Ranked from official statistics; every city opens its own guide.
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.
Among the 40 largest places in Nebraska, Omaha has the most residents (488,837), followed by Lincoln and Bellevue. Click any column to sort; click a city for its guide.
Across the 40 places in Nebraska that we cover, the median is 8,141 and the average 32,818; the figure runs from 488,837 (Omaha) to 3,937 (Cozad). That is a spread of 124.2 times between the two ends.
The first five are Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, Grand Island, Kearney. A high or low position is not good or bad on its own: size brings more employers and services but also longer commutes and more competition for housing. Use the Compare tab on each city page to see how two places differ across income, rent, commute and education, and check the county page for the local job market.
| # ⇅ | City ⇅ | County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Omaha | Douglas County | 488,837 | $73,201 | $1,187 |
| 2 | Lincoln | Lancaster County | 294,856 | $71,867 | $1,086 |
| 3 | Bellevue | Sarpy County | 64,510 | $85,462 | $1,226 |
| 4 | Grand Island | Hall County | 52,884 | $63,795 | $947 |
| 5 | Kearney | Buffalo County | 34,246 | $69,724 | $949 |
| 6 | Fremont | Dodge County | 27,567 | $71,152 | $1,080 |
| 7 | Norfolk | Madison County | 26,054 | $58,884 | $875 |
| 8 | Papillion | Sarpy County | 25,244 | $111,679 | $1,269 |
| 9 | Hastings | Adams County | 25,008 | $64,048 | $858 |
| 10 | Columbus | Platte County | 24,488 | $64,626 | $892 |
| 11 | North Platte | Lincoln County | 22,831 | $58,097 | $921 |
| 12 | La Vista | Sarpy County | 16,563 | $81,961 | $1,317 |
| 13 | Scottsbluff | Scotts Bluff County | 14,376 | $56,359 | $966 |
| 14 | South Sioux City | Dakota County | 13,907 | $68,223 | $1,127 |
| 15 | Beatrice | Gage County | 12,225 | $57,264 | $758 |
| 16 | Lexington | Dawson County | 10,862 | $67,666 | $966 |
| 17 | Chalco (unincorporated) | Sarpy County | 10,595 | $85,672 | $1,195 |
| 18 | Gretna | Sarpy County | 9,193 | $123,992 | $1,540 |
| 19 | Gering | Scotts Bluff County | 8,550 | $75,093 | $823 |
| 20 | York | York County | 8,141 | $63,265 | $862 |
| 21 | Alliance | Box Butte County | 8,075 | $65,160 | $694 |
| 22 | Blair | Washington County | 7,914 | $81,452 | $937 |
| 23 | Seward | Seward County | 7,678 | $72,564 | $1,018 |
| 24 | Crete | Saline County | 7,527 | $77,209 | $936 |
| 25 | Nebraska City | Otoe County | 7,369 | $67,117 | $947 |
| 26 | McCook | Red Willow County | 7,314 | $56,917 | $823 |
| 27 | Plattsmouth | Cass County | 6,731 | $73,929 | $941 |
| 28 | Schuyler | Colfax County | 6,578 | $80,399 | $1,049 |
| 29 | Ralston | Douglas County | 6,472 | $69,403 | $1,215 |
| 30 | Sidney | Cheyenne County | 6,419 | $54,734 | $819 |
| 31 | Wayne | Wayne County | 6,121 | $53,702 | $792 |
| 32 | Offutt AFB (unincorporated) | Sarpy County | 6,074 | $72,500 | $1,666 |
| 33 | Holdrege | Phelps County | 5,546 | $55,789 | $835 |
| 34 | Chadron | Dawes County | 5,160 | $54,590 | $881 |
| 35 | Wahoo | Saunders County | 4,929 | $89,457 | $907 |
| 36 | Ogallala | Keith County | 4,777 | $58,556 | $667 |
| 37 | Aurora | Hamilton County | 4,664 | $77,679 | $764 |
| 38 | Waverly | Lancaster County | 4,440 | $111,632 | $1,076 |
| 39 | Falls City | Richardson County | 4,077 | $51,706 | $714 |
| 40 | Cozad | Dawson County | 3,937 | $54,471 | $851 |
Cities With the Cheapest Rent · Cities With the Highest Household Income · Cities Where Rent Takes the Smallest Share of Income · Cities With the Lowest Unemployment · Cities in the Highest-Paying Counties · Most College-Educated Cities · Cities With the Most Homeowners · Cities With the Most Remote Work · Cities With the Shortest Commutes
Unincorporated places are census-designated places: they have no city government but are counted as communities. Figures describe the city itself.
Omaha, with 488,837 (among the 40 largest places; ACS 2020–2024).
The 40 largest places in Nebraska by population.