City profile · Nebraska · Census ACS 2023

Norfolk, NE

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

25,962
Residents
$62,175
Median income
$199,100
Median home
$992
Median rent (state)

Norfolk - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Norfolk lands in the 39th percentile for household income and the 51st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

39th
percentile, household income
43rd
percentile, home value
19th
percentile, median rent
51st
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: Norfolk, NE

Nebraska's Norfolk is a small city, with 25,962 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Norfolk households earn a median of $62,175 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.8%. Typical homes in Norfolk are valued around $199,100, and the median resident age is 37.4 years. About 24.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 67.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 259 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Growing), up 13% from five years earlier. Norfolk reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1345.6 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 48.1°F with 27.9 inches of precipitation per year and 26.3 inches of snowfall.

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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $992 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Nebraska's average monthly utility costs around $207 (state average). Workers in Norfolk report an average commute of 12.2 minutes, with 80.5% driving alone and 4.8% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 60.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

25,962 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Nebraska

Median Household Income

$62,175 /yr

Poverty 6.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Nebraska average

How does Norfolk compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 39% higher than other cities
Home value 43% pricier than other cities
Median rent 19% pricier than other cities
Safety 51% 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: Norfolk ranks #28 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 Norfolk'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.

39thIncome percentile
51stSafety percentile

39th percentile nationally for median household income · 51st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Norfolk's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Norfolk'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 53 Avg. percentile National median
Norfolk'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 Norfolk's home value compares nationally

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

$199,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 57% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Norfolk $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 - Norfolk, NE Norfolk, NE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Norfolk, 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 Norfolk, NE median $62,175/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%
Norfolk, 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 Norfolk, NE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.2%

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

Population
25,962
Median Income
$62,175
Median Home Value
$199,100
Median Age
37.4
Poverty Rate
6.8%
Labor force participation
67.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1345.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
202.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1143.6
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
48.1°F
Annual Precipitation
27.9"
Annual Snowfall
26.3"

Schools

Total Schools
11
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
25,500 residents26,000 residents26,500 residents27,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 25,896 residents 26,677 residents ▲ +3.0%
Norfolk's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
259
housing units authorized
Single-Family
31
detached homes
Multifamily
228
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
10
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 230
2020 336
2021 74
2022 109
2023 97
2024 259

Permit volume increased 13% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
12.2 minutes
Drive Alone
80.5%
Carpool
10.9%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
1.8%
Work from Home
4.8%
Other
1.7%

Based on 13,455 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 Norfolk sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$992/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
60.9 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Nebraska

Hastings
25,005 people
Fremont
27,321 people
Columbus
24,188 people
Papillion
24,063 people
North Platte
23,030 people
Kearney
34,024 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Norfolk's 25,962 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Florence, AZ
25,961 people
Kuna, ID
25,960 people
Lodi, NJ
25,946 people
Fish Hawk, FL
25,945 people
Mauldin, SC
25,985 people
Winona, MN
25,998 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Norfolk's $62,175 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Decorah, IA
$62,177 median income
Carthage, NC
$62,177 median income
Oskaloosa, IA
$62,172 median income
Madison, SD
$62,180 median income
Elk Mound, WI
$62,167 median income
Plentywood, MT
$62,163 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Norfolk, 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 Norfolk, NE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.6% 9.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 14.4% White 82.6% Black or African American 1.1% Asian 0.8% American Indian 1.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.0% Two or more races 9.8% 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 Norfolk 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
Norfolk (this city) 25,962 $62,175
Hastings 25,005 $61,202
Fremont 27,321 $67,179
Columbus 24,188 $67,212
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NE FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Norfolk, NE?

What is the population of Norfolk, NE? +

Norfolk, NE counts 25,962 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Norfolk, the typical household earns $62,175 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Norfolk? +

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

Norfolk has a total crime rate of 1345.6 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 Norfolk, NE? +

A typical home in Norfolk is worth $199,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Norfolk? +

Norfolk has an average annual temperature of 48.1°F, 27.9 inches of precipitation, and 26.3 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

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