Jobs, pay and daily life in McCook, 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.
McCook is a city in Nebraska with 7,314 residents. The median household earns $56,917 a year and the median rent is $823 a month, which is 17.4% 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 McCook compares. Among the 40 largest places in Nebraska, McCook is #26 by population, #5 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #8 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #33 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Red Willow County, is #53 of 93 counties for average pay ($47,527).
McCook has 7,314 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Nebraska. It covers 5 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,340 people per square mile. The median age is 41.2, 11% older than the state median (41.2 against 37.2).
The median gross rent is $823 a month (rent plus utilities), 23% below the state median ($823 against $1,072). Over a year that is 17.4% 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 $154,300, which is 2.7 times the median household income ($56,917); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 66.3% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (66.3% against 66.5%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Red Willow County was 2.1%. 63.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Red Willow County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 85.1% drive alone, 0.8% use public transit, 4.2% walk, 5.8% work from home. 2.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 65% below the state average (2.5% against 7.0%).
25.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 26% below the state share (25.5% against 34.6%). 2.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 72% below the state share (2.3% against 8.0%). The poverty rate is 17.3%, 63% above the state rate (17.3% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 81°F (27.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 30°F (-1.0°C). About 542 mm (21 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (84 mm) and Jan the driest (9 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: Cozad (56 miles, rent 3% higher); Lexington (61 miles, rent 17% higher); North Platte (64 miles, rent 12% higher); Holdrege (68 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against McCook; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Nebraska (294) →State guide: NebraskaCountry guideRed Willow 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 | 26.5% |
| Retail trade | 16.9% |
| Manufacturing | 9.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.0% |
| Construction | 5.9% |
| Other services | 5.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 4.9% |
| Public administration | 4.8% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.9% |
| Information | 0.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where McCook 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Willow County | 10,557 | $737 million | $69,788 | 4,964 | 445 | $47,527 | -1.4% | 2.1% | 5,339 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 726 | 24.3% | $32,852 | 1.46 |
| Accommodation and food services | 542 | 18.1% | $19,694 | 1.20 |
| Manufacturing | 384 | 12.9% | $63,116 | 0.94 |
| Wholesale trade | 306 | 10.2% | $64,460 | 1.56 |
| Construction | 220 | 7.4% | $50,207 | 0.84 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 198 | 6.6% | $43,423 | 4.93 |
| Finance and insurance | 190 | 6.4% | $68,446 | 0.94 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 146 | 4.9% | $25,176 | 0.98 |
| Professional and technical services | 135 | 4.5% | $53,433 | 0.39 |
| Information | 64 | 2.1% | $30,432 | 0.69 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 30 | 1.0% | $16,209 | 0.36 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 25 | 0.8% | $68,181 | 1.33 |
| Real estate and rental | 22 | 0.7% | $31,199 | 0.29 |
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 | 85.1% |
| Public transit | 0.8% |
| Walk | 4.2% |
| Work from home | 5.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 2.5% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,917 |
| Income per person | $36,351 |
| Median gross rent per month | $823 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.4% |
| Median home value | $154,300 |
| Homeowners | 66.3% |
| Poverty rate | 17.3% |
| 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 | 41.2 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 25.5% |
| Born abroad | 2.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 63.9% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.0 | 30 | 9 |
| Feb | -0.0 | 32 | 13 |
| Mar | 6.1 | 43 | 25 |
| Apr | 11.3 | 52 | 60 |
| May | 17.1 | 63 | 84 |
| Jun | 23.9 | 75 | 80 |
| Jul | 27.0 | 81 | 82 |
| Aug | 25.0 | 77 | 72 |
| Sep | 20.4 | 69 | 44 |
| Oct | 11.7 | 53 | 42 |
| Nov | 5.0 | 41 | 15 |
| Dec | -0.7 | 31 | 16 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cozad | NE | 56 mi | 3,937 | $54,471 | $851 |
| Lexington | NE | 61 mi | 10,862 | $67,666 | $966 |
| North Platte | NE | 64 mi | 22,831 | $58,097 | $921 |
| Holdrege | NE | 68 mi | 5,546 | $55,789 | $835 |
| Ogallala | NE | 86 mi | 4,777 | $58,556 | $667 |
| Kearney | NE | 88 mi | 34,246 | $69,724 | $949 |
| Hays | KS | 115 mi | 21,143 | $58,459 | $922 |
| Hastings | NE | 120 mi | 25,008 | $64,048 | $858 |
| Grand Island | NE | 129 mi | 52,884 | $63,795 | $947 |
| Sterling | CO | 138 mi | 13,172 | $43,283 | $1,031 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
7,314 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$823 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.4% of the median household income.
$56,917 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.1% (BLS county, Red Willow County (latest month 2026M09)).
Nebraska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.