Jobs, pay and daily life in Cozad, 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.
Cozad is a city in Nebraska with 3,937 residents. The median household earns $54,471 a year and the median rent is $851 a month, which is 18.7% 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 Cozad compares. Among the 40 largest places in Nebraska, Cozad is #40 by population, #39 for college degrees (#1 = most), #38 for household income (#1 = highest), #11 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Dawson County, is #38 of 93 counties for average pay ($50,639).
Cozad has 3,937 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Nebraska. It covers 3 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,505 people per square mile. The median age is 41.6, 12% older than the state median (41.6 against 37.2).
The median gross rent is $851 a month (rent plus utilities), 21% below the state median ($851 against $1,072). Over a year that is 18.7% 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 $121,600, which is 2.2 times the median household income ($54,471); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 64.8% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (64.8% against 66.5%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Dawson County was 13.0%. 69.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Dawson County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 80.8% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 0.0% walk, 4.3% work from home. 6.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 5% below the state average (6.7% against 7.0%).
12.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 63% below the state share (12.8% against 34.6%). 9.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 14% above the state share (9.1% against 8.0%). The poverty rate is 10.9%, 3% above the state rate (10.9% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 78°F (25.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 28°F (-2.5°C). About 611 mm (24 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (99 mm) and Jan the driest (10 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: Lexington (14 miles, rent 14% higher); Holdrege (43 miles, similar rent); North Platte (44 miles, rent 8% higher); Kearney (49 miles, rent 12% higher). Rent differences are against Cozad; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Nebraska (294) →State guide: NebraskaCountry guideDawson 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 | 23.2% |
| Manufacturing | 20.6% |
| Retail trade | 13.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 10.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.2% |
| Construction | 6.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 5.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.0% |
| Information | 3.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 2.4% |
| Public administration | 1.6% |
| Other services | 1.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Cozad 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawson County | 24,202 | $2,217 million | $91,607 | 11,864 | 763 | $50,639 | +0.6% | 13.0% | 11,494 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,925 | 44.1% | $54,247 | 4.03 |
| Retail trade | 1,153 | 13.0% | $33,744 | 0.97 |
| Accommodation and food services | 761 | 8.6% | $18,664 | 0.71 |
| Health care and social assistance | 576 | 6.5% | $38,333 | 0.34 |
| Wholesale trade | 406 | 4.6% | $67,994 | 0.87 |
| Construction | 404 | 4.5% | $57,444 | 0.65 |
| Administrative and waste services | 296 | 3.3% | $48,292 | 0.42 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 270 | 3.0% | $60,545 | 0.54 |
| Finance and insurance | 260 | 2.9% | $74,561 | 0.54 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 229 | 2.6% | $38,809 | 0.64 |
| Professional and technical services | 182 | 2.0% | $56,097 | 0.22 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 144 | 1.6% | $15,562 | 0.72 |
| Management of companies | 106 | 1.2% | $138,496 | 0.53 |
| Real estate and rental | 93 | 1.0% | $62,421 | 0.50 |
| Information | 57 | 0.6% | $72,086 | 0.26 |
| Utilities | 24 | 0.3% | $76,265 | 0.53 |
| Educational services | 12 | 0.1% | $37,109 | 0.05 |
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 | 80.8% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 0.0% |
| Work from home | 4.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,471 |
| Income per person | $65,449 |
| Median gross rent per month | $851 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.7% |
| Median home value | $121,600 |
| Homeowners | 64.8% |
| Poverty rate | 10.9% |
| 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 | 41.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 86.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 12.8% |
| Born abroad | 9.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 69.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -2.5 | 28 | 10 |
| Feb | -1.7 | 29 | 17 |
| Mar | 4.4 | 40 | 31 |
| Apr | 9.9 | 50 | 74 |
| May | 15.8 | 60 | 99 |
| Jun | 22.4 | 72 | 94 |
| Jul | 25.6 | 78 | 81 |
| Aug | 23.7 | 75 | 75 |
| Sep | 19.1 | 66 | 49 |
| Oct | 10.4 | 51 | 46 |
| Nov | 3.8 | 39 | 17 |
| Dec | -2.0 | 28 | 18 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington | NE | 14 mi | 10,862 | $67,666 | $966 |
| Holdrege | NE | 43 mi | 5,546 | $55,789 | $835 |
| North Platte | NE | 44 mi | 22,831 | $58,097 | $921 |
| Kearney | NE | 49 mi | 34,246 | $69,724 | $949 |
| McCook | NE | 56 mi | 7,314 | $56,917 | $823 |
| Grand Island | NE | 85 mi | 52,884 | $63,795 | $947 |
| Hastings | NE | 86 mi | 25,008 | $64,048 | $858 |
| Ogallala | NE | 92 mi | 4,777 | $58,556 | $667 |
| Aurora | NE | 103 mi | 4,664 | $77,679 | $764 |
| York | NE | 125 mi | 8,141 | $63,265 | $862 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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3,937 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$851 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.7% of the median household income.
$54,471 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
13.0% (BLS county, Dawson County (latest month 2026M09)).
Nebraska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.