Do you live in one of the most miserable places in Nebraska?
Only a third of Nebraskans say they are truly happy. That’s too bad, considering that folks in Nebraska don’t really have it too bad in the grand scheme of things.
But, we were curious – which Nebraska cities might be the most miserable? We’re about to find out, using Saturday Night Science and data.
After analyzing the 32 largest cities, we sadly present the most miserable cities in the Cornhusker State.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Miserable Places In Nebraska
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. If you have a smile on your face, you probably don’t live in one of these cities.
Oh, and by the way, Kearney is the happiest place in Nebraska.
For more Nebraska reading, check out:
The 10 Most Miserable Places In Nebraska For 2023
/10
Population: 10,325
Poverty Level: 15.4%
Median Home Price $123,500
Married Households 14.0%
Households With Kids 46.01%
More on Lexington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 7,224
Poverty Level: 20.8%
Median Home Price $94,400
Married Households 20.0%
Households With Kids 41.58%
More on Crete: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 6,526
Poverty Level: 10.6%
Median Home Price $94,500
Married Households 15.0%
Households With Kids 45.11%
More on Schuyler: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 13,796
Poverty Level: 11.5%
Median Home Price $124,100
Married Households 6.0%
Households With Kids 41.47%
More on South Sioux City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 62,888
Poverty Level: 8.7%
Median Home Price $179,300
Married Households 16.0%
Households With Kids 32.06%
More on Bellevue: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 52,755
Poverty Level: 12.7%
Median Home Price $157,400
Married Households 26.0%
Households With Kids 35.71%
More on Grand Island: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 7,206
Poverty Level: 18.9%
Median Home Price $121,300
Married Households 27.0%
Households With Kids 33.25%
More on Nebraska City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 6,558
Poverty Level: 9.1%
Median Home Price $130,400
Married Households 29.0%
Households With Kids 31.26%
More on Plattsmouth: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 27,245
Poverty Level: 12.0%
Median Home Price $150,000
Married Households 32.0%
Households With Kids 30.84%
More on Fremont: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 23,875
Poverty Level: 4.8%
Median Home Price $231,600
Married Households 22.0%
Households With Kids 34.47%
More on Papillion: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Methodology: How We Measured The Most Miserable Cities In The Cornhusker State
To rank the unhappiest places in Nebraska, we had to determine what criteria make people happy. It isn’t a stretch to assume that happy people earn great salaries, are relatively stress-free, and have a stable home life.
So we went to the Census’s American Community Survey 2017-2021 report for the happy criteria, flipped the list with Saturday Night Science, and it spit out the answer.
Like magic.
Here are the criteria we used to measure misery:
- Percentage of residents with a college degree
- Average commute times
- Unemployment rates
- Cost of living
- % of married couples
- % of families with kids
- Poverty rate
After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 32 places in Nebraska with over 5,000 people.
We then ranked each place from one to 32 for each of the seven criteria, with a score of one being the most miserable (Any ties were given to the larger place).
Next, we averaged the seven rankings into a Miserable Index for each place with the lowest overall Miserable Index “earning” the title “Most Miserable City In Nebraska.”
If you’d like to see the complete list of states, most miserable to happiest, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the unabridged chart.
We updated this article for 2023, and it’s our tenth time ranking the most miserable cities in Nebraska.
There You Have It – The Least Happy Cities In Nebraska
As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in Nebraska is usually a subjective matter.
But if you’re analyzing cities where people are not stable, where you’re stuck in traffic, and no one spent the time to go to college, then this is an accurate list.
If you’re curious enough, here are the happiest cities in Nebraska, according to science:
- Kearney
- Holdrege
- Chadron
For more Nebraska reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Nebraska
- Cheapest Places To Live In Nebraska
- Most Dangerous Cities In Nebraska
- Richest Cities In Nebraska
- Safest Places In Nebraska
- Worst Places To Live In Nebraska
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Nebraska
Miserable Cities In Nebraska For 2023
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Level | Median Home Value | % Married | % Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexington, NE | 10,325 | 15.4% | $123,500 | 14.0% | 46.01% |
| 2 | Crete, NE | 7,224 | 20.8% | $94,400 | 20.0% | 41.58% |
| 3 | Schuyler, NE | 6,526 | 10.6% | $94,500 | 15.0% | 45.11% |
| 4 | South Sioux City, NE | 13,796 | 11.5% | $124,100 | 6.0% | 41.47% |
| 5 | Bellevue, NE | 62,888 | 8.7% | $179,300 | 16.0% | 32.06% |
| 6 | Grand Island, NE | 52,755 | 12.7% | $157,400 | 26.0% | 35.71% |
| 7 | Nebraska City, NE | 7,206 | 18.9% | $121,300 | 27.0% | 33.25% |
| 8 | Plattsmouth, NE | 6,558 | 9.1% | $130,400 | 29.0% | 31.26% |
| 9 | Fremont, NE | 27,245 | 12.0% | $150,000 | 32.0% | 30.84% |
| 10 | Papillion, NE | 23,875 | 4.8% | $231,600 | 22.0% | 34.47% |
| 11 | La Vista, NE | 16,786 | 6.1% | $186,200 | 24.0% | 28.71% |
| 12 | Ralston, NE | 6,453 | 6.2% | $165,800 | 26.0% | 26.54% |
| 13 | Alliance, NE | 8,141 | 13.5% | $126,300 | 29.0% | 31.5% |
| 14 | Omaha, NE | 488,059 | 12.1% | $177,700 | 22.0% | 30.22% |
| 15 | Gretna, NE | 5,106 | 6.7% | $194,100 | 24.0% | 37.78% |
| 16 | North Platte, NE | 23,543 | 13.5% | $133,400 | 32.0% | 31.33% |
| 17 | Gering, NE | 8,521 | 8.5% | $146,800 | 37.0% | 39.2% |
| 18 | Scottsbluff, NE | 14,511 | 15.4% | $116,600 | 26.0% | 32.1% |
| 19 | Mccook, NE | 7,425 | 11.4% | $127,300 | 32.0% | 20.98% |
| 20 | Sidney, NE | 6,473 | 11.2% | $104,700 | 26.0% | 22.92% |
| 21 | Blair, NE | 7,725 | 13.0% | $169,800 | 34.0% | 36.12% |
| 22 | York, NE | 8,091 | 8.7% | $137,300 | 39.0% | 26.04% |
| 23 | Seward, NE | 7,651 | 7.9% | $178,200 | 31.0% | 33.24% |
| 24 | Columbus, NE | 23,954 | 7.9% | $159,700 | 36.0% | 31.8% |
| 25 | Beatrice, NE | 12,276 | 20.8% | $121,900 | 30.0% | 22.63% |
| 26 | Norfolk, NE | 24,964 | 12.9% | $163,500 | 28.0% | 26.33% |
| 27 | Lincoln, NE | 289,136 | 13.0% | $193,800 | 26.0% | 29.16% |
| 28 | Hastings, NE | 25,247 | 15.1% | $133,300 | 32.0% | 29.25% |
| 29 | Wayne, NE | 5,847 | 20.2% | $136,500 | 18.0% | 23.08% |
| 30 | Chadron, NE | 5,376 | 13.1% | $132,700 | 21.0% | 25.44% |
| 31 | Holdrege, NE | 5,485 | 16.2% | $135,100 | 39.0% | 28.85% |
| 32 | Kearney, NE | 33,558 | 15.5% | $192,200 | 29.0% | 28.23% |
We are two generations thinking seriously of moving to Nebraska…I cannot remember three of the towns that I was interested in..one was out of Omaha, it seems we turned south, traveled a few miles, found a nice motel and a truck stop across from each other..then we turned right and down a hill and found what appeared to the be remnants of a little, friendly town..guess I need to get a map of NE and then start studying …interested in Wilsonville and Cozad also.
Might be a city called Gretna. People commute from there to several different places in the area to work. Gretna is close enough to the interstate and other major state highways pass through or near there as well.
The town I am really interested in, is very small, it is 200 miles kind of north of Denver..I saw an exit out of this little berg stating Denver, 200 miles…I would buy there in a moment if all else was good..I am a Christian and conservative..and pretty well off.