Jobs, pay and daily life in North Platte, 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.
North Platte is a city in Nebraska with 22,831 residents. The median household earns $58,097 a year and the median rent is $921 a month, which is 19.0% 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 North Platte compares. Among the 40 largest places in Nebraska, North Platte is #11 by population, #37 for remote work (#1 = most), #33 for college degrees (#1 = most), #31 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Lincoln County, is #25 of 93 counties for average pay ($52,150).
North Platte has 22,831 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.2% of the population of Nebraska. It covers 17 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,331 people per square mile. The median age is 40.2, 8% older than the state median (40.2 against 37.2).
The median gross rent is $921 a month (rent plus utilities), 14% below the state median ($921 against $1,072). Over a year that is 19.0% 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 $169,100, which is 2.9 times the median household income ($58,097); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 58.5% of households own their home, 12% below the state average (58.5% against 66.5%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lincoln County was 2.1%. 64.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lincoln County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 86.7% drive alone, 0.9% use public transit, 2.0% walk, 2.4% work from home. 5.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 24% below the state average (5.3% against 7.0%).
20.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 40% below the state share (20.8% against 34.6%). 3.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 57% below the state share (3.5% against 8.0%). The poverty rate is 15.4%, 45% above the state rate (15.4% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 78°F (25.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 28°F (-2.1°C). About 563 mm (22 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (91 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 (44 miles, rent 8% lower); Ogallala (51 miles, rent 28% lower); Lexington (58 miles, rent 5% higher); McCook (64 miles, rent 11% lower). Rent differences are against North Platte; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Nebraska (294) →State guide: NebraskaCountry guideLincoln 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 | 24.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 15.3% |
| Retail trade | 14.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.5% |
| Construction | 6.8% |
| Public administration | 5.5% |
| Other services | 5.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.4% |
| Manufacturing | 2.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.7% |
| Information | 0.9% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where North Platte 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 33,802 | $3,307 million | $97,822 | 14,738 | 1,126 | $52,150 | +0.9% | 2.1% | 18,894 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 2,867 | 25.3% | $68,109 | 1.36 |
| Retail trade | 2,052 | 18.1% | $33,786 | 1.39 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,831 | 16.2% | $22,085 | 1.37 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,049 | 9.3% | $58,294 | 1.68 |
| Construction | 825 | 7.3% | $64,128 | 1.07 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 427 | 3.8% | $51,360 | 3.58 |
| Finance and insurance | 411 | 3.6% | $71,395 | 0.69 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 400 | 3.5% | $45,979 | 0.90 |
| Manufacturing | 366 | 3.2% | $48,932 | 0.30 |
| Professional and technical services | 338 | 3.0% | $54,713 | 0.33 |
| Administrative and waste services | 237 | 2.1% | $42,392 | 0.27 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 187 | 1.7% | $19,563 | 0.75 |
| Information | 145 | 1.3% | $52,708 | 0.52 |
| Real estate and rental | 134 | 1.2% | $41,794 | 0.59 |
| Management of companies | 33 | 0.3% | $42,022 | 0.13 |
| Educational services | 23 | 0.2% | $15,001 | 0.08 |
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 | 86.7% |
| Public transit | 0.9% |
| Walk | 2.0% |
| Work from home | 2.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 5.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,097 |
| Income per person | $32,736 |
| Median gross rent per month | $921 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.0% |
| Median home value | $169,100 |
| Homeowners | 58.5% |
| Poverty rate | 15.4% |
| 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 | 40.2 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 20.8% |
| Born abroad | 3.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 64.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -2.1 | 28 | 9 |
| Feb | -1.3 | 30 | 16 |
| Mar | 4.7 | 40 | 27 |
| Apr | 9.9 | 50 | 68 |
| May | 15.8 | 60 | 91 |
| Jun | 22.4 | 72 | 91 |
| Jul | 25.7 | 78 | 82 |
| Aug | 23.9 | 75 | 65 |
| Sep | 19.2 | 67 | 44 |
| Oct | 10.5 | 51 | 41 |
| Nov | 3.9 | 39 | 14 |
| Dec | -1.7 | 29 | 15 |
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 | 44 mi | 3,937 | $54,471 | $851 |
| Ogallala | NE | 51 mi | 4,777 | $58,556 | $667 |
| Lexington | NE | 58 mi | 10,862 | $67,666 | $966 |
| McCook | NE | 64 mi | 7,314 | $56,917 | $823 |
| Holdrege | NE | 86 mi | 5,546 | $55,789 | $835 |
| Kearney | NE | 92 mi | 34,246 | $69,724 | $949 |
| Sidney | NE | 115 mi | 6,419 | $54,734 | $819 |
| Grand Island | NE | 125 mi | 52,884 | $63,795 | $947 |
| Hastings | NE | 129 mi | 25,008 | $64,048 | $858 |
| Alliance | NE | 129 mi | 8,075 | $65,160 | $694 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
22,831 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$921 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.0% of the median household income.
$58,097 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.1% (BLS county, Lincoln County (latest month 2026M09)).
Nebraska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.