Helping to improve our quality of life and economy.

Economy and Fast Facts

The economy in Nebraska is very agricultural based. Nebraska ranked second in 1997 for cattle production. Cattle, corn, soybeans, and wheat are all things that are produced in the state of Nebrasksa. Already home to five Fortune 500 companies, the Cornhusker State has a balanced economic base and is ready to grow. 

  • Population: 1.88 million (2014); Capital: Lincoln, GOP: $112.2 billion (2014); Land Area: 76,824 square miles
  • Employment breakdown: 20.3% Trade, Transport and Utilities; 17.2% Government; 15.3% Education and Health Services; 11.1% Professional and Business Services; 9.5% Manufacturing; 8.8% Leisure and Hospitality; 7.4% Financial Activities; 4.7% Mining, Logging and Construction; 3.9% Other Services; 1.7% Information
  • Visitor spending: $4.5 billion; Employment: 44,965; Tax receipts: $627.2 million (all 2013)
  • Supported by a diverse economic base, a high quality labor force (at 88.5%, its high school graduation rate was the second-highest in the country in 2012-2013) and relative resilience during the recession, Nebraska's unemployment rate is the lowest in the nation (as of August 2015), at 2.8%. Plus, in 2014, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ranked the state first for labor force utilization - the share of working age adults in or actively seeking employment.
  • You can't get much more central than Nebraska. Located in the heart of the U.S., it has long been a hub for railroad and trucking companies, and now other logistics companies are becoming more aware of the potential offered by two Class I rail systems, seven north-south highways and the presence of I-80, which stretches from one end of the state to the other, and on to the coast at each end. Some 55 million consumers are located within a 500-mile radius, while 90% of the nation can be reached in two trucking days.
  • Nebraska farms and ranches utilize 45.3 million acres - 92% of the state's total land area.
  • Nebraska rankings: #1 for lowest average car repair costs (carMD.com, 2014), #3 Best states for young people (MoneyRates.com, 2013), #5 Best states for military retirees (WalletHub.com, 2014), #5 Least stressed out state (Movoto, 2014), #7 States with highest well-being (Gallup-Healthways, 2014).
  • Nebraska is home to nearly 24,000 miles of rivers and streams.

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