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Nebraska rankings · Civic life

Towns with the most civic life in Nebraska

Chadron ranks first on civic life among Nebraska’s 55 towns of 2,500+; 24 of the 55 grade A− or better on civic life nationally.

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. How grades work

#1

Chadron

Dawes County · 4,975 people
A+

Civic life grade, better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #31 of 57 in NE

#2

Valentine

Cherry County · 2,635 people
A+

Civic life grade, better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #23 of 57 in NE

#3

Wahoo

Saunders County · 5,023 people
A+

Civic life grade, better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #2 of 57 in NE

All 55 towns

Civic life grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

55 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1ChadronDawes County · 4,975 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #31 of 57
2ValentineCherry County · 2,635 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #23 of 57
3WahooSaunders County · 5,023 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #2 of 57
4PlattsmouthCass County · 6,955 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #16 of 57
5AshlandSaunders County · 3,483 peopleAbetter than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 57
6Broken BowCuster County · 3,507 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #18 of 57
7Central CityMerrick County · 3,184 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #21 of 57
8ScottsbluffScotts Bluff County · 14,259 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #56 of 57
9David CityButler County · 3,068 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #6 of 57
10Township 7Washington County · 2,760 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #7 of 57
11AllianceBox Butte County · 7,914 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #47 of 57
12SewardSeward County · 7,892 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #4 of 57
13BlairWashington County · 7,997 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #8 of 57
14SidneyCheyenne County · 6,432 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #52 of 57
15AuburnNemaha County · 3,498 peopleA−better than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #29 of 57
16HoldregePhelps County · 5,555 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #36 of 57
17GeringScotts Bluff County · 8,535 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #44 of 57
18Township 1Washington County · 4,517 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #27 of 57
19WayneWayne County · 6,338 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #26 of 57
20HickmanLancaster County · 3,663 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #13 of 57
21OgallalaKeith County · 4,698 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #35 of 57
22WaverlyLancaster County · 4,533 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #5 of 57
23McCookRed Willow County · 7,157 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #19 of 57
24MindenKearney County · 3,133 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #14 of 57
25O'NeillHolt County · 3,567 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #25 of 57
26CozadDawson County · 3,924 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #30 of 57
27PapillionSarpy County · 25,127 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #15 of 57
28West PointCuming County · 3,411 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #24 of 57
29YorkYork County · 8,284 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #28 of 57
30BeatriceGage County · 12,318 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #33 of 57
31Falls CityRichardson County · 3,988 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #34 of 57
32North PlatteLincoln County · 22,524 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #55 of 57
33ColumbusPlatte County · 25,248 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #38 of 57
34FairburyJefferson County · 3,812 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #39 of 57
35KearneyBuffalo County · 34,782 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #32 of 57
36GothenburgDawson County · 3,430 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #9 of 57
37AuroraHamilton County · 4,787 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #3 of 57
38NorfolkMadison County · 26,677 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #42 of 57
39LincolnLancaster County · 301,522 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #46 of 57
40Nebraska CityOtoe County · 7,512 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #37 of 57
41CreteSaline County · 7,747 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #49 of 57
42HastingsAdams County · 25,121 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #53 of 57
43La VistaSarpy County · 16,543 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #22 of 57
44OmahaDouglas County · 488,797 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #50 of 57
45GretnaSarpy County · 9,207 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #10 of 57
46ValleyDouglas County · 3,412 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #12 of 57
47FremontDodge County · 28,350 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #51 of 57
48LexingtonDawson County · 11,176 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #48 of 57
49SchuylerColfax County · 6,800 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #20 of 57
50Township 2Washington County · 3,213 peopleC−better than 23% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #17 of 57
51BellevueSarpy County · 64,863 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #43 of 57
52Grand IslandHall County · 53,943 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #57 of 57
53South Sioux CityDakota County · 14,158 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #54 of 57
54RalstonDouglas County · 6,382 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #41 of 57
55Columbus TownshipPlatte County · 3,360 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #40 of 57
Not ranked

2 towns without a civic life grade

Towns of 2,500+ that don’t have the figures this grade needs. Each town’s page says which ones are missing.

Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which Nebraska town has the most civic life?

Chadron (Dawes County) ranks first on civic life among 55 towns, with an A+; Valentine and Wahoo follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a civic life grade (55 in Nebraska). 2 towns of 2,500+ lack the figures and are listed above. Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Nebraska page.

Go deeper

More Nebraska lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Nebraska rankings →
Best places to live57 towns · #1 AshlandBest small towns40 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 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

Towns with the most civic life in other states

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