City profile · Nebraska · Census ACS 2023

Cozad, NE

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

3,944
Residents
$50,161
Median income
$118,600
Median home
$995
Median rent (state)

Cozad - the verdict

Cozad ranks in the 20th percentile for household income and the 89th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

20th
percentile, household income
17th
percentile, home value
19th
percentile, median rent
89th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Cozad, NE

Nebraska's Cozad is a small town, with 3,944 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Cozad households earn a median of $50,161 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 10.7%. Typical homes in Cozad are valued around $118,600, and the median resident age is 43.7 years. About 14.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 64.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 1 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 50% from five years earlier. Cozad reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 408.5 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Nebraska run below the national norm: the state registers 90.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $995 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Nebraska's average monthly utility costs around $207 (state average). The average commute for Cozad workers runs 18.2 minutes, with 89.0% driving alone and 1.6% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 65.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

3,944 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Nebraska

Median Household Income

$50,161 /yr

Poverty 10.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Nebraska average

How does Cozad compare to other US cities?

Cozad measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 20% higher than other cities
Home value 17% pricier than other cities
Median rent 19% pricier than other cities
Safety 89% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Nebraska and the picture shifts: Cozad ranks #6 of 44 Nebraska cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

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 Cozad'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.

20thIncome percentile
89thSafety percentile

20th percentile nationally for median household income · 89th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Cozad's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Cozad's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 64 Avg. percentile National median
Cozad's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Cozad's home value compares nationally

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

$118,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 83% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Cozad $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 - Cozad, NE Cozad, NE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Cozad, 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 Cozad, NE median $50,161/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%
Cozad, 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 Cozad, NE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.3%

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

Population
3,944
Median Income
$50,161
Median Home Value
$118,600
Median Age
43.7
Poverty Rate
10.7%
Labor force participation
64.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
408.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
102.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
306.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
3,900 residents3,950 residents4,000 residents4,050 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,979 residents 3,924 residents ▼ -1.4%
Cozad's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 0
2021 15
2022 16
2023 2
2024 1

Permit volume decreased 50% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
18.2 minutes
Drive Alone
89.0%
Carpool
7.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
1.6%
Other
1.6%

Based on 1,955 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 Cozad sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$995/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
65.3 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Nebraska

Fairbury
3,905 people
Falls City
4,099 people
O'Neill
3,574 people
Waverly
4,363 people
Broken Bow
3,524 people
West Point
3,479 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Cozad's 3,944 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Spencer, OK
3,942 people
Emigsville, PA
3,942 people
Coleman, TX
3,942 people
Mitchell, IN
3,941 people
Ely, NV
3,941 people
Highland Lakes, NJ
3,941 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Cozad's $50,161 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ascutney, VT
$50,161 median income
Gruetli-Laager, TN
$50,164 median income
Hailesboro, NY
$50,156 median income
Mechanic Falls, ME
$50,169 median income
Slatington, PA
$50,170 median income
Altoona, PA
$50,171 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Cozad, 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 Cozad, NE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10.8% White 93.7% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 0.8% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 2.1% 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 Cozad 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
Cozad (this city) 3,944 $50,161
Fairbury 3,905 $51,782
Falls City 4,099 $45,750
O'Neill 3,574 $66,458
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NE FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Cozad, NE?

What is the population of Cozad, NE? +

3,944 people live in Cozad, NE according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Cozad runs $50,161, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Cozad? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Cozad; 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.

Is Cozad, NE safe? +

Cozad has a total crime rate of 408.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

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

Cozad's median home value sits at $118,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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.