Fastest Growing Cities in Nebraska (2026)

City
Rank
Annual Change
2026 Pop.
2020 Pop.
Hickman14.29%3,8202,655
Eagle22.4%1,2351,091
Valley32.14%3,4853,047
Ashland41.98%3,5523,102
Yutan51.52%1,4731,355
Waverly61.26%4,5904,291
Lexington71.19%11,30910,684
Columbus81.12%25,53124,088
Louisville91.06%1,4341,348
Plattsmouth101.05%7,0286,593
Wayne111.04%6,4045,978
Central City121.04%3,2173,015
Fremont130.99%28,63127,111
Nebraska City140.88%7,5787,216
Milford150.87%2,3062,155
Schuyler160.87%6,8596,521
Wahoo170.76%5,0614,819
Syracuse180.7%2,0201,943
Lincoln190.61%303,375291,852
Kearney200.61%34,99333,914
Blair210.58%8,0437,824
Grand Island220.51%54,21953,016
York230.48%8,3248,054
Weeping Water240.47%1,0661,037
Gibbon250.42%1,9211,882
Crete260.41%7,7797,574
Norfolk270.4%26,78425,896
Aurora280.4%4,8064,680
Albion290.35%1,7411,728
Stromsburg300.35%1,1631,144
Seward310.34%7,9197,699
Arlington320.3%1,3331,308
David City330.29%3,0773,000
Henderson340.27%1,1001,081
Fort Calhoun350.27%1,1111,091
Springfield360.26%1,5331,511
Wilber370.2%1,9821,970
Valentine380.19%2,6402,629
Beatrice390.12%12,33312,228
Tekamah400.12%1,7071,708
Auburn410.11%3,5023,484
Superior420.11%1,8231,808
Sidney430.11%6,4396,412
Shelton440.1%1,0431,042
Atkinson450.08%1,3171,311
Holdrege460.05%5,5585,552
St. Paul470.04%2,4172,423
Hastings480.03%25,12825,137
Bennet490%1,1041,084
Hartington500%1,5301,515
Wakefield510%1,5271,523
Wood River520%1,1691,178
South Sioux City53-0.03%14,15414,027
Minden54-0.03%3,1323,124
Neligh55-0.06%1,5501,557
O'Neill56-0.08%3,5643,569
Broken Bow57-0.09%3,5043,521
Ord58-0.09%2,1192,110
Stanton59-0.13%1,5041,519
Sutton60-0.14%1,4641,449
Bellevue61-0.16%64,76265,172
Pierce62-0.16%1,8461,858
Battle Creek63-0.17%1,1861,190
Ralston64-0.17%6,3716,483
Omaha65-0.18%487,917492,766
Dakota City66-0.19%2,0762,081
Loup City67-0.19%1,0241,049
Cozad68-0.2%3,9163,979
Gering69-0.22%8,5168,612
Plainview70-0.23%1,2811,289
Scottsbluff71-0.24%14,22514,438
Wisner72-0.25%1,2211,240
Gothenburg73-0.26%3,4213,475
Gretna74-0.3%9,1799,312
North Bend75-0.32%1,2591,272
Papillion76-0.34%25,04125,487
Oakland77-0.37%1,3321,373
Geneva78-0.38%2,0922,141
Terrytown79-0.38%1,0361,058
Alliance80-0.39%7,8838,158
La Vista81-0.39%16,47816,777
Chadron82-0.4%4,9555,180
West Point83-0.44%3,3963,503
Mitchell84-0.46%1,5061,543
Cambridge85-0.47%1,0611,070
Tecumseh86-0.47%1,6871,722
Alma87-0.5%1,0041,032
Ainsworth88-0.5%1,5771,620
Bennington89-0.51%1,9582,020
Wymore90-0.52%1,3341,372
Creighton91-0.54%1,1071,149
Bridgeport92-0.56%1,4131,461
Ogallala93-0.62%4,6694,869
Fullerton94-0.65%1,2201,256
Fairbury95-0.71%3,7853,973
McCook96-0.71%7,1067,414
Bayard97-0.74%1,0791,131
Falls City98-0.78%3,9574,131
North Platte99-0.87%22,32823,305
Kimball100-0.88%2,2512,278
Pender101-0.99%1,0951,128
Madison102-1.02%2,1402,267
Hebron103-1.08%1,3691,452
Ravenna104-1.15%1,3811,443
Gordon105-1.2%1,4001,506
Grant106-1.3%1,1431,201
Sutherland107-1.47%1,2071,299
Imperial108-1.48%1,9332,065

Nebraska Growth Overview

Nebraska's cities with over 1,000 residents show varied growth patterns from 2020 to 2025. Hickman leads with 4.29% annualized growth, followed by Eagle (2.4%) and Valley (2.14%). The largest population centers are Omaha (487,917), Lincoln (303,375), and Bellevue (64,762). Of the 108 cities over 1,000 population, 52 are growing while 56 experienced population decline. Overall, cities averaged 0.06% annualized growth, with total urban population growing by 1.01% annually.