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Living in
Hastings.
About
Life in Hastings
If you're considering Hastings, you're looking at a genuine small city where things actually work pretty well. The cost of living is reasonable—median home values around $185,000 and rents under $900 mean you're not stretching financially, and the job market is solid with unemployment at 2.9%. The community has real substance beyond the Kool-Aid nostalgia: Hastings College and Central Community College bring intellectual energy, and the schools are solid.
Hastings at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.8%
Foreign-Born
6.9%
Broadband Internet
89.6%
of households
Population Growth
-0.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Hastings: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Hastings, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (41.9%), and 10.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.6%
of residents
65 and Older
18.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.8%
of households
Married Couples
43.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.24
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 20% below NE average
Rent, home values, and income in Hastings
In Hastings, rent runs 20% below the NE average, and home values are 23% below the NE average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.7%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,846
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
65.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1964
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $201,848 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for NE
Unemployment in Hastings
Unemployment in Hastings is close to the NE average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Hastings Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute13.8 min avg
How Hastings residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Hastings, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 27 mi
Central Nebraska Regional Airport (GRI)
Regional airport · few flights76k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 28% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Hastings runs 28% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
238.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,458.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Hastings Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
64.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Adams County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Adams County, which includes Hastings, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.5M |
| 2023 | 33 | Drought | $3.0M |
| 2022 | 31 | Drought | $26.6M |
| 2021 | 22 | Hail | $1.6M |
| 2020 | 25 | Winter Weather | $385,000 |
| 2019 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | $21.8M |
| 2018 | 20 | Winter Weather | $5.4M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
8 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Adams County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Hall County, NE (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 20 miles from Hastings) is typically good — 278 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
34
Good Days
278
per year
Moderate Days
57
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Hall County, NE (20 mi away)
Climate86°F summers, 18°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Hastings has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
63°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
39°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
28.2"
Annual Snowfall
28.6"
Hot Days/Year
36
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
139
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
91
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 16°F | 0.55" |
| Feb | 41°F | 19°F | 0.75" |
| Mar | 53°F | 29°F | 1.33" |
| Apr | 63°F | 39°F | 2.70" |
| May | 73°F | 51°F | 4.35" |
| Jun | 84°F | 62°F | 3.67" |
| Jul | 88°F | 66°F | 3.62" |
| Aug | 85°F | 64°F | 3.42" |
| Sep | 79°F | 54°F | 2.06" |
| Oct | 65°F | 41°F | 1.96" |
| Nov | 51°F | 28°F | 1.13" |
| Dec | 39°F | 19°F | 0.86" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Hastings
Hastings has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Mary Lanning Healthcare
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Hastings
Hastings's student/teacher ratio is 13.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 29.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
29.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Hastings
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 891 students · in-state tuition $39,280 · 57% graduate · median earnings $56,094 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Homestead National Historical Park, 85 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Hastings
Hastings has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Homestead National Historical Park (85 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Homestead National Historical Park
National Historical Park
85 mi awayPublic Libraries in Hastings
Hastings Public Library
314 N Denver Av, Hastings
Cities Near Hastings
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Hastings?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Hastings FAQ
Is Hastings, Nebraska affordable?⌄
Hastings's median rent is $858/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $64,048/year. Median home value is $184,700.
Is Hastings, Nebraska safe?⌄
Hastings's violent crime rate was 239 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1459 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Hastings, Nebraska?⌄
Hastings has an unemployment rate of 2.9%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Hastings, Nebraska?⌄
The cost of living in Hastings is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $858/month and median household income is $64,048/year. The median home value is $184,700. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Hastings, Nebraska?⌄
The average commute in Hastings is 14 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from