City profile · Nebraska · Census ACS 2023

Brainard, NE

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Brainard - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

279
Residents
$73,750
Median income
$158,700
Median home
$961
Median rent (state)

Brainard - the verdict

Nationally, Brainard sits in the 55th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

55th
percentile, household income
30th
percentile, home value
11th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Brainard, NE

Brainard is a small town in Nebraska, home to 279 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Brainard brings in $73,750 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 1.4%. Typical homes in Brainard are valued around $158,700, and the median resident age is 50.5 years. About 22.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 72.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier.

Living costs in Nebraska run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Nebraska scores 90.1 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $961 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Nebraska run around $207, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 19.7 minutes, with 78.8% driving alone and 8.2% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 24.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

279 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Nebraska

Median Household Income

$73,750 /yr

Poverty 1.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Nebraska average

How does Brainard compare to other US cities?

Where Brainard sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 55% higher than other cities
Home value 30% pricier than other cities
Median rent 11% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Brainard's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Nebraska, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

55thIncome percentile

55th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Brainard's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$158,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 70% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Brainard $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Brainard, NE Brainard, NE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Brainard, NE-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Brainard, NE median $73,750/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Brainard, NE's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Brainard, NE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 72.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
279
Median Income
$73,750
Median Home Value
$158,700
Median Age
50.5
Poverty Rate
1.4%
Labor force participation
72.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.5%

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
335 residents340 residents345 residents350 residents355 residents 202020212022202320242025 337 residents 353 residents ▲ +4.7%
Brainard's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 0
2021 5
2022 0
2023 1
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.7 minutes
Drive Alone
78.8%
Carpool
3.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
9.4%
Work from Home
8.2%

Based on 170 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Nebraska - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$207
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Nebraska state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Nebraska state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Brainard sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$961/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
24.5 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Nebraska

Bee
281 people
Jackson
281 people
Roseland
277 people
Chester
274 people
Milligan
284 people
Wolbach
274 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Brainard's 279 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Sacate, AZ
279 people
Arriba, CO
279 people
Blairsville, IL
279 people
Bureau Junction, IL
279 people
Cloverland, IN
279 people
Barnum, IA
279 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Brainard's $73,750 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ranburne, AL
$73,750 median income
Stewartville, AL
$73,750 median income
Salamatof, AK
$73,750 median income
Higden, AR
$73,750 median income
Traskwood, AR
$73,750 median income
Iliff, CO
$73,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Brainard, NE Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Brainard, NE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 96.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.9% White 96.1% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 3.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Brainard compares to nearby Nebraska cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Brainard (this city) 279 $73,750
Bee 281 $95,250
Jackson 281 $84,063
Roseland 277 $70,938
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NE NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Brainard, NE?

What is the population of Brainard, NE? +

Brainard, NE has a population of 279 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Brainard, NE? +

Median annual household income in Brainard runs $73,750, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Brainard? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Brainard; the closest available measure is the Nebraska state average, a cost of living index of 90.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Nebraska vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Brainard, NE? +

A typical home in Brainard is worth $158,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.