Jobs, pay and daily life in Sidney, 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.
Sidney is a city in Nebraska with 6,419 residents. The median household earns $54,734 a year and the median rent is $819 a month, which is 18.0% 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 Sidney compares. Among the 40 largest places in Nebraska, Sidney is #30 by population, #36 for household income (#1 = highest), #7 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #34 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Cheyenne County, is #47 of 93 counties for average pay ($47,970).
Sidney has 6,419 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Nebraska. It covers 7 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 858 people per square mile. The median age is 41.9, 13% older than the state median (41.9 against 37.2).
The median gross rent is $819 a month (rent plus utilities), 24% below the state median ($819 against $1,072). Over a year that is 18.0% 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 $139,400, which is 2.5 times the median household income ($54,734); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 57.5% of households own their home, 14% below the state average (57.5% against 66.5%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Cheyenne County was 2.3%. 64.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Cheyenne County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 75.6% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 5.1% walk, 8.8% work from home. 10.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 54% above the state average (10.8% against 7.0%).
19.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 44% below the state share (19.5% against 34.6%). 1.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 77% below the state share (1.8% against 8.0%). The poverty rate is 16.2%, 52% above the state rate (16.2% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 78°F (25.4°C), and the coolest is Dec at 30°F (-1.2°C). About 441 mm (17 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (77 mm) and Jan the driest (7 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: Sterling (37 miles, rent 26% higher); Gering (60 miles, similar rent); Scottsbluff (62 miles, rent 18% higher); Ogallala (65 miles, rent 19% lower). Rent differences are against Sidney; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Nebraska (294) →State guide: NebraskaCountry guideCheyenne 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 | 13.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 11.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.3% |
| Other services | 7.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.5% |
| Manufacturing | 5.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 4.5% |
| Public administration | 4.5% |
| Construction | 3.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.1% |
| Information | 1.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Sidney 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne County | 9,533 | $687 million | $72,032 | 3,940 | 348 | $47,970 | +3.3% | 2.3% | 4,797 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 658 | 33.4% | $33,630 | 1.67 |
| Manufacturing | 326 | 16.5% | $51,047 | 1.01 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 258 | 13.1% | $56,894 | 1.55 |
| Administrative and waste services | 190 | 9.6% | $31,866 | 0.82 |
| Wholesale trade | 132 | 6.7% | $79,678 | 0.85 |
| Professional and technical services | 113 | 5.7% | $50,858 | 0.41 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 87 | 4.4% | $42,259 | 0.73 |
| Construction | 81 | 4.1% | $49,269 | 0.39 |
| Utilities | 51 | 2.6% | $123,793 | 3.40 |
| Management of companies | 38 | 1.9% | $64,175 | 0.57 |
| Information | 36 | 1.8% | $32,384 | 0.49 |
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 | 75.6% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 5.1% |
| Work from home | 8.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 10.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,734 |
| Income per person | $32,095 |
| Median gross rent per month | $819 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.0% |
| Median home value | $139,400 |
| Homeowners | 57.5% |
| Poverty rate | 16.2% |
| 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 | 41.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 91.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 19.5% |
| Born abroad | 1.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 64.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -0.8 | 31 | 7 |
| Feb | -0.5 | 31 | 12 |
| Mar | 5.0 | 41 | 22 |
| Apr | 9.2 | 49 | 56 |
| May | 14.7 | 58 | 77 |
| Jun | 21.6 | 71 | 66 |
| Jul | 25.4 | 78 | 64 |
| Aug | 23.6 | 74 | 52 |
| Sep | 18.5 | 65 | 36 |
| Oct | 9.9 | 50 | 27 |
| Nov | 3.8 | 39 | 12 |
| Dec | -1.2 | 30 | 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling | CO | 37 mi | 13,172 | $43,283 | $1,031 |
| Gering | NE | 60 mi | 8,550 | $75,093 | $823 |
| Scottsbluff | NE | 62 mi | 14,376 | $56,359 | $966 |
| Ogallala | NE | 65 mi | 4,777 | $58,556 | $667 |
| Alliance | NE | 67 mi | 8,075 | $65,160 | $694 |
| Fort Morgan | CO | 74 mi | 11,605 | $64,158 | $1,067 |
| Torrington | WY | 90 mi | 6,182 | $47,902 | $901 |
| Ranchettes | WY | 94 mi | 5,949 | $121,445 | $831 |
| Cheyenne | WY | 95 mi | 65,239 | $78,839 | $1,118 |
| South Greeley | WY | 96 mi | 4,631 | $56,844 | $1,376 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
6,419 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$819 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.0% of the median household income.
$54,734 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.3% (BLS county, Cheyenne County (latest month 2026M09)).
Nebraska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.