Jobs, pay and daily life in Norfolk, 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.
Norfolk is a city in Nebraska with 26,054 residents. The median household earns $58,884 a year and the median rent is $875 a month, which is 17.8% 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 Norfolk compares. Among the 40 largest places in Nebraska, Norfolk is #7 by population, #11 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #29 for household income (#1 = highest), #28 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Madison County, is #12 of 93 counties for average pay ($55,267).
Norfolk has 26,054 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.3% of the population of Nebraska. It covers 18 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,436 people per square mile. The median age is 37.3, about the same as the state median (37.3 against 37.2).
The median gross rent is $875 a month (rent plus utilities), 18% below the state median ($875 against $1,072). Over a year that is 17.8% 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 $211,700, which is 3.6 times the median household income ($58,884); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 60.9% of households own their home, 8% below the state average (60.9% against 66.5%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Madison County was 2.1%. 67.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Madison County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.4% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.6% walk, 5.3% work from home. 4.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 36% below the state average (4.5% against 7.0%).
24.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 31% below the state share (24.0% against 34.6%). 7.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 11% below the state share (7.1% against 8.0%). The poverty rate is 14.3%, 35% above the state rate (14.3% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 77°F (25.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 23°F (-5.2°C). About 708 mm (28 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (110 mm) and Jan the driest (14 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: Wayne (26 miles, rent 9% lower); Columbus (41 miles, similar rent); Schuyler (44 miles, rent 20% higher); Dakota Dunes (58 miles, rent 40% higher). Rent differences are against Norfolk; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Nebraska (294) →State guide: NebraskaCountry guideMadison 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 | 24.6% |
| Retail trade | 13.6% |
| Manufacturing | 13.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.9% |
| Construction | 5.8% |
| Other services | 5.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.3% |
| Public administration | 4.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.9% |
| Information | 1.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Norfolk 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | 35,532 | $3,228 million | $90,859 | 22,011 | 1,339 | $55,267 | -0.6% | 2.1% | 18,966 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,767 | 22.4% | $69,401 | 2.08 |
| Health care and social assistance | 3,596 | 21.4% | $58,712 | 1.14 |
| Retail trade | 2,882 | 17.1% | $34,300 | 1.31 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,691 | 10.1% | $20,999 | 0.84 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,192 | 7.1% | $72,023 | 1.37 |
| Construction | 1,075 | 6.4% | $63,045 | 0.93 |
| Finance and insurance | 758 | 4.5% | $76,789 | 0.85 |
| Administrative and waste services | 643 | 3.8% | $49,310 | 0.50 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 591 | 3.5% | $36,296 | 0.89 |
| Information | 208 | 1.2% | $44,150 | 0.50 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 195 | 1.2% | $18,764 | 0.53 |
| Real estate and rental | 172 | 1.0% | $39,087 | 0.50 |
| Educational services | 41 | 0.2% | $12,640 | 0.09 |
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 | 79.4% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.6% |
| Work from home | 5.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.5% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,884 |
| Income per person | $36,131 |
| Median gross rent per month | $875 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.8% |
| Median home value | $211,700 |
| Homeowners | 60.9% |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% |
| 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 | 37.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 91.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 24.0% |
| Born abroad | 7.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 67.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -5.2 | 23 | 14 |
| Feb | -3.8 | 25 | 19 |
| Mar | 3.0 | 37 | 37 |
| Apr | 9.4 | 49 | 76 |
| May | 15.7 | 60 | 107 |
| Jun | 21.9 | 71 | 110 |
| Jul | 25.1 | 77 | 71 |
| Aug | 23.5 | 74 | 95 |
| Sep | 18.8 | 66 | 68 |
| Oct | 10.0 | 50 | 61 |
| Nov | 3.0 | 37 | 26 |
| Dec | -3.6 | 26 | 24 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne | NE | 26 mi | 6,121 | $53,702 | $792 |
| Columbus | NE | 41 mi | 24,488 | $64,626 | $892 |
| Schuyler | NE | 44 mi | 6,578 | $80,399 | $1,049 |
| Dakota Dunes | SD | 58 mi | 3,936 | $136,125 | $1,225 |
| Vermillion | SD | 58 mi | 11,878 | $50,456 | $764 |
| North Sioux City | SD | 59 mi | 3,045 | $71,908 | $1,098 |
| Yankton | SD | 60 mi | 15,540 | $67,804 | $790 |
| South Sioux City | NE | 60 mi | 13,907 | $68,223 | $1,127 |
| Sioux City | IA | 62 mi | 86,101 | $68,906 | $976 |
| Fremont | NE | 63 mi | 27,567 | $71,152 | $1,080 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
26,054 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$875 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.8% of the median household income.
$58,884 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.1% (BLS county, Madison County (latest month 2026M09)).
Nebraska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.