Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Superior’s subject grades are an A+ for cost of living, an A− for walkability, and an A for history; the weakest is a D for schools. 42% of working residents work locally in Superior, above both Nebraska’s towns (34%) and U.S. towns (8%). Only 1 of Nebraska’s 133 towns score higher on cost of living. On the outdoors, just 1 of Nebraska’s 133 towns do worse. Superior has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Superior Downtown Historic District and Superior City Hall and Auditorium. Superior has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Superior beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Wallace Warren and Lillian Genevieve Bradshaw Kendall House| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Elementary School | PK–5 | 214 |
| Superior Middle School | 6–8 | 88 |
| Superior Sr. High School | 9–12 | 126 |
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Nebraska), ordered by how far Superior is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 458 in 1880, a peak of 3,227 in 1950, 1,825 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1974 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Superior, 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 Superior.
Superior’s median rent is $643 a month, below both the Nebraska town median ($914 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Typical home values rose 6.6% in the year to September 2026. 79% of Superior households own their home.
| Superior | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $643 a month | $914 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 79% | 67% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Superior Public Schools. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superior Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 214 | C− |
| Superior Sr. High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 126 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NE on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 74% of U.S. communities. Since 1997, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Superior.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Superior has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in Superior is 90°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Superior’s average trip to work is 13 minutes. The top destinations are Hastings (5%), Grand Island (4%) and Lincoln (4%). 5.5% of residents live below the poverty line in Superior.
| Superior | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 5.5% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Of the 40 Nebraska towns we compare, none has a lower violent crime rate than Superior. Superior's reported crime rate is close to Nebraska's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Superior | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.8 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 19.5 per 1,000 residents | 13 | 13.1 |
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
Superior beats the Nebraska average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. Of the 58 Nebraska towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults who binge drink than Superior.
| Superior | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 31% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 18% | 23% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
| What stands out | Superior | NE |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 16.2% | 19.7% |
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 67.7% | 62.3% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.2% | 6.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Superior; the nearest are
About 6 of every 100 Superior residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Nebraska.
3 places in Superior on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Superior.
City in Nebraska, United States
Superior is a city in Nuckolls County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Superior had a population of 1,825. Superior bills itself as the "Victorian Capital of Nebraska", and holds an annual Victorian Festival. The downtown area is listed in the National Register of Historic Places; along with many of the older houses in the city, it has been maintained or restored to its Victorian appearance.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.
4 notable people were born here, including Patty Jo Watson and Ed Weir.
