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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, Gretna has the largest share of adults with a bachelor's degree (50.4%), followed by Papillion and Chadron. Click any column to sort; click a city for its guide.
Across the 40 places in Nebraska that we cover, the median is 28.2% and the average 28.8%; the figure runs from 50.4% (Gretna) to 8.2% (Schuyler). That is a spread of 6.1 times between the two ends. The state figure is 34.6%; 12 of the 40 places are above it and 28 at or below.
The first five are Gretna, Papillion, Chadron, Lincoln, Waverly. A high or low position is not good or bad on its own: read it together with the other measures on the city pages. 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 ⇅ | Bachelor's degree or higher ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gretna | Sarpy County | 50.4% | 9,193 | $123,992 | $1,540 |
| 2 | Papillion | Sarpy County | 47.9% | 25,244 | $111,679 | $1,269 |
| 3 | Chadron | Dawes County | 43.6% | 5,160 | $54,590 | $881 |
| 4 | Lincoln | Lancaster County | 41.8% | 294,856 | $71,867 | $1,086 |
| 5 | Waverly | Lancaster County | 40.9% | 4,440 | $111,632 | $1,076 |
| 6 | Omaha | Douglas County | 40.1% | 488,837 | $73,201 | $1,187 |
| 7 | Seward | Seward County | 38.5% | 7,678 | $72,564 | $1,018 |
| 8 | Wahoo | Saunders County | 37.1% | 4,929 | $89,457 | $907 |
| 9 | Chalco (unincorporated) | Sarpy County | 37.0% | 10,595 | $85,672 | $1,195 |
| 10 | Kearney | Buffalo County | 36.5% | 34,246 | $69,724 | $949 |
| 11 | La Vista | Sarpy County | 35.8% | 16,563 | $81,961 | $1,317 |
| 12 | Wayne | Wayne County | 35.6% | 6,121 | $53,702 | $792 |
| 13 | Bellevue | Sarpy County | 34.5% | 64,510 | $85,462 | $1,226 |
| 14 | Aurora | Hamilton County | 33.8% | 4,664 | $77,679 | $764 |
| 15 | Blair | Washington County | 32.8% | 7,914 | $81,452 | $937 |
| 16 | Gering | Scotts Bluff County | 32.6% | 8,550 | $75,093 | $823 |
| 17 | Holdrege | Phelps County | 30.1% | 5,546 | $55,789 | $835 |
| 18 | Hastings | Adams County | 29.2% | 25,008 | $64,048 | $858 |
| 19 | Plattsmouth | Cass County | 28.4% | 6,731 | $73,929 | $941 |
| 20 | Falls City | Richardson County | 28.2% | 4,077 | $51,706 | $714 |
| 21 | York | York County | 27.5% | 8,141 | $63,265 | $862 |
| 22 | Ralston | Douglas County | 26.8% | 6,472 | $69,403 | $1,215 |
| 23 | Scottsbluff | Scotts Bluff County | 26.3% | 14,376 | $56,359 | $966 |
| 24 | Offutt AFB (unincorporated) | Sarpy County | 25.9% | 6,074 | $72,500 | $1,666 |
| 25 | McCook | Red Willow County | 25.5% | 7,314 | $56,917 | $823 |
| 26 | Ogallala | Keith County | 25.3% | 4,777 | $58,556 | $667 |
| 27 | Nebraska City | Otoe County | 24.6% | 7,369 | $67,117 | $947 |
| 28 | Norfolk | Madison County | 24.0% | 26,054 | $58,884 | $875 |
| 29 | Fremont | Dodge County | 21.9% | 27,567 | $71,152 | $1,080 |
| 30 | Columbus | Platte County | 21.8% | 24,488 | $64,626 | $892 |
| 31 | Beatrice | Gage County | 21.3% | 12,225 | $57,264 | $758 |
| 32 | Grand Island | Hall County | 20.9% | 52,884 | $63,795 | $947 |
| 33 | North Platte | Lincoln County | 20.8% | 22,831 | $58,097 | $921 |
| 34 | Sidney | Cheyenne County | 19.5% | 6,419 | $54,734 | $819 |
| 35 | Crete | Saline County | 18.4% | 7,527 | $77,209 | $936 |
| 36 | Alliance | Box Butte County | 18.1% | 8,075 | $65,160 | $694 |
| 37 | South Sioux City | Dakota County | 15.5% | 13,907 | $68,223 | $1,127 |
| 38 | Lexington | Dawson County | 13.1% | 10,862 | $67,666 | $966 |
| 39 | Cozad | Dawson County | 12.8% | 3,937 | $54,471 | $851 |
| 40 | Schuyler | Colfax County | 8.2% | 6,578 | $80,399 | $1,049 |
Largest Cities · 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 · 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.
Gretna, with 50.4% (among the 40 largest places; ACS 2020–2024).
The 40 largest places in Nebraska by population.