The Safest and Most Dangerous Cities in Nebraska
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August 15, 2025
The Cornhusker State is a great place to call home. There is outstanding football, even better people and plenty of space to spread out and enjoy life to the fullest. If you are considering moving to this state, you will find ample opportunities and some great places to make your own.
However, as with any other state, some places are considered safer than others. Knowing these facts can help direct your decision so that you live somewhere just right for you. So, let’s dive in and learn more about Nebraska's best (and worst) places for property and violent crimes.
Nebraska cities with the highest and lowest crime rates
(per 100,000 people)
| Cities with the highest property crime rates | |
|---|---|
| Scottsbluff | 4,472 |
| Chadron | 2,782 |
| Lincoln | 2,686 |
| Cities with the highest violent crime rates | |
|---|---|
| Valentine | 501 |
| Grand Island | 409 |
| Crete | 386 |
| Cities with the lowest property crime rates | |
|---|---|
| Broken Bow | 29 |
| Ashland | 30 |
| Tekamah | 58 |
| Cities with the lowest violent crime rates | |
|---|---|
| Wahoo | 20 |
| Ashland | 30 |
| Valley | 31 |
Note: Excluding cities with crime rates of zero. Source: 2023 FBI Data
Best Cities in Nebraska for Property and Violent Crimes
The cities that are the best for violent crimes include Wahoo and Ashland.
Wahoo
Wahoo is a small town in Nebraska, boasting about 4,885 people.1 While it has a lot of small-town charm, it is close to several major cities in the state, including Lincoln, Omaha and Fremont, so residents have a lot of choices for where to work and where to have fun.
The average income in Wahoo is currently at just over $65,0002, which can make for a comfortable living. The prime location, the small town setting and the healthy income make this a good place to call home and may help limit the number of violent crimes that happen here.
Ashland
Ashland is another small town located between Lincoln and Omaha. This allows residents to get a small-town feel while still enjoying some of the amenities available in the larger cities of Nebraska. The 2023 population of Ashland was just over 3,000, making it a cozy town to call home.3
While the population has seen a small decrease due to people moving closer to the cities, the poverty rate has also gone down in this area. This makes it a safer place to live as many people don’t have to worry about violence due to a lack of income. Ashland is also one of the best for property crimes, likely due to the same reasons that it is low in violent crimes.
Broken Bow
The city with the lowest property crime rate was Broken Bow. Broken Bow is a small town in Nebraska with just around 3,500 people. The population grew slightly between 2022 and 2023 and income grew at a rate of 14.2 percent, making it a more affordable place to live.
Broken Bow is relatively isolated, close to the middle of the state. However, it is still within driving distance to several places for work and entertainment, including Kearney, Grand Island and North Platte. Residents can enjoy the small-town feel and be further from some of the violent crime issues of places like Grand Island while still getting the benefits of working there.
Worst Cities in Nebraska for Property and Violent Crimes
Valentine
Valentine is considered one of the worst places in Nebraska for violent crimes. It has a population of 2632 and a poverty rate of 7.15%. The median household income was $53,438 in 2023, an increase over the previous year and the median property value was $135,600.4
Valentine is located near the state border in a remote area and it isn’t close to any major city that would provide work opportunities. This can make it more of a hot spot for violent crimes since there are fewer economic opportunities available to residents.
Grand Island
Grand Island is larger than some others on our list and is considered the third-largest city in Nebraska (outside of Nebraska Cornhusker home games, where the number of people in the stadium takes that honor). Grand Island’s population in 2023 was 52,622 people.5
The biggest issue that may contribute to violent crimes in Grand Island is the decrease in income. The median income in 2023 was $62,439, down 6% from 2020 and is only 79.5% of the U.S. median household income.6
Scottsbluff
Scottsbluff is all on its own, far away from most of the other people in the state. You can find this smaller town, with just over 14,000 people, in the state's panhandle.7 It’s several hours away from any major city in Nebraska and it may be close to the Colorado border, but not near Denver or any of those towns. Going north to South Dakota or south to Kansas doesn’t lend well to finding opportunities either.
Scottsbluff also has an unemployment rate of 4%,8 which is higher than the national average. Combined with its remote location, this can make it hard to find a good job. Lack of opportunity can lead to property crime.
Chadron
The city of Chadron boasts 5,145 people as of 20239. It is also located in the state's panhandle, close to Scottsbluff and the South Dakota border. This location has few good jobs or opportunities, which can lead to problems with property crimes.
Chadron's cost of living is 90% lower than the national average, but its median income is 48% lower.10 Its unemployment is also high, so it is difficult to find work to make enough to pay the bills. This can lead to more property crimes per person than in other parts of the state.
Nebraska Crime Trends
Compared to many other states in the country, Nebraska is a relatively safe place to call home.
Nebraska is ranked #40 for violent crime and #17 for property crime out of all 50 states. They currently have about 230 violent crimes per 100,00 people, which is 37% below the national average. This is a year-over-year change of -18.8%, which means that violent crimes have actually gone down.
Property crimes are a bit more common, with 1,976 incidents per 100,000 people. This is about 3% above the national average and rates have increased by 4.6% in one year. Residents should be on the lookout for some property damage that can happen in the cities and other towns we discussed above.
Property crime rates
(per 100,000 residents)
| Type of Crime | Nebraska |
|---|---|
| Burglary | 169.5 |
| Larceny | 1,389.5 |
| Vehicle theft | 417.1 |
When it comes to property crimes, larceny-theft is the most common, but it is only 3.1% above the national average. Vehicle theft is next, at 30.9% above the national average. Burglary is much less common in Nebraska than in the rest of the country, coming in at 32.4% below the nationwide average.
Violent crime rates
(per 100,000 residents)
| Type of Crime | Nebraska |
|---|---|
| Murder | 3.2 |
| Aggravated assault | 151.8 |
| Robbery | 26.3 |
| Rape | 48.4 |
Most violent crime rates are below-average in Nebraska, with murder at 43.9% and robbery at 60.5% below the national average. However, Nebraska’s rape rate was 27.4% higher than the national average.
Where Our Crime Data Comes From
Unless specified otherwise, the information in this article is based on crime data compiled by the FBI and made available through the Crime Data Explorer. Statewide violent and property crime statistics are drawn from the FBI’s 2023 Crime in the United States Report (Table 5) and, for city-level crime rates, we referred to Table 8, which lists reported offenses by state and city.
Important note: Crime statistics offer valuable insights, but they aren’t the only way to evaluate a community’s safety. Local context, law enforcement practices and reporting standards can all influence how crime is recorded. Additionally, FBI publication tables and the data displayed on the Crime Data Explorer may differ slightly due to variations in methodology.
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References
- Data USA. Wahoo, NE.
https://datausa.io/profile/geo/wahoo-ne/ - Point2Homes. Wahoo, NE Demographics.
https://www.point2homes.com/US/Neighborhood/NE/Wahoo-Demographics.html - Data USA. Ashland, NE.
https://datausa.io/profile/geo/ashland-ne/ - Data USA. Valentine, NE.
https://datausa.io/profile/geo/valentine-ne/ - U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts. Grand Island city, Nebraska.
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/grandislandcitynebraska/PST045224 - Neilsberg Research. (2025, Mar 3). Grand Island, NE Median Household Income – 2025 Update.
https://www.neilsberg.com/insights/grand-island-ne-median-household-income/ - U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts. Scottsbluff city, Nebraska.
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/scottsbluffcitynebraska/PST045224 - YCharts. (2025, Mar 31). Scottsbluff, NE Unemployment Rate.
https://ycharts.com/indicators/scottsbluff_ne_unemployment_rate_micsa - U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts. Chadron city, Nebraska.
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/chadroncitynebraska/PST045224 - Local Observer Daily. Chadron, Nebraska: Living in Chadron – Pros and Cons, Cost of Living, Crime Rate, Demographics.
https://www.localobserverdaily.com/nebraska/chadron/4095#google_vignette