Jobs, pay and daily life in Scottsbluff, 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.
Scottsbluff is a city in Nebraska with 14,376 residents. The median household earns $56,359 a year and the median rent is $966 a month, which is 20.6% 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 Scottsbluff compares. Among the 40 largest places in Nebraska, Scottsbluff is #13 by population, #34 for household income (#1 = highest), #29 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #25 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Scotts Bluff County, is #31 of 93 counties for average pay ($51,713).
Scottsbluff has 14,376 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.7% of the population of Nebraska. It covers 7 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,168 people per square mile. The median age is 38.8, 4% older than the state median (38.8 against 37.2).
The median gross rent is $966 a month (rent plus utilities), 10% below the state median ($966 against $1,072). Over a year that is 20.6% 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 $137,700, which is 2.4 times the median household income ($56,359); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 59.4% of households own their home, 11% below the state average (59.4% against 66.5%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Scotts Bluff County was 2.8%. 65.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Scotts Bluff County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 82.2% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.6% walk, 5.7% work from home. 5.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 18% below the state average (5.7% against 7.0%).
26.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 24% below the state share (26.3% against 34.6%). 4.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 49% below the state share (4.1% against 8.0%). The poverty rate is 15.4%, 46% above the state rate (15.4% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 77°F (25.2°C), and the coolest is Dec at 28°F (-2.0°C). About 397 mm (16 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (72 mm) and Jan the driest (6 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: Gering (3 miles, rent 15% lower); Torrington (30 miles, rent 7% lower); Alliance (43 miles, rent 28% lower); Sidney (62 miles, rent 15% lower). Rent differences are against Scottsbluff; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Nebraska (294) →State guide: NebraskaCountry guideScotts Bluff 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 | 28.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.7% |
| Retail trade | 10.8% |
| Manufacturing | 8.7% |
| Other services | 6.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.8% |
| Public administration | 5.2% |
| Construction | 4.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.8% |
| Information | 1.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Scottsbluff 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotts Bluff County | 35,843 | $2,384 million | $66,499 | 15,975 | 1,217 | $51,713 | -0.2% | 2.8% | 16,968 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 2,559 | 20.6% | $63,922 | 1.12 |
| Retail trade | 2,172 | 17.5% | $34,024 | 1.36 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,535 | 12.4% | $20,345 | 1.06 |
| Construction | 1,208 | 9.7% | $71,778 | 1.44 |
| Manufacturing | 1,037 | 8.4% | $57,651 | 0.79 |
| Wholesale trade | 878 | 7.1% | $73,255 | 1.39 |
| Administrative and waste services | 551 | 4.4% | $50,488 | 0.59 |
| Finance and insurance | 481 | 3.9% | $69,232 | 0.74 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 470 | 3.8% | $49,724 | 0.69 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 444 | 3.6% | $33,662 | 0.92 |
| Professional and technical services | 425 | 3.4% | $61,966 | 0.38 |
| Information | 220 | 1.8% | $55,040 | 0.73 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 167 | 1.3% | $29,065 | 0.62 |
| Real estate and rental | 91 | 0.7% | $36,366 | 0.37 |
| Management of companies | 70 | 0.6% | $97,340 | 0.26 |
| Educational services | 64 | 0.5% | $20,762 | 0.19 |
| Utilities | 36 | 0.3% | $104,394 | 0.59 |
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 | 82.2% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.6% |
| Work from home | 5.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 5.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,359 |
| Income per person | $37,223 |
| Median gross rent per month | $966 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.6% |
| Median home value | $137,700 |
| Homeowners | 59.4% |
| 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 | 38.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 91.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 26.3% |
| Born abroad | 4.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 65.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.6 | 29 | 6 |
| Feb | -1.2 | 30 | 13 |
| Mar | 4.1 | 39 | 25 |
| Apr | 8.4 | 47 | 49 |
| May | 13.9 | 57 | 72 |
| Jun | 20.8 | 69 | 59 |
| Jul | 25.2 | 77 | 50 |
| Aug | 23.3 | 74 | 39 |
| Sep | 17.8 | 64 | 34 |
| Oct | 9.1 | 48 | 28 |
| Nov | 3.0 | 37 | 12 |
| Dec | -2.0 | 28 | 10 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gering | NE | 3 mi | 8,550 | $75,093 | $823 |
| Torrington | WY | 30 mi | 6,182 | $47,902 | $901 |
| Alliance | NE | 43 mi | 8,075 | $65,160 | $694 |
| Sidney | NE | 62 mi | 6,419 | $54,734 | $819 |
| Ranchettes | WY | 73 mi | 5,949 | $121,445 | $831 |
| Chadron | NE | 74 mi | 5,160 | $54,590 | $881 |
| Cheyenne | WY | 78 mi | 65,239 | $78,839 | $1,118 |
| South Greeley | WY | 80 mi | 4,631 | $56,844 | $1,376 |
| Sterling | CO | 90 mi | 13,172 | $43,283 | $1,031 |
| Wellington | CO | 107 mi | 11,798 | $107,017 | $2,473 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
14,376 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$966 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.6% of the median household income.
$56,359 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.8% (BLS county, Scotts Bluff County (latest month 2026M09)).
Nebraska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.