These Are The 10 Hardest Working Places In Nebraska

Discover the 10 Hardest Working Places in Nebraska for 2026

Nebraska is renowned as a land of opportunity, where dedication and hard work can lead to a better life for individuals and their families. In this Cornhusker State, there are communities that exemplify the strongest work ethic, making them the hardest working places in Nebraska.

So, which area tops the list for its relentless dedication to hard work? That honor goes to Chalco, the hardest working place in Nebraska, where residents take their commitment to work seriously, often turning their daily commute into a significant endeavor.

Curious about where else in Nebraska residents are putting in the extra hours? Here are the top contenders for hard work, where you might need to arrive early and stay late to keep up with the competition for promotions:

Attention, McCook! As we delve into the metrics behind this ranking, there are insights to be gained from the work ethic observed in other parts of the state.

For more insights into career opportunities in Nebraska, explore:

How We Determined the Hardest Working Places in Nebraska

At Zippia, we rely on data to tackle tough questions. In our analysis of Nebraska’s hardest working communities, we used the latest American Community Survey data to identify key factors that contribute to a strong work ethic.

We evaluated various criteria to rank Nebraska’s cities, including:

Average hours worked
Average commute time
Workers per household (employed labor force divided by the number of households)
Labor force participation rate
Adults with a college degree

Our analysis suggested that communities with higher educational attainment, longer working hours, and greater workforce participation rates are indicative of a strong work ethic. After ranking all the cities based on these criteria, we averaged the rankings to create a hardworking index. The city with the lowest index earned the title of the “Hardest Working Place in Nebraska” — and this year, that distinction belongs to Chalco.

Dive deeper into the metrics below to discover more about what makes each of these cities stand out in terms of hard work.

1. Chalco

Population: 10,811 College Graduates: 32.0%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 39.8
Workers Per Household: 1.7

2. Gretna

Population: 5,416 College Graduates: 35.9%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 39.8
Workers Per Household: 1.5

3. La Vista

Population: 17,125 College Graduates: 33.8%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 40.0
Workers Per Household: 1.5

4. Papillion

Population: 21,100 College Graduates: 39.2%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 38.5
Workers Per Household: 1.5

5. Sidney

Population: 6,801 College Graduates: 25.9%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 41.0
Workers Per Household: 1.3

6. Chadron

Population: 5,829 College Graduates: 42.6%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 37.5
Workers Per Household: 1.4

7. Blair

Population: 7,990 College Graduates: 29.8%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 38.2
Workers Per Household: 1.3

8. Kearney

Population: 31,759 College Graduates: 35.9%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 37.3
Workers Per Household: 1.5

9. Holdrege

Population: 5,506 College Graduates: 25.5%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 41.0
Workers Per Household: 1.2

10. Wayne

Population: 5,578 College Graduates: 47.0%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 33.4
Workers Per Household: 1.6

Detailed List of Hardest Working Places in Nebraska

City	Rank	Population	College Graduates	Average Hours Worked Per Week	Workers Per Household
Chalco	1	10,811	32.0%	39.8	1.7
Gretna	2	5,416	35.9%	39.8	1.5
La Vista	3	17,125	33.8%	40.0	1.5
Papillion	4	21,100	39.2%	38.5	1.5
Sidney	5	6,801	25.9%	41.0	1.3
Chadron	6	5,829	42.6%	37.5	1.4
Blair	7	7,990	29.8%	38.2	1.3
Kearney	8	31,759	35.9%	37.3	1.5
Holdrege	9	5,506	25.5%	41.0	1.2
Wayne	10	5,578	47.0%	33.4	1.6
Seward	11	7,050	29.8%	36.4	1.4
Ralston	12	6,826	25.1%	38.1	1.5
Lincoln	13	265,811	36.2%	37.2	1.4
York	14	7,878	25.6%	37.5	1.3
Omaha	15	435,454	33.8%	38.1	1.4
Plattsmouth	16	6,473	17.1%	40.0	1.3
Columbus	17	22,436	21.9%	39.7	1.4
Bellevue	18	52,690	28.1%	38.1	1.4
Norfolk	19	24,364	22.3%	38.5	1.4
Gering	20	8,463	20.4%	39.4	1.3
Hastings	21	25,030	21.7%	39.6	1.3
Fremont	22	26,483	19.5%	39.1	1.3
Grand Island	23	50,059	17.2%	38.9	1.5
Lexington	24	10,189	9.5%	39.2	1.8
Beatrice	25	12,183	21.5%	39.0	1.2
Schuyler	26	6,195	8.1%	39.3	1.7
Alliance	27	8,501	15.4%	42.4	1.2
Crete	28	7,055	14.4%	37.1	1.5
Nebraska City	29	7,279	19.8%	39.0	1.2
Scottsbluff	30	14,998	22.5%	38.8	1.3
South Sioux City	31	13,375	10.7%	38.9	1.5
North Platte	32	24,532	19.2%	39.3	1.2
McCook	33	7,670	17.6%	38.9	1.2

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Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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