Jobs, pay and daily life in Ogallala, 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.
Ogallala is a city in Nebraska with 4,777 residents. The median household earns $58,556 a year and the median rent is $667 a month, which is 13.7% 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 Ogallala compares. Among the 40 largest places in Nebraska, Ogallala is #36 by population, #1 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #30 for household income (#1 = highest), #13 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Keith County, is #54 of 93 counties for average pay ($46,634).
Ogallala has 4,777 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Nebraska. It covers 5 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 964 people per square mile. The median age is 47.1, 27% older than the state median (47.1 against 37.2).
The median gross rent is $667 a month (rent plus utilities), 38% below the state median ($667 against $1,072). Over a year that is 13.7% 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 $155,800, which is 2.7 times the median household income ($58,556); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 68.4% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (68.4% against 66.5%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Keith County was 2.1%. 61.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Keith County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 78.5% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 5.1% walk, 8.1% work from home. 4.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 32% below the state average (4.8% against 7.0%).
25.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 27% below the state share (25.3% against 34.6%). 5.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 36% below the state share (5.2% against 8.0%). The poverty rate is 12.4%, 17% above the state rate (12.4% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 78°F (25.8°C), and the coolest is Dec at 29°F (-1.4°C). About 500 mm (20 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (86 mm) and Jan the driest (8 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: North Platte (51 miles, rent 38% higher); Sidney (65 miles, rent 23% higher); Sterling (85 miles, rent 55% higher); McCook (86 miles, rent 23% higher). Rent differences are against Ogallala; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Nebraska (294) →State guide: NebraskaCountry guideKeith 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 | 19.1% |
| Retail trade | 16.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 10.4% |
| Manufacturing | 8.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.1% |
| Public administration | 5.7% |
| Other services | 4.0% |
| Construction | 3.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.1% |
| Information | 1.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Ogallala 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keith County | 8,219 | $526 million | $64,040 | 3,344 | 398 | $46,634 | +1.4% | 2.1% | 4,356 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 637 | 28.4% | $31,522 | 1.91 |
| Accommodation and food services | 508 | 22.6% | $22,275 | 1.67 |
| Manufacturing | 252 | 11.2% | $50,479 | 0.92 |
| Wholesale trade | 242 | 10.8% | $70,337 | 1.84 |
| Finance and insurance | 148 | 6.6% | $80,716 | 1.09 |
| Construction | 100 | 4.5% | $37,436 | 0.57 |
| Professional and technical services | 99 | 4.4% | $60,536 | 0.43 |
| Administrative and waste services | 76 | 3.4% | $42,853 | 0.39 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 66 | 2.9% | $39,604 | 0.66 |
| Management of companies | 35 | 1.6% | $79,445 | 0.62 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 30 | 1.3% | $17,419 | 0.53 |
| Real estate and rental | 28 | 1.2% | $30,009 | 0.54 |
| Information | 23 | 1.0% | $43,381 | 0.37 |
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 | 78.5% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 5.1% |
| Work from home | 8.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,556 |
| Income per person | $32,519 |
| Median gross rent per month | $667 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 13.7% |
| Median home value | $155,800 |
| Homeowners | 68.4% |
| Poverty rate | 12.4% |
| 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 | 47.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 25.3% |
| Born abroad | 5.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.3 | 30 | 8 |
| Feb | -0.8 | 31 | 14 |
| Mar | 5.0 | 41 | 23 |
| Apr | 9.7 | 49 | 63 |
| May | 15.4 | 60 | 86 |
| Jun | 22.2 | 72 | 83 |
| Jul | 25.8 | 78 | 75 |
| Aug | 24.0 | 75 | 55 |
| Sep | 19.1 | 66 | 37 |
| Oct | 10.3 | 51 | 33 |
| Nov | 3.9 | 39 | 12 |
| Dec | -1.4 | 29 | 11 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Platte | NE | 51 mi | 22,831 | $58,097 | $921 |
| Sidney | NE | 65 mi | 6,419 | $54,734 | $819 |
| Sterling | CO | 85 mi | 13,172 | $43,283 | $1,031 |
| McCook | NE | 86 mi | 7,314 | $56,917 | $823 |
| Alliance | NE | 90 mi | 8,075 | $65,160 | $694 |
| Cozad | NE | 92 mi | 3,937 | $54,471 | $851 |
| Lexington | NE | 106 mi | 10,862 | $67,666 | $966 |
| Gering | NE | 111 mi | 8,550 | $75,093 | $823 |
| Scottsbluff | NE | 113 mi | 14,376 | $56,359 | $966 |
| Fort Morgan | CO | 124 mi | 11,605 | $64,158 | $1,067 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
4,777 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$667 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 13.7% of the median household income.
$58,556 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.1% (BLS county, Keith County (latest month 2026M09)).
Nebraska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.