City · Nebraska
Valentine, Nebraska
Valentine, city, in Cherry County, Nebraska. Valentine had 2,635 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,633 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,633 (±16). GEOID 3149950.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,635
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,633 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,633 ±16
Median household income
$56,898
±$27,539 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $76,475
Median home value
$148,600
±$20,816 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $238,600
Median gross rent
$892
±$83 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $1,072
Where is Valentine and what county is it in?
Valentine is a city in Cherry County, Nebraska. It covers 2.6 square miles of land, 999 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Valentine, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,635 people lived in Valentine on July 1, 2025, up 0.2% since 2020, slower than Nebraska (+2.9%). The 2020 Census counted 2,633 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,633 (±16).
| Measure | Valentine | Cherry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,633 ±16 | 5,498 | −127 |
| Households | 1,093 ±111 | 2,233 | −200 |
| Average household size | 2.36 ±0.24 | 2.41 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,435 ±111 | 3,009 | no clear change |
Valentine's population since 2000
From 2,820 in 2000 to 2,635 in 2025: down 6.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Valentine as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Valentine?
The median resident of Valentine is 37.2 years old; 23.8% are under 18 and 23.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 77.6%, then non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 8.2%. 8.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Valentine | Cherry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.2 ±2.8 | 41.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.8% ±3.9 pts | 23.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.4% ±4.4 pts | 22.4% | – |
| Male | 50.6% ±3.4 pts | 51.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.0% ±2.1 pts | 3.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 77.6% ±4.0 pts | 83.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.1 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.5% ±1.7 pts | 1.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 8.2% ±3.5 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±2.2 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.7% ±2.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.5% ±3.3 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 9.3% ±3.0 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.2% ±3.0 pts | 6.5% | – |
| With a disability | 10.6% ±3.4 pts | 13.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.3% ±4.2 pts | 9.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.9% ±3.0 pts | 96.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.7% ±7.1 pts | 25.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 11.8% ±4.3 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.1% ±4.0 pts | 90.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.9% ±2.2 pts | 4.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Valentine earn?
Half of Valentine's 1,093 households earn less than $56,898 a year (±$27,539), against $66,270 in Cherry County and $76,475 in Nebraska. In 2015-2019 it was $65,195 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Valentine | Cherry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,898 ±$27,539 | $66,270 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $63,957 ±$7,982 | $80,876 | – |
| Per capita income | $29,189 ±$3,647 | $34,567 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.1% ±5.0 pts | 8.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.5% ±10.8 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.6% ±4.6 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.4% ±3.4 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.0% ±7.8 pts | 85.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Valentine?
Owners occupy 62.0% of Valentine's occupied homes and renters 38.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $148,600 by its owner (±$20,816). The median renter pays $892 a month including utilities, and 26.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Valentine | Cherry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $148,600 ±$20,816 | $152,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $892 ±$83 | $916 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 26.6% ±13.0 pts | 23.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,194 ±$180 | $1,265 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 62.0% ±9.5 pts | 61.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 38.0% ±9.5 pts | 38.6% | – |
| Housing units | 1,435 ±111 | 3,009 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 4.1% ±5.9 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.3% ±4.6 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.1% ±7.9 pts | 81.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.2% ±3.0 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.0% ±3.2 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 15.9% ±7.8 pts | 19.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 11.1% ±6.4 pts | 7.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Valentine building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Valentine in 2025 (4 in single-family houses), 1.5 per 1,000 residents against 5.3 across Nebraska.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Valentine work and get to work?
79.1% of Valentine's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 14.7 minutes.
| Measure | Valentine | Cherry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.4% ±5.2 pts | 67.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 79.1% ±5.3 pts | 66.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.0% ±3.7 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 3.9% ±4.2 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 2.2% ±2.8 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 14.7 min ±5.3 | 15.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Valentine?
No census tract lies mostly in Valentine; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9558Cherry County | 4,097 | $68,399 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Valentine) · Census block assignment files
How does Valentine compare with other places in Nebraska?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Valentine is the 6,740th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 51st-most populous of 528 in Nebraska.
Valentine ranks 113th of 136 places in Nebraska with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 51st | 528 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 62nd | 132 |
| Residents per square mile | 90th | 136 |
| Median household income | 113th | 136 |
| Per capita income | 118th | 136 |
| Median home value | 95th | 135 |
| Median gross rent | 52nd | 129 |
| Poverty rate | 69th | 109 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 66th | 135 |
| Median age | 87th | 136 |
| Owner-occupied share | 110th | 135 |
| Travel time to work | 104th | 135 |
Valentine's figures with every place in Nebraska (CSV)
Every place in Nebraska, sortable · Compare Valentine with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Valentine?
16 of the 57 figures for Valentine on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Valentine are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Valentine.