City profile · Nebraska · Census ACS 2023

Ogallala, NE

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

4,800
Residents
$55,481
Median income
$135,500
Median home
$961
Median rent (state)

Ogallala - the verdict

Nationally, Ogallala sits in the 28th percentile for household income and the 35th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

28th
percentile, household income
22nd
percentile, home value
11th
percentile, median rent
35th
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: Ogallala, NE

4,800 people live in Ogallala, Nebraska - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $55,481 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.4%. Ogallala's housing stock carries a median value of $135,500, and the median resident age is 46.8 years. About 23.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 1 residential building permits were authorized in Ogallala (Construction Slowdown), down 75% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 1883.9 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 50.6°F with 19.5 inches of precipitation per year and 24.6 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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $961 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Nebraska run around $207, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 13.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

4,800 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Nebraska

Median Household Income

$55,481 /yr

Poverty 7.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Nebraska average

How does Ogallala compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 28% higher than other cities
Home value 22% pricier than other cities
Median rent 11% pricier than other cities
Safety 35% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Nebraska alone, Ogallala ranks #33 of 44 Nebraska cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Nebraska-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Ogallala near the bottom of Nebraska's cities

Among the 450 Nebraska cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Ogallala ranks #184 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Ogallala only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#314 of 439
28th percentile in Nebraska
Median Gross Rent
#184 of 450
0th percentile in Nebraska
Median Home Value
#172 of 438
61st percentile in Nebraska
Poverty Rate
#182 of 450
59th percentile in Nebraska
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#153 of 450
66th 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.

28thIncome percentile
35thSafety percentile

28th percentile nationally for median household income · 35th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Ogallala's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Ogallala'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 49 Avg. percentile National median
Ogallala'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 Ogallala's home value compares nationally

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

$135,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 78% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Ogallala $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 - Ogallala, NE Ogallala, NE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Ogallala, 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 Ogallala, NE median $55,481/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%
Ogallala, 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 Ogallala, NE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.4%

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

Population
4,800
Median Income
$55,481
Median Home Value
$135,500
Median Age
46.8
Poverty Rate
7.4%
Labor force participation
58.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1883.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
173.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1710.7
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
50.6°F
Annual Precipitation
19.5"
Annual Snowfall
24.6"

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 →
4,600 residents4,700 residents4,800 residents4,900 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,869 residents 4,698 residents ▼ -3.5%
Ogallala'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
0.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 9
2021 9
2022 5
2023 86
2024 1

Permit volume decreased 75% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.0%
Carpool
7.9%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
2.5%
Work from Home
7.9%

Based on 2,203 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 Ogallala 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
13.8 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Nebraska

Wahoo
4,885 people
Aurora
4,665 people
Chadron
5,207 people
Waverly
4,363 people
Falls City
4,099 people
Holdrege
5,503 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Ogallala's 4,800 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Penn Yan, NY
4,800 people
Carrizo Springs, TX
4,800 people
Stafford Springs, CT
4,801 people
Cheboygan, MI
4,801 people
Riva, MD
4,798 people
Wolf Lake, MI
4,802 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Ogallala's $55,481 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Corwith, IA
$55,481 median income
Greenville, MI
$55,477 median income
Sparta, MI
$55,474 median income
Statesville, NC
$55,492 median income
Southside, AR
$55,469 median income
Southgate, KY
$55,469 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Ogallala, 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 Ogallala, NE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.2% 10.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.1% White 83.2% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 1.0% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.6% Two or more races 10.1% 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 Ogallala 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
Ogallala (this city) 4,800 $55,481
Wahoo 4,885 $81,544
Aurora 4,665 $71,051
Chadron 5,207 $54,026
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NE FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Ogallala, NE?

What is the population of Ogallala, NE? +

The population of Ogallala, NE stands at 4,800 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Ogallala households earn a median of $55,481 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Ogallala? +

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

Ogallala has a total crime rate of 1883.9 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Ogallala, NE? +

Ogallala's median home value sits at $135,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Ogallala? +

Climate normals put Ogallala's yearly average temperature at 50.6°F, 19.5 inches of precipitation, and 24.6 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

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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.