Best overall
Arthur County
Overall score 81.7
Economy 81.2 / Affordability 82.9
State rankings
Best Counties to Live in Nebraska
Compare counties in Nebraska by affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and quality-of-life tradeoffs.
Use the county-size filter to compare large metro counties, mid-size counties, small counties, and rural areas separately. These modules are a starting point, then you can open the full rankings table or compare individual counties.
County size
County size helps compare places with similar scale. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Showing all 93 Nebraska counties
Use this state ranking
Compare counties in Nebraska
Put Nebraska counties side by side.
Estimate moving costs
Compare housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, insurance, and tax-pressure estimates.
Open Nebraska rankings
Open the full Nebraska ranking table with filters.
Explore on the map
Scan county scores geographically across the country.
Nebraska county rankings at a glance
Compact winners for common county-search priorities.
Best for families
Franklin County
Family score 89.2
Schools 96.8 / Safety 95.4
Best value
Nuckolls County
Value score 78.4
Affordability 96.3 / Taxes 58
Most affordable
Nuckolls County
Affordability 96.3
Typical home $116,507
Best schools
Logan County
Schools 99.1
Safety 84.4 / Economy 58.5
Safest
Garfield County
Safety 100
Schools 93.1 / Peace 88.6
Low taxes
Loup County
Taxes 85
Affordability 31.5 / Typical home $354,651
Peace & quiet
Phelps County
Peace & Quiet 98.4
Density and built-environment signals
Top counties by category
Use these short lists to jump into the state rankings that match your priorities.
Best overall counties in Nebraska
View full- 1Arthur County
Typical home $185,900
81.7
Overall
- 2Cherry County
Typical home $220,949
80.6
Overall
- 3Franklin County
Typical home $150,183
78.6
Overall
- 4Logan County
Typical home $184,150
78.5
Overall
- 5Pierce County
Typical home $241,737
78.5
Overall
Best counties for families in Nebraska
View full- 1Franklin County
Typical home $150,183
89.2
Family
- 2Logan County
Typical home $184,150
87.8
Family
- 3York County
Typical home $228,855
86.6
Family
- 4Cherry County
Typical home $220,949
86.2
Family
- 5Harlan County
Typical home $163,166
85.4
Family
Best value counties in Nebraska
View full- 1Nuckolls County
Typical home $116,507
78.4
Value
- 2Fillmore County
Typical home $178,086
77.3
Value
- 3Grant County
Typical home $136,700
77.3
Value
- 4Colfax County
Typical home $230,930
76.9
Value
- 5Arthur County
Typical home $185,900
76.7
Value
Most affordable counties in Nebraska
View full- 1Nuckolls County
Typical home $116,507
96.3
Afford.
- 2Richardson County
Typical home $115,210
90.9
Afford.
- 3Webster County
Typical home $138,512
90.2
Afford.
- 4Furnas County
Typical home $128,195
89.2
Afford.
- 5Clay County
Typical home $177,248
86.1
Afford.
Best school counties in Nebraska
View full- 1Logan County
Typical home $184,150
99.1
Schools
- 2Hooker County
Typical home $133,472
98.4
Schools
- 3Cherry County
Typical home $220,949
97
Schools
- 4Franklin County
Typical home $150,183
96.8
Schools
- 5Pierce County
Typical home $241,737
96.8
Schools
Lowest tax-score counties in Nebraska
View full- 1Loup County
Typical home $354,651
85
Taxes
- 2McPherson County
Typical home $388,592
83
Taxes
- 3Hayes County
Typical home $303,183
81.7
Taxes
- 4Wheeler County
Typical home $242,830
80.5
Taxes
- 5Keya Paha County
Typical home $317,828
79.1
Taxes
Quietest counties in Nebraska
View full- 1Phelps County
Typical home $218,487
98.4
Quiet
- 2Wayne County
Typical home $245,627
98.1
Quiet
- 3Cheyenne County
Typical home $167,181
97.1
Quiet
- 4Lincoln County
Typical home $216,740
96.6
Quiet
- 5Perkins County
Typical home $219,875
96.5
Quiet
Safest counties in Nebraska
View full- 1Garfield County
Typical home $230,637
100
Safety
- 2Wheeler County
Typical home $242,830
99.8
Safety
- 3Hayes County
Typical home $303,183
99.8
Safety
- 4Red Willow County
Typical home $172,068
99.6
Safety
- 5Dawes County
Typical home $186,105
99.1
Safety
Popular Nebraska county comparisons
Put two counties side by side before you narrow the search.
How to choose a county in Nebraska
The best county in Nebraska depends on what you need most. Families may care more about schools and safety, budget-focused movers may care more about affordability and taxes, and quiet-living households may care more about density and peace & quiet. Large counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so use the county-size filter to compare places with similar scale.
Best for different needs
Best overall counties in Nebraska
For best overall counties in Nebraska, Arthur County, Cherry County, and Franklin County stand out in this model because they combine several public-data signals instead of winning on only one category.
View this rankingBest counties for families in Nebraska
For families, Franklin County, Logan County, and York County score well in the family blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet.
View this rankingMost affordable counties in Nebraska
For affordability-focused movers, Nuckolls County, Richardson County, and Webster County may appeal because they score well on housing and income tradeoff signals in the current model.
View this rankingBest school counties in Nebraska
For school-first households, Logan County, Hooker County, and Cherry County lead the current school score, though families should still compare district-level details.
View this rankingBest low-tax counties in Nebraska
For lower tax-pressure searches, Loup County, McPherson County, and Hayes County score well on the tax model, but buyers should still check local property taxes and carrying costs.
View this rankingBest quiet counties in Nebraska
For quieter-living searches, Phelps County, Wayne County, and Cheyenne County stand out on peace & quiet signals such as density and built-environment indicators.
View this rankingWhat to watch before moving to Nebraska
Compare county scale carefully in Nebraska; large metro counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Check town-level housing costs, commute patterns, school districts, and local services before making a final move decision.
Frequently asked questions about the best counties in Nebraska
What is the best county to live in Nebraska?
The best county depends on your priorities. In this ranking model, Arthur County currently scores highest overall, but families, budget-focused movers, and quiet-living households may prefer different counties.
What is the best county in Nebraska for families?
Based on the family ranking blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet, Franklin County stands out in this model.
What is the most affordable county in Nebraska?
Nuckolls County scores highly on affordability in this model, but buyers should still compare home prices, taxes, insurance, commute costs, and local job access.
How should I compare large and small counties?
Use the county-size filter. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so comparing similar county sizes usually gives a more realistic shortlist.
Are these rankings based on reviews?
No. These rankings use public-data signals such as affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and peace & quiet. Local reviews and personal visits should still be part of a final decision.
Which Nebraska counties score well for schools or taxes?
Logan County currently leads the school-score view, while Loup County stands out on the tax-score view. Use the rankings presets to compare those priorities separately.
All Nebraska counties
Showing all 93 Nebraska counties ranked by the default generated overall score.
| Rank | County | Overall | Economy | Afford. | Schools | Safety | Taxes | Peace & Quiet | Typical home | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur County FIPS 31005 | 81.7 | 81.2 | 82.9 | 89.7 | 84.6 | 55.6 | 89.3 | $185,900 | $76,250 |
| 2 | Cherry County FIPS 31031 | 80.6 | 81.6 | 61.7 | 97 | 93.9 | 67.4 | 90.3 | $220,949 | $66,270 |
| 3 | Franklin County FIPS 31061 | 78.6 | 53.8 | 82.3 | 96.8 | 95.4 | 62.6 | 91.9 | $150,183 | $60,195 |
| 4 | Logan County FIPS 31113 | 78.5 | 58.5 | 84.4 | 99.1 | 84.4 | 55.5 | 94.3 | $184,150 | $74,271 |
| 5 | Pierce County FIPS 31139 | 78.5 | 79.2 | 69.8 | 96.8 | 80.7 | 51.3 | 93.6 | $241,737 | $72,357 |
| 6 | York County FIPS 31185 | 78.4 | 70.2 | 72.6 | 93.6 | 95 | 49.2 | 95.8 | $228,855 | $77,757 |
| 7 | Thayer County FIPS 31169 | 78.1 | 62.4 | 86 | 88.5 | 82.9 | 61.8 | 93.4 | $148,830 | $66,213 |
| 8 | Butler County FIPS 31023 | 77.9 | 81.9 | 71 | 81 | 88.5 | 57.6 | 88.7 | $240,325 | $79,268 |
| 9 | Hamilton County FIPS 31081 | 77.9 | 76.4 | 64.3 | 90.5 | 95.3 | 57.6 | 91.4 | $294,648 | $83,994 |
| 10 | Seward County FIPS 31159 | 77.8 | 80.1 | 58.5 | 95.2 | 97.1 | 49.1 | 92.4 | $308,419 | $82,444 |
| 11 | Fillmore County FIPS 31059 | 77.6 | 71.6 | 82.9 | 76.3 | 86.5 | 61.9 | 90.7 | $178,086 | $76,295 |
| 12 | Harlan County FIPS 31083 | 77.5 | 67.6 | 77.8 | 89.8 | 98.6 | 43.1 | 82.6 | $163,166 | $70,625 |
| 13 | Polk County FIPS 31143 | 77.3 | 78.4 | 72.9 | 73.4 | 99 | 54.8 | 89.7 | $210,973 | $69,768 |
| 14 | Washington County FIPS 31177 | 76 | 83.8 | 55.2 | 92.9 | 96 | 37.5 | 90.7 | $392,211 | $94,396 |
| 15 | Saunders County FIPS 31155 | 75.7 | 82.8 | 59.3 | 87.5 | 93.9 | 43 | 85.8 | $347,170 | $94,066 |
| 16 | Cedar County FIPS 31027 | 75.5 | 65.4 | 69 | 84.6 | 94.7 | 61.3 | 93.6 | $236,620 | $73,578 |
| 17 | Grant County FIPS 31075 | 75.3 | 72.6 | 84.4 | 70.6 | 70.9 | 73 | 79.4 | $136,700 | $70,147 |
| 18 | Red Willow County FIPS 31145 | 75.3 | 58.9 | 77.8 | 85.1 | 99.6 | 44.1 | 95.6 | $172,068 | $63,697 |
| 19 | Custer County FIPS 31041 | 75.2 | 63 | 76.6 | 86 | 92.1 | 46.4 | 93.3 | $171,036 | $67,906 |
| 20 | Holt County FIPS 31089 | 74.9 | 64.2 | 78.7 | 74.9 | 98.4 | 48 | 93.2 | $175,144 | $68,513 |
| 21 | Dixon County FIPS 31051 | 74.8 | 72.7 | 76.3 | 71 | 91.1 | 52.2 | 88.9 | $194,095 | $72,454 |
| 22 | Perkins County FIPS 31135 | 74.6 | 64.6 | 76 | 71.5 | 91.4 | 66.4 | 96.5 | $219,875 | $72,778 |
| 23 | Clay County FIPS 31035 | 74.4 | 65.3 | 86.1 | 64.7 | 93.9 | 49.2 | 91.1 | $177,248 | $78,986 |
| 24 | Rock County FIPS 31149 | 74.2 | 67.5 | 75.2 | 85.5 | 72.6 | 59.7 | 90.3 | $147,435 | $58,125 |
| 25 | Phelps County FIPS 31137 | 73.9 | 65.3 | 69.4 | 87.6 | 95.1 | 35.6 | 98.4 | $218,487 | $68,919 |
| 26 | Valley County FIPS 31175 | 73.6 | 61.6 | 70.7 | 95 | 83.3 | 44.2 | 93 | $194,680 | $61,852 |
| 27 | Blaine County FIPS 31009 | 73.3 | 72.1 | 85 | - | 70 | 47.9 | 80.9 | $116,900 | $69,583 |
| 28 | Antelope County FIPS 31003 | 73 | 61.1 | 67.4 | 79.9 | 92.5 | 64.2 | 92.4 | $220,374 | $66,105 |
| 29 | Knox County FIPS 31107 | 72.8 | 67.9 | 70.2 | 66.9 | 94 | 63.9 | 87.4 | $194,779 | $64,636 |
| 30 | Thomas County FIPS 31171 | 72.7 | 54.2 | 73.9 | 92.8 | 72 | 66.4 | 92.9 | $188,754 | $65,000 |
| 31 | Gage County FIPS 31067 | 72.3 | 68.2 | 74.9 | 74.2 | 92.3 | 32.9 | 91.4 | $196,238 | $67,247 |
| 32 | Furnas County FIPS 31065 | 72.2 | 53.6 | 89.2 | 82.5 | 69.2 | 50.1 | 91.8 | $128,195 | $61,048 |
| 33 | Nance County FIPS 31125 | 71.9 | 60.3 | 77.2 | 82.3 | 71.3 | 59.7 | 88.8 | $170,684 | $65,179 |
| 34 | Cheyenne County FIPS 31033 | 71.8 | 58.4 | 75.7 | 84.6 | 92.8 | 25.8 | 97.1 | $167,181 | $60,348 |
| 35 | Hitchcock County FIPS 31087 | 71.7 | 49.2 | 72 | 90.8 | 83.9 | 65.1 | 83.8 | $152,767 | $51,567 |
| 36 | Nemaha County FIPS 31127 | 71.7 | 57.1 | 71.8 | 95.8 | 76.3 | 43.4 | 90.6 | $174,283 | $60,924 |
| 37 | Dawes County FIPS 31045 | 71.6 | 64 | 64.3 | 81.8 | 99.1 | 35 | 95.1 | $186,105 | $56,280 |
| 38 | Wayne County FIPS 31179 | 71.4 | 65.4 | 58 | 86.8 | 92.8 | 43.3 | 98.1 | $245,627 | $66,215 |
| 39 | Garfield County FIPS 31071 | 71.2 | 57.7 | 58 | 93.1 | 100 | 42.1 | 88.6 | $230,637 | $62,804 |
| 40 | Stanton County FIPS 31167 | 71.2 | 73.6 | 68.7 | 74.4 | 73.3 | 50.9 | 93 | $263,903 | $80,687 |
| 41 | Colfax County FIPS 31037 | 70.5 | 73.8 | 75.3 | 41.8 | 90 | 65.8 | 95.6 | $230,930 | $82,530 |
| 42 | Nuckolls County FIPS 31129 | 70.5 | 70.5 | 96.3 | 39.9 | 69.3 | 58 | 91.8 | $116,507 | $73,976 |
| 43 | Webster County FIPS 31181 | 70.4 | 60.4 | 90.2 | 52.2 | 92.6 | 39.3 | 89.1 | $138,512 | $64,347 |
| 44 | Adams County FIPS 31001 | 70.3 | 67.9 | 72.1 | 66.8 | 96.9 | 26.1 | 95.6 | $209,005 | $68,365 |
| 45 | Howard County FIPS 31093 | 70.3 | 65 | 62.7 | 76.7 | 89.2 | 53.1 | 86.7 | $277,294 | $76,767 |
| 46 | Kearney County FIPS 31099 | 70.3 | 79.6 | 69.7 | 59.2 | 81.9 | 41.2 | 94.2 | $251,431 | $78,631 |
| 47 | Morrill County FIPS 31123 | 69.8 | 57.6 | 80 | 59.3 | 96.5 | 45.4 | 90.2 | $151,929 | $58,500 |
| 48 | Boone County FIPS 31011 | 69.6 | 61.6 | 59.4 | 68.2 | 93.4 | 69.9 | 93.3 | $289,334 | $74,947 |
| 49 | Cass County FIPS 31025 | 69.4 | 75.8 | 68 | 66.5 | 83.6 | 33.5 | 85 | $306,528 | $91,836 |
| 50 | Hooker County FIPS 31091 | 69.2 | 42.4 | 71 | 98.4 | 66.1 | 66.7 | 91.3 | $133,472 | $49,464 |
| 51 | Richardson County FIPS 31147 | 69.2 | 54.9 | 90.9 | 59.5 | 81.5 | 40.3 | 92.1 | $115,210 | $60,108 |
| 52 | Wheeler County FIPS 31183 | 69.1 | 58.9 | 62.1 | 58.3 | 99.8 | 80.5 | 83.4 | $242,830 | $70,250 |
| 53 | Greeley County FIPS 31077 | 68.9 | 64.6 | 69.9 | 69 | 70.4 | 64.1 | 90 | $210,255 | $63,929 |
| 54 | Platte County FIPS 31141 | 68.8 | 70 | 59.7 | 65.6 | 96.3 | 40.2 | 95.8 | $276,480 | $71,552 |
| 55 | Buffalo County FIPS 31019 | 68.7 | 72.9 | 55.5 | 75.1 | 92.6 | 29 | 95.3 | $295,746 | $75,911 |
| 56 | Sheridan County FIPS 31161 | 68.4 | 71.4 | 84.8 | 47.1 | 73.4 | 44 | 89.4 | $136,484 | $60,121 |
| 57 | Burt County FIPS 31021 | 68.1 | 57.7 | 74.5 | 62 | 90.9 | 46 | 88.7 | $185,915 | $63,685 |
| 58 | Cuming County FIPS 31039 | 68.1 | 64.9 | 59.8 | 59.7 | 90.9 | 65.9 | 95.2 | $260,269 | $71,104 |
| 59 | Kimball County FIPS 31105 | 67.9 | 64.2 | 75.3 | 51.8 | 92.7 | 40.6 | 94.6 | $161,253 | $56,712 |
| 60 | Brown County FIPS 31017 | 67.8 | 52.7 | 78.9 | 50.5 | 95.7 | 58.7 | 91.6 | $144,449 | $54,676 |
| 61 | Frontier County FIPS 31063 | 67.5 | 51.2 | 78 | 72.8 | 82.5 | 38.4 | 88.2 | $173,926 | $70,132 |
| 62 | Lancaster County FIPS 31109 | 67.5 | 76.1 | 52.2 | 95.2 | 76 | 15.2 | 69.2 | $299,034 | $74,793 |
| 63 | Jefferson County FIPS 31095 | 66.7 | 57 | 83.4 | 65.8 | 71.4 | 30.2 | 93.8 | $138,811 | $59,044 |
| 64 | Madison County FIPS 31119 | 66.6 | 65.2 | 55.9 | 68.3 | 97.1 | 33.1 | 94.9 | $251,800 | $63,128 |
| 65 | Saline County FIPS 31151 | 66.6 | 68.2 | 77.4 | 40.2 | 93.7 | 35.2 | 90.7 | $215,666 | $79,910 |
| 66 | Johnson County FIPS 31097 | 66.4 | 54.1 | 62.6 | 82.2 | 80.2 | 44.8 | 84.7 | $204,612 | $57,632 |
| 67 | Dodge County FIPS 31053 | 65.2 | 70.2 | 64.9 | 41.1 | 97.1 | 40.7 | 90.4 | $242,267 | $74,329 |
| 68 | Scotts Bluff County FIPS 31157 | 65.1 | 60 | 72.6 | 50.3 | 95.6 | 28.5 | 94.8 | $191,212 | $63,614 |
| 69 | Boyd County FIPS 31015 | 64.8 | 55.1 | 84.8 | 42.7 | 69.5 | 66.4 | 84.2 | $147,861 | $67,045 |
| 70 | Deuel County FIPS 31049 | 64.8 | 52 | 78.7 | 44.4 | 84.3 | 63.7 | 84.3 | $181,580 | $70,096 |
| 71 | Merrick County FIPS 31121 | 64.7 | 70.6 | 71.1 | 28.8 | 95.6 | 45.6 | 91.6 | $224,849 | $68,354 |
| 72 | Lincoln County FIPS 31111 | 64.4 | 64.8 | 64.6 | 53.9 | 91.6 | 27.3 | 96.6 | $216,740 | $65,148 |
| 73 | Sherman County FIPS 31163 | 64.4 | 58.7 | 70 | 50.6 | 83.5 | 53.2 | 84.9 | $191,718 | $63,578 |
| 74 | Keith County FIPS 31101 | 64.2 | 63.7 | 54.5 | 57.5 | 96 | 42.3 | 90 | $233,673 | $60,645 |
| 75 | Hall County FIPS 31079 | 64 | 66.3 | 60 | 54.6 | 93.9 | 29.1 | 90.3 | $255,439 | $69,251 |
| 76 | Gosper County FIPS 31073 | 63.7 | 64.1 | 50.2 | 59.5 | 88 | 59.1 | 82.5 | $317,827 | $77,500 |
| 77 | Pawnee County FIPS 31133 | 63.7 | 48.8 | 81 | 42.6 | 79 | 66 | 86.1 | $160,445 | $62,188 |
| 78 | Otoe County FIPS 31131 | 63.3 | 71.4 | 75.4 | 61.1 | 37.8 | 41.2 | 91.4 | $241,495 | $82,188 |
| 79 | Sarpy County FIPS 31153 | 63 | 87.3 | 61.9 | 83 | 42.8 | 9.2 | 34.7 | $354,031 | $103,321 |
| 80 | Chase County FIPS 31029 | 62.9 | 61 | 69.4 | 47.5 | 75.7 | 48.4 | 92.3 | $216,949 | $68,173 |
| 81 | Dawson County FIPS 31047 | 61.9 | 67.1 | 72.6 | 25.1 | 84.9 | 44.3 | 95.3 | $202,736 | $69,880 |
| 82 | Box Butte County FIPS 31013 | 61.5 | 56.1 | 82.2 | 27.7 | 95.5 | 22.5 | 95.4 | $171,749 | $68,892 |
| 83 | Garden County FIPS 31069 | 61.5 | 46.6 | 53 | 82.7 | 57.3 | 70.1 | 89.8 | $193,001 | $41,882 |
| 84 | Hayes County FIPS 31085 | 60.5 | 55.2 | 47.5 | 38 | 99.8 | 81.7 | 81.6 | $303,183 | $69,250 |
| 85 | Keya Paha County FIPS 31103 | 59.6 | 67.2 | 37.4 | 54.4 | 70.1 | 79.1 | 83.1 | $317,828 | $64,000 |
| 86 | Dakota County FIPS 31043 | 58.4 | 68.6 | 64.1 | 18.9 | 89.3 | 32.8 | 94.4 | $238,515 | $70,329 |
| 87 | Dundy County FIPS 31057 | 58.3 | 60.4 | 64.4 | 21.9 | 70.9 | 74.8 | 92.2 | $203,144 | $58,922 |
| 88 | Thurston County FIPS 31173 | 57.9 | 62.7 | 77.6 | 0.2 | 89.2 | 48.7 | 90.6 | $159,045 | $69,177 |
| 89 | Loup County FIPS 31115 | 56.6 | 58.9 | 31.5 | 56.5 | 68 | 85 | 79.9 | $354,651 | $71,667 |
| 90 | Sioux County FIPS 31165 | 56.5 | 67.7 | 14.7 | 73.2 | 65.1 | 72.5 | 85.6 | $332,495 | $53,929 |
| 91 | Banner County FIPS 31007 | 50.7 | 49.1 | 28.6 | 44.5 | 77.7 | 64.5 | 84.7 | $418,753 | $78,839 |
| 92 | Douglas County FIPS 31055 | 49.8 | 72.6 | 58.7 | 63.2 | 14.6 | 9.1 | 24.9 | $293,766 | $80,391 |
| 93 | McPherson County FIPS 31117 | 46.2 | 40.9 | 16.5 | 48.3 | 62.7 | 83 | 90.4 | $388,592 | $58,684 |