Jobs, pay and daily life in Holdrege, 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.
Holdrege is a city in Nebraska with 5,546 residents. The median household earns $55,789 a year and the median rent is $835 a month, which is 18.0% 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 Holdrege compares. Among the 40 largest places in Nebraska, Holdrege is #33 by population, #35 for household income (#1 = highest), #6 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #10 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Phelps County, is #8 of 93 counties for average pay ($57,718).
Holdrege has 5,546 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Nebraska. It covers 4 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,311 people per square mile. The median age is 41.1, 10% older than the state median (41.1 against 37.2).
The median gross rent is $835 a month (rent plus utilities), 22% below the state median ($835 against $1,072). Over a year that is 18.0% 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 $198,900, which is 3.6 times the median household income ($55,789); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 62.5% of households own their home, 6% below the state average (62.5% against 66.5%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Phelps County was 2.0%. 65.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Phelps County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 85.2% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 3.7% walk, 4.3% work from home. 2.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 60% below the state average (2.8% against 7.0%).
30.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 13% below the state share (30.1% against 34.6%). 2.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 68% below the state share (2.6% against 8.0%). The poverty rate is 16.6%, 56% above the state rate (16.6% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 79°F (26.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 28°F (-2.5°C). About 635 mm (25 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (104 mm) and Jan the driest (11 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: Kearney (24 miles, rent 14% higher); Lexington (30 miles, rent 16% higher); Cozad (43 miles, similar rent); Hastings (53 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Holdrege; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Nebraska (294) →State guide: NebraskaCountry guidePhelps 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 | 31.3% |
| Manufacturing | 13.2% |
| Construction | 9.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.9% |
| Retail trade | 5.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.8% |
| Public administration | 5.6% |
| Other services | 4.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.5% |
| Information | 0.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Holdrege 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phelps County | 9,009 | $1,031 million | $114,403 | 4,827 | 421 | $57,718 | -1.6% | 2.0% | 4,860 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wholesale trade | 973 | 30.6% | $78,044 | 5.12 |
| Retail trade | 438 | 13.8% | $35,318 | 0.91 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 422 | 13.3% | $57,469 | 10.80 |
| Accommodation and food services | 265 | 8.3% | $19,467 | 0.60 |
| Manufacturing | 240 | 7.5% | $67,487 | 0.61 |
| Construction | 230 | 7.2% | $58,573 | 0.91 |
| Finance and insurance | 159 | 5.0% | $73,684 | 0.81 |
| Professional and technical services | 115 | 3.6% | $53,942 | 0.34 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 113 | 3.6% | $10,797 | 1.39 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 106 | 3.3% | $46,523 | 0.73 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 52 | 1.6% | $66,147 | 0.25 |
| Information | 26 | 0.8% | $19,414 | 0.29 |
| Utilities | 22 | 0.7% | $117,322 | 1.20 |
| Real estate and rental | 19 | 0.6% | $46,859 | 0.25 |
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 | 85.2% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 3.7% |
| Work from home | 4.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 2.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,789 |
| Income per person | $48,071 |
| Median gross rent per month | $835 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.0% |
| Median home value | $198,900 |
| Homeowners | 62.5% |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% |
| 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 | 41.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 91.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 30.1% |
| Born abroad | 2.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 65.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -2.5 | 28 | 11 |
| Feb | -1.4 | 29 | 16 |
| Mar | 5.0 | 41 | 32 |
| Apr | 10.7 | 51 | 71 |
| May | 16.6 | 62 | 104 |
| Jun | 23.0 | 73 | 96 |
| Jul | 26.1 | 79 | 83 |
| Aug | 24.1 | 75 | 81 |
| Sep | 19.6 | 67 | 50 |
| Oct | 11.0 | 52 | 52 |
| Nov | 4.2 | 40 | 19 |
| Dec | -1.8 | 29 | 20 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kearney | NE | 24 mi | 34,246 | $69,724 | $949 |
| Lexington | NE | 30 mi | 10,862 | $67,666 | $966 |
| Cozad | NE | 43 mi | 3,937 | $54,471 | $851 |
| Hastings | NE | 53 mi | 25,008 | $64,048 | $858 |
| Grand Island | NE | 63 mi | 52,884 | $63,795 | $947 |
| McCook | NE | 68 mi | 7,314 | $56,917 | $823 |
| Aurora | NE | 78 mi | 4,664 | $77,679 | $764 |
| North Platte | NE | 86 mi | 22,831 | $58,097 | $921 |
| York | NE | 98 mi | 8,141 | $63,265 | $862 |
| Hays | KS | 108 mi | 21,143 | $58,459 | $922 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
5,546 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$835 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.0% of the median household income.
$55,789 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.0% (BLS county, Phelps County (latest month 2026M09)).
Nebraska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.