The 10 Best Small Towns In Nebraska For 2024


The best small towns in Nebraska are Hickman and Waverly for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

By: Chris Kolmar | About HomeSnacks
Last Updated: January 12, 2024

You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Nebraska. Best sururbs in Nebraska. Best counties in Nebraska.

Etc., etc., etc.

But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Cornhusker State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.

Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Nebraska based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.

We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Nebraska ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.

Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table

The 15 Best Small Towns To Live In Nebraska For 2024

  1. Hickman
  2. Waverly
  3. Milford
  4. Bennington
  5. Ceresco
  6. Bennet
  7. Arlington
  8. Louisville
  9. Geneva
  10. Albion
  11. Ashland
  12. Wilber
  13. Hartington
  14. Wahoo
  15. Yutan

Best Small Towns To Live In Nebraska Map

What’s the best small town in Nebraska? Hickman is the best small town in Nebraska based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Hickman, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.

But for the rest of you–keep reading, and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.

For more reading on the Cornhusker State check out:

The 15 Best Small Towns In Nebraska For 2024

1. Hickman

Hickman, NE

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,697
Median Income: $96,984 (2nd Best)
Median Home Value: $357,807 (6th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.4%

2. Waverly

Waverly, NE

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 4,289
Median Income: $103,373 (1st Best)
Median Home Value: $320,113 (11th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.3%

3. Milford

Milford, NE

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,530
Median Income: $77,422 (21st Best)
Median Home Value: $274,444 (12th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.4%

4. Bennington

Bennington, NE

Source: Flickr User cpoke | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,432
Median Income: $94,444 (4th Best)
Median Home Value: $398,728 (3rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.5%

5. Ceresco

Ceresco, NE

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,414
Median Income: $96,125 (3rd Best)
Median Home Value: $328,053 (9th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.7%

6. Bennet

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,098
Median Income: $93,125 (6th Best)
Median Home Value: $390,488 (4th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.5%

7. Arlington

Arlington, NE

Source: Wikipedia User John Phelan | CC BY 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,519
Median Income: $85,938 (10th Best)
Median Home Value: $326,949 (10th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.0%

8. Louisville

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,499
Median Income: $93,897 (5th Best)
Median Home Value: $345,951 (7th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.7%

9. Geneva

Geneva, NE

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,097
Median Income: $86,667 (9th Best)
Median Home Value: $153,471 (59th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.0%

10. Albion

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,641
Median Income: $67,721 (36th Best)
Median Home Value: $251,554 (17th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.7%

11. Ashland

Ashland, NE

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,130
Median Income: $78,966 (18th Best)
Median Home Value: $381,241 (5th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.0%

12. Wilber

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,967
Median Income: $78,750 (19th Best)
Median Home Value: $195,601 (34th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.6%

13. Hartington

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,552
Median Income: $79,444 (17th Best)
Median Home Value: $227,309 (24th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.1%

14. Wahoo

Wahoo, NE

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 4,832
Median Income: $75,052 (24th Best)
Median Home Value: $254,338 (15th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.8%

15. Yutan

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 1,451
Median Income: $84,531 (12th Best)
Median Home Value: $333,464 (8th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.9%

Best States In America

Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Nebraska

We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Nebraska possible.

Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:

  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Lowest Unemployment Rates
  • Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
  • Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
  • Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
  • Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
  • Commute Times (Lower is better)

We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 81 to be exact.

We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 81, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Nebraska. Top of that list — Hickman.

This is our tenth time ranking the best small places to live in Nebraska.

Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones

We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these 15 small towns in Nebraska are the best in which to live.

And who can argue with that?

The best small towns in Nebraska are Hickman, Waverly, Milford, Bennington, Ceresco, Bennet, Arlington, Louisville, Geneva, and Albion.

If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in Nebraska:

  1. Fullerton
  2. Wymore
  3. Rushville

For more Nebraska reading, check out:

Best Small Towns In Nebraska

Rank City Population Median Income Median Home Value Unemployment Rate
1 Hickman, NE 2,697 $96,984 0.4%
2 Waverly, NE 4,289 $103,373 0.3%
3 Milford, NE 2,530 $77,422 0.4%
4 Bennington, NE 2,432 $94,444 2.5%
5 Ceresco, NE 1,414 $96,125 2.7%
6 Bennet, NE 1,098 $93,125 0.5%
7 Arlington, NE 1,519 $85,938 1.0%
8 Louisville, NE 1,499 $93,897 3.7%
9 Geneva, NE 2,097 $86,667 1.0%
10 Albion, NE 1,641 $67,721 1.7%
11 Ashland, NE 3,130 $78,966 5.0%
12 Wilber, NE 1,967 $78,750 1.6%
13 Hartington, NE 1,552 $79,444 3.1%
14 Wahoo, NE 4,832 $75,052 2.8%
15 Yutan, NE 1,451 $84,531 3.9%
16 Springfield, NE 1,555 $89,432 5.2%
17 Pierce, NE 2,049 $58,419 2.0%
18 Pender, NE 1,273 $80,288 2.2%
19 Battle Creek, NE 1,405 $89,191 0.8%
20 Syracuse, NE 1,876 $66,250 0.0%
21 Randolph, NE 1,034 $73,250 0.8%
22 North Bend, NE 1,250 $81,923 2.0%
23 Grant, NE 1,398 $67,500 1.2%
24 Minden, NE 3,099 $65,345 0.0%
25 Utica, NE 1,117 $77,788 1.3%
26 Woodland Park, NE 1,655 $68,977 0.7%
27 St. Paul, NE 2,408 $58,500 3.0%
28 Valley, NE 3,032 $80,319 2.9%
29 Valentine, NE 2,621 $51,131 0.0%
30 O’neill, NE 3,584 $63,867 0.0%
31 Wisner, NE 1,389 $68,417 0.6%
32 Aurora, NE 4,656 $66,328 4.1%
33 David City, NE 3,000 $59,087 0.2%
34 Friend, NE 1,117 $77,386 1.4%
35 Gibbon, NE 1,785 $69,276 6.6%
36 Atkinson, NE 1,426 $72,656 4.4%
37 Alma, NE 1,131 $52,679 0.4%
38 West Point, NE 3,481 $66,771 1.5%
39 Fort Calhoun, NE 1,154 $75,900 1.3%
40 Sutton, NE 1,384 $67,865 1.3%
41 Neligh, NE 1,624 $61,484 4.0%
42 Gothenburg, NE 3,463 $84,615 3.3%
43 Sutherland, NE 1,184 $81,923 3.2%
44 Elm Creek, NE 1,176 $68,500 2.6%
45 Cambridge, NE 1,170 $61,250 0.0%
46 Ord, NE 2,121 $56,108 1.0%
47 Dakota City, NE 2,857 $73,417 4.4%
48 Hebron, NE 1,569 $66,786 1.7%
49 Stanton, NE 1,673 $72,500 1.8%
50 Ainsworth, NE 1,563 $47,576 0.7%
51 Cairo, NE 1,082 $51,630 1.5%
52 Oakland, NE 1,578 $66,406 0.0%
53 Superior, NE 1,905 $61,801 1.6%
54 Bayard, NE 1,435 $60,000 2.4%
55 Imperial, NE 2,207 $64,625 2.9%
56 Broken Bow, NE 3,510 $49,425 2.2%
57 Weeping Water, NE 1,201 $63,507 8.9%
58 Shelton, NE 1,333 $67,143 8.6%
59 Mitchell, NE 1,930 $53,831 3.9%
60 Tecumseh, NE 1,878 $44,813 1.2%
61 Ogallala, NE 4,835 $57,045 3.5%
62 Auburn, NE 3,434 $59,167 4.2%
63 Madison, NE 2,098 $59,714 4.6%
64 Central City, NE 3,035 $54,063 0.0%
65 Tilden, NE 1,110 $63,523 2.9%
66 Wakefield, NE 1,354 $44,583 5.6%
67 Cozad, NE 3,943 $54,485 1.0%
68 Fairbury, NE 3,913 $47,518 1.0%
69 Gordon, NE 1,697 $56,161 3.2%
70 Wood River, NE 1,405 $69,459 5.2%
71 Creighton, NE 1,241 $52,656 2.5%
72 Ravenna, NE 1,408 $61,066 2.8%
73 Kimball, NE 2,149 $47,917 2.1%
74 Harvard, NE 1,056 $68,810 1.9%
75 Bridgeport, NE 1,384 $55,652 6.0%
76 Tekamah, NE 1,847 $51,639 3.0%
77 Falls City, NE 4,124 $40,222 5.7%
78 Plainview, NE 1,326 $51,210 5.7%
79 Rushville, NE 1,011 $47,180 6.2%
80 Wymore, NE 1,287 $52,587 4.1%
81 Fullerton, NE 1,353 $51,466 6.0%
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.

 Best Small Towns, Rankings