City profile · Nebraska · Census ACS 2023

Gretna, NE

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

9,117
Residents
$118,765
Median income
$326,000
Median home
$1,368
Median rent (state)

Gretna - the verdict

Nationally, Gretna sits in the 87th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

87th
percentile, household income
69th
percentile, home value
53rd
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: Gretna, NE

Gretna is a small town in Nebraska, home to 9,117 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Gretna households earn a median of $118,765 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.3%. Typical homes in Gretna are valued around $326,000, and the median resident age is 34.5 years. Educational attainment runs 53.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 79.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 434 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 298% from five years earlier. NOAA puts Gretna's yearly average temperature at 50.7°F with 33.2 inches of precipitation per year and 36.4 inches of snowfall.

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 $1,368 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Nebraska's average monthly utility costs around $207 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 83.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

9,117 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Nebraska

Median Household Income

$118,765 /yr

Poverty 3.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Nebraska average

How does Gretna compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 87% higher than other cities
Home value 69% pricier than other cities
Median rent 53% 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

Each percentile compares Gretna against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Nebraska only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Nebraska-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Gretna's strongest outlier among Nebraska cities

Among the 450 Nebraska cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Gretna ranks #3 - the 99th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Gretna only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#6 of 439
99th percentile in Nebraska
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 450
92nd percentile in Nebraska
Median Home Value
#9 of 438
98th percentile in Nebraska
Poverty Rate
#305 of 450
31st percentile in Nebraska
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#3 of 450
99th percentile in Nebraska

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Nebraska only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

87thIncome percentile

87th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Gretna's home value compares nationally

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

$326,000 31st percentile more affordable than 31% 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%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Gretna $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 - Gretna, NE Gretna, NE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Gretna, 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 Gretna, NE median $118,765/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%
Gretna, 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 Gretna, NE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 53.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 79.8%

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

Population
9,117
Median Income
$118,765
Median Home Value
$326,000
Median Age
34.5
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Labor force participation
79.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
53.1%

Climate

Avg Temperature
50.7°F
Annual Precipitation
33.2"
Annual Snowfall
36.4"

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
9,000 residents9,100 residents9,200 residents9,300 residents9,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 9,312 residents 9,207 residents ▼ -1.1%
Gretna's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
434
housing units authorized
Single-Family
429
detached homes
Multifamily
5
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
47.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 109
2020 196
2021 273
2022 213
2023 410
2024 434

Permit volume increased 298% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.0%
Carpool
4.2%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.2%
Work from Home
17.2%

Based on 5,338 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 Gretna sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,368/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
83.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Nebraska

Gering
8,567 people
York
8,114 people
Alliance
8,089 people
Blair
7,868 people
Seward
7,665 people
Chalco
10,625 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Gretna's 9,117 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lake Mohawk, NJ
9,116 people
Sunset Hills, MO
9,113 people
Dayton, TX
9,121 people
Bogota, NJ
9,110 people
Harrodsburg, KY
9,126 people
Boulder Hill, IL
9,127 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Gretna's $118,765 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Flat Top Mountain, TN
$118,766 median income
Freeport, NY
$118,755 median income
Redstone Arsenal, AL
$118,750 median income
Fernan Lake, ID
$118,750 median income
Beverly Shores, IN
$118,750 median income
Solway, MN
$118,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Gretna, 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 Gretna, NE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.6% White 93.0% Black or African American 0.2% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.0% Two or more races 5.5% 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 Gretna 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
Gretna (this city) 9,117 $118,765
Gering 8,567 $70,244
York 8,114 $62,632
Alliance 8,089 $65,599
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NE NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Gretna, NE?

What is the population of Gretna, NE? +

Gretna, NE has a population of 9,117 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Gretna households earn a median of $118,765 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Gretna? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Gretna; 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 Gretna, NE? +

Gretna's median home value sits at $326,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Gretna? +

The average annual temperature in Gretna runs 50.7°F, 33.2 inches of precipitation, and 36.4 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, 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

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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.