Jobs, pay and daily life in Chadron, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Chadron is a city in Nebraska with 5,160 residents. The median household earns $54,590 a year and the median rent is $881 a month, which is 19.4% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Chadron compares. Among the 40 largest places in Nebraska, Chadron is #34 by population, #3 for college degrees (#1 = most), #37 for household income (#1 = highest), #36 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Dawes County, is #78 of 93 counties for average pay ($41,535).
Chadron has 5,160 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Nebraska. It covers 4 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,322 people per square mile. The median age is 30.5, 18% younger than the state median (30.5 against 37.2).
The median gross rent is $881 a month (rent plus utilities), 18% below the state median ($881 against $1,072). Over a year that is 19.4% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $153,800, which is 2.8 times the median household income ($54,590); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 56.2% of households own their home, 16% below the state average (56.2% against 66.5%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Dawes County was 2.4%. 66.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Dawes County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 75.5% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 10.1% walk, 2.8% work from home. 11.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 58% above the state average (11.0% against 7.0%).
43.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 26% above the state share (43.6% against 34.6%). 1.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 81% below the state share (1.5% against 8.0%). The poverty rate is 13.2%, 25% above the state rate (13.2% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 79°F (25.9°C), and the coolest is Dec at 28°F (-2.0°C). About 431 mm (17 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (77 mm) and Jan the driest (7 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Hot Springs (47 miles, similar rent); Alliance (50 miles, rent 21% lower); Scottsbluff (74 miles, rent 10% higher); Gering (77 miles, rent 7% lower). Rent differences are against Chadron; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Nebraska (294) →State guide: NebraskaCountry guideDawes CountyNebraska rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 294 federal postings open in Nebraska (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 39.9% |
| Retail trade | 10.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.5% |
| Public administration | 9.3% |
| Other services | 7.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 4.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.3% |
| Construction | 2.6% |
| Information | 2.2% |
| Manufacturing | 0.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Chadron lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawes County | 8,140 | $395 million | $48,498 | 3,156 | 301 | $41,535 | +1.5% | 2.4% | 4,050 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 640 | 41.3% | $34,937 | 2.03 |
| Health care and social assistance | 427 | 27.5% | $50,495 | 0.94 |
| Finance and insurance | 96 | 6.2% | $55,982 | 0.75 |
| Construction | 88 | 5.7% | $44,359 | 0.53 |
| Wholesale trade | 82 | 5.3% | $36,038 | 0.66 |
| Professional and technical services | 52 | 3.4% | $49,595 | 0.24 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 42 | 2.7% | $35,045 | 1.64 |
| Administrative and waste services | 37 | 2.4% | $28,537 | 0.20 |
| Information | 32 | 2.1% | $50,931 | 0.54 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 24 | 1.5% | $31,656 | 0.25 |
| Educational services | 22 | 1.4% | $16,136 | 0.34 |
| Real estate and rental | 9 | 0.6% | $26,338 | 0.18 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 75.5% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 10.1% |
| Work from home | 2.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 11.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,590 |
| Income per person | $29,737 |
| Median gross rent per month | $881 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.4% |
| Median home value | $153,800 |
| Homeowners | 56.2% |
| Poverty rate | 13.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 4.55%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 30.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 43.6% |
| Born abroad | 1.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 66.9% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.9 | 29 | 7 |
| Feb | -1.5 | 29 | 12 |
| Mar | 4.1 | 39 | 27 |
| Apr | 8.9 | 48 | 54 |
| May | 14.6 | 58 | 77 |
| Jun | 21.5 | 71 | 70 |
| Jul | 25.9 | 79 | 50 |
| Aug | 23.9 | 75 | 44 |
| Sep | 18.3 | 65 | 38 |
| Oct | 9.4 | 49 | 30 |
| Nov | 3.1 | 38 | 12 |
| Dec | -2.0 | 28 | 10 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Springs | SD | 47 mi | 3,548 | $66,338 | $897 |
| Alliance | NE | 50 mi | 8,075 | $65,160 | $694 |
| Scottsbluff | NE | 74 mi | 14,376 | $56,359 | $966 |
| Gering | NE | 77 mi | 8,550 | $75,093 | $823 |
| Torrington | WY | 80 mi | 6,182 | $47,902 | $901 |
| Rapid Valley | SD | 86 mi | 6,975 | $83,208 | $1,174 |
| Rapid City | SD | 87 mi | 77,946 | $70,870 | $1,109 |
| Box Elder | SD | 89 mi | 12,902 | $73,008 | $1,491 |
| Blackhawk | SD | 93 mi | 2,934 | $71,993 | n/a |
| Summerset | SD | 96 mi | 3,022 | $119,271 | $1,288 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
5,160 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$881 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.4% of the median household income.
$54,590 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.4% (BLS county, Dawes County (latest month 2026M09)).
Nebraska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.