowest: walkability D
8BlairWashington County · 7,997 people68.0top 10.2%AStrongest: schools A−, jobs & income A−·lowest: walkability C
9GothenburgDawson County · 3,430 people67.5top 11.3%AStrongest: safety A, walkability A·lowest: schools B−
10GretnaSarpy County · 9,207 people66.8top 12.7%AStrongest: jobs & income A+, health A·lowest: cost of living C−
12ValleyDouglas County · 3,412 people66.3top 13.8%AStrongest: safety A, jobs & income A·lowest: walkability C−
13HickmanLancaster County · 3,663 people66.2top 14.1%AStrongest: health A+, jobs & income A·lowest: hazard risk C
14MindenKearney County · 3,133 people65.7top 15.1%A−Strongest: safety A−, cost of living A−·lowest: hazard risk C−
16PlattsmouthCass County · 6,955 people65.1top 16.5%A−Strongest: jobs & income A, safety A−·lowest: schools C
17Township 2Washington County · 3,213 people64.0top 19.1%A−Strongest: jobs & income A+, schools A−·lowest: walkability C−
18Broken BowCuster County · 3,507 people63.9top 19.3%A−Strongest: safety A, cost of living A−·lowest: hazard risk D
19McCookRed Willow County · 7,157 people63.9top 19.4%A−Strongest: walkability A−, hazard risk A−·lowest: jobs & income C
20SchuylerColfax County · 6,800 people62.9top 21.8%A−Strongest: cost of living A, walkability A·lowest: hazard risk C−
21Central CityMerrick County · 3,184 people61.8top 24.6%A−Strongest: walkability A−, cost of living A−·lowest: hazard risk C−
23ValentineCherry County · 2,635 people60.6top 27.9%B+Strongest: schools A−, walkability A−·lowest: safety C+
24West PointCuming County · 3,411 people60.6top 28.0%B+Strongest: cost of living A−, walkability B·lowest: hazard risk C−
25O'NeillHolt County · 3,567 people60.2top 29.1%B+Strongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A·lowest: jobs & income C
26WayneWayne County · 6,338 people59.7top 30.2%B+Strongest: walkability A, safety A−·lowest: jobs & income D
27Township 1Washington County · 4,517 people56.3top 39.2%BStrongest: jobs & income A, schools A−·lowest: cost of living C−
28YorkYork County · 8,284 people56.2top 39.5%BStrongest: walkability A−, cost of living B+·lowest: hazard risk D
29AuburnNemaha County · 3,498 people55.8top 40.5%BStrongest: cost of living A−, schools B+·lowest: jobs & income C−
30CozadDawson County · 3,924 people55.5top 41.4%BStrongest: safety A, cost of living B+·lowest: walkability C
31ChadronDawes County · 4,975 people55.2top 42.2%BStrongest: hazard risk A+, walkability A·lowest: safety C
34Falls CityRichardson County · 3,988 people52.4top 49.8%B−Strongest: cost of living A, walkability A−·lowest: jobs & income C−
35OgallalaKeith County · 4,698 people52.2bottom 49.3%B−Strongest: walkability A−, hazard risk B+·lowest: jobs & income C
36HoldregePhelps County · 5,555 people52.1bottom 49.2%B−Strongest: walkability A−, cost of living B·lowest: jobs & income C
37Nebraska CityOtoe County · 7,512 people52.1bottom 49.1%B−Strongest: cost of living A, walkability B·lowest: schools D
39FairburyJefferson County · 3,812 people50.7bottom 45.4%B−Strongest: walkability A, cost of living A−·lowest: hazard risk C−
40Columbus TownshipPlatte County · 3,360 people49.3bottom 41.8%C+Strongest: jobs & income B+, cost of living B·lowest: hazard risk C−
41RalstonDouglas County · 6,382 people48.3bottom 38.8%C+Strongest: jobs & income A, health B+·lowest: schools D
44GeringScotts Bluff County · 8,535 people46.9bottom 35.0%C+Strongest: jobs & income B, walkability B·lowest: hazard risk C−
45Offutt AFBunincorporated, Sarpy County · 6,074 people46.6bottom 34.4%CStrongest: health A−, jobs & income B+·lowest: cost of living D−
47AllianceBox Butte County · 7,914 people46.3bottom 33.6%CStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living B+·lowest: schools C−
49CreteSaline County · 7,747 people44.8bottom 29.7%CStrongest: cost of living B+, health B−·lowest: hazard risk D
52SidneyCheyenne County · 6,432 people44.3bottom 28.5%CStrongest: walkability A, cost of living B−·lowest: hazard risk D
Method
How this list is made
Each town’s overall grade blends seven livability grades: cost of living (weight 18), safety (18), schools (16), health (14), jobs & income (12), walkability (8) and hazard risk (4). A town needs 2,500+ residents and three of the first four. Letters are national, so an A here means the same as an A in any state; the list is the same towns in the same order, ranked within Nebraska. Towns without their own FBI figures are graded on the rest and their page says why.
Data years: crime 2023–2025 (FBI), Census ACS 2020–2024, CDC PLACES 2025, state school tests. How grades work
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the best small town in Nebraska?
Among 40 graded towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents, Ashland (Saunders County) ranks first, with an A+; jobs & income (A) and cost of living (A−) are its strongest grades; hazard risk (D) is its lowest. Wahoo and Aurora follow.
How are these towns ranked?
By the overall grade, which blends seven livability grades from public data. The letter is national; the rank is within Nebraska. The full method is on How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents with an overall grade (40 in Nebraska). 76 smaller places have subject grades only; Larger towns are on the best places to live list. Every town is on the Nebraska page.
Go deeper
All Nebraska rankings →More Nebraska lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
Best places to live57 towns · #1 AshlandMost affordable towns57 towns · #1 SchuylerSafest towns37 towns · #1 ValleyTowns with the best schools57 towns · #1 SewardHealthiest towns57 towns · #1 HickmanBest towns for jobs & income57 towns · #1 WaverlyMost walkable towns57 towns · #1 LincolnTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk57 towns · #1 ChadronBest towns for the outdoors57 towns · #1 PapillionMost historic towns57 towns · #1 Township 7Towns with the most civic life55 towns · #1 ChadronTowns with the least snow57 towns · #1 BeatriceDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns57 towns · #1 ChadronDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters61 towns · #1 Falls City and OgallalaDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers61 towns · #1 McCookDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers61 towns · #1 WayneDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes57 towns · #1 Township 1Described, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes56 towns · #1 ValentineDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns55 towns · #1 HickmanDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries41 towns · #1 St. PaulDescribed, no letters
Other states