City profile · Nebraska · Census ACS 2023

Wayne, NE

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

6,055
Residents
$52,804
Median income
$198,600
Median home
$961
Median rent (state)

Wayne - the verdict

Nationally, Wayne sits in the 24th percentile for household income and the 78th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

24th
percentile, household income
42nd
percentile, home value
11th
percentile, median rent
78th
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: Wayne, NE

6,055 people live in Wayne, Nebraska - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $52,804 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 10.3%. Home values in Wayne run a median of $198,600, and the median resident age is 23.1 years. Educational attainment runs 34.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 65.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 8 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier. Wayne reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 674.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 48.3°F with 27.5 inches of precipitation per year and 32.2 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Nebraska run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Nebraska at 90.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $961 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $207 across Nebraska, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 14.0 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

6,055 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Nebraska

Median Household Income

$52,804 /yr

Poverty 10.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Nebraska average

How does Wayne compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 24% higher than other cities
Home value 42% pricier than other cities
Median rent 11% pricier than other cities
Safety 78% 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: Wayne ranks #13 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 Wayne'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.

24thIncome percentile
78thSafety percentile

24th percentile nationally for median household income · 78th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Wayne's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Wayne'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 59 Avg. percentile National median
Wayne'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 Wayne's home value compares nationally

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

$198,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 58% 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. Wayne $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 - Wayne, NE Wayne, NE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Wayne, 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 Wayne, NE median $52,804/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%
Wayne, 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 Wayne, NE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.2%

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

Population
6,055
Median Income
$52,804
Median Home Value
$198,600
Median Age
23.1
Poverty Rate
10.3%
Labor force participation
65.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
674.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
128.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
545.6
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
48.3°F
Annual Precipitation
27.5"
Annual Snowfall
32.2"

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 →
5,800 residents6,000 residents6,200 residents6,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,978 residents 6,338 residents ▲ +6.0%
Wayne's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
8
housing units authorized
Single-Family
8
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 8
2020 17
2021 9
2022 43
2023 114
2024 8

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
73.5%
Carpool
2.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
11.3%
Work from Home
12.4%

Based on 3,112 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 Wayne 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
14.0 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Nebraska

Sidney
6,396 people
Ralston
6,445 people
Offutt AFB
5,663 people
Schuyler
6,517 people
Holdrege
5,503 people
Plattsmouth
6,680 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Wayne's 6,055 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Pollock Pines, CA
6,056 people
Southgate, FL
6,054 people
Elburn, IL
6,054 people
Jonesborough, TN
6,056 people
Avon, CO
6,057 people
Schriever, LA
6,052 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Wayne's $52,804 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Stockton, IL
$52,800 median income
Varnville, SC
$52,800 median income
Kingston, GA
$52,799 median income
Westville, IL
$52,809 median income
North Irwin, PA
$52,798 median income
Lewisburg, WV
$52,798 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Wayne, 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 Wayne, NE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.9% 7.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.3% White 86.9% Black or African American 1.4% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.0% Two or more races 7.0% 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 Wayne 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
Wayne (this city) 6,055 $52,804
Sidney 6,396 $51,704
Ralston 6,445 $65,557
Offutt AFB 5,663 $67,803
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NE FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Wayne, NE?

What is the population of Wayne, NE? +

6,055 people live in Wayne, NE according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Wayne households earn a median of $52,804 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Wayne? +

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

Wayne has a total crime rate of 674.0 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 Wayne, NE? +

Homes in Wayne carry a median value of $198,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Wayne? +

The average annual temperature in Wayne runs 48.3°F, 27.5 inches of precipitation, and 32.2 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.