What it's like to live in Papillion
Papillion is a small city in Nebraska with rent below the national average, unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Papillion deals with cold, harsh winters, snowy winters, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 36" per year
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Papillion compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Papillion
Based on Papillion's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,538
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $50,760 a year
- 41% of Papillion renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$62,200
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $31,100
- Homes cost 2.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 10% below US
$1,269/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,269 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $311,000. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $311,000 · 41% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 33% below US
2.9% unemployment
Unemployment here is 2.9%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 86% below US
48 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 663/100k · Papillion Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 12% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 16°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 33% above US
48% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 48% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
12 public schools inside the boundary
There are 12 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail (11 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Papillion's strongest points are rent below the national average and unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold, harsh winters and snowy winters. A year of median rent ($1,269/mo) equals 14% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Papillion
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