Moving to Norfolk, Nebraska

by btobers · Published June 20, 2019 · Updated November 18, 2024

Norfolk, Nebraska is a city of 24,000 people located in Madison County, on the banks of the Elkhorn River. It is part of the Sioux City metropolitan area, and is approximately 100 miles northwest of Omaha. The climate in Norfolk is classified as humid continental, with hot summers and cold winters. The average summer temperature is 75°F (24°C), while the average winter temperature is 25°F (-4°C).

The history of Norfolk began in 1866 when it was founded by Charles W. Waters. In 1873, it was incorporated as a village and later as a city in 1881. Since then, Norfolk has experienced steady population growth and economic development. In recent decades, it has become a regional center for health care services. Politically, Norfolk leans towards the Democratic Party and has elected Democrats to represent them at all levels of government since 2000.

The economy of Norfolk relies heavily on health care services and retail trade. The city also serves as a regional center for banking and finance services due to its proximity to Omaha and Sioux City. Education in the area includes several public elementary schools operated by the Norfolk Public Schools system along with two private schools: St Mary’s Catholic School and Immanuel Lutheran School. Higher education opportunities are available at Northeast Community College located just outside of town which offers associate degrees in many fields including nursing, business administration, engineering technology, criminal justice and more.

As far as landmarks go, there are several notable attractions that draw tourists to the area each year including Skyview Plaza which features an observation tower with views over downtown; Ta-Ha-Zouka Park which offers fishing ponds; historic buildings such as The Schwan Building; an outdoor amphitheater; art galleries like Gallery 505; museums such as Madison County Historical Society Museum; several parks; golf courses; theatres; shopping centers; farmers markets; wineries/breweries/cideries/distilleries – all within close proximity to one another!

Population: 23,516. Estimated population in July 2024: 23,946 (+1.8% change)
Males: 11,425 (48.6%), Females: 12,091 (51.4%)

Madison County

Zip codes: 68701.

Demographics

Median resident age: 33.8 years
Median household income: $34,609
Median house value: $83,000

Population by Race

Races in Norfolk:

White Non-Hispanic (88.6%)
Hispanic (7.6%)
Other race (4.2%)
American Indian (1.9%)
Two or more races (1.2%)
Black (1.2%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

Ancestries: German (49.9%), Irish (11.7%), English (6.6%), Swedish (5.4%), Czech (5.0%), United States (3.8%).

Elevation: 1525 feet

Land area: 10.0 square miles

Population by Education

Norfolk, Nebraska is a small city located in the northeastern corner of the state. With a population of approximately 24,000 people, it is the seventh-largest city in Nebraska. The median household income for Norfolk is $45,941, which is slightly below the national average. The median home value in Norfolk is $130,500, which is also lower than the national average.

The cost of living in Norfolk is relatively low compared to other cities in Nebraska and across the nation. The average price of a home in Norfolk is around $150 per square foot, with rent averaging around $600 per month for a two-bedroom apartment. Utilities are also affordable; electricity and natural gas rates are about 10% lower than the national average. Transportation costs are reasonable as well; gas prices are typically 5-10% lower than national averages. Groceries and dining out tend to be inexpensive as well; most restaurants offer meals for under $15 per person. In addition to this affordability, there are plenty of amenities available to residents of Norfolk such as shopping centers, parks and recreation centers, museums and art galleries.

For population 25 years and over in Norfolk

High school or higher: 83.6%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 18.9%
Graduate or professional degree: 5.4%
Unemployed: 5.5%
Mean travel time to work: 12.5 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Norfolk city

Never married: 28.9%
Now married: 54.3%
Separated: 1.0%
Widowed: 7.3%
Divorced: 8.5%

4.9% Foreign born (4.0% Latin America, 0.7% Asia).

Population change in the 1990s: +2,138 (+10.0%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers in Norfolk:

FAITH REGIONAL HEALTH SERVICES (2700 WEST NORFOLK AVE)
NORFOLK REGIONAL CENTER (1700 NORTH VICTORY RD P O BOX 1209)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Norfolk:

OSMOND GENERAL HOSPITAL (about 26 miles; OSMOND, NE)
TILDEN COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (about 30 miles; TILDEN, NE)
PROVIDENCE MEDICAL CENTER (about 30 miles; WAYNE, NE)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Norfolk:

KARL STEFAN MEMORIAL (about 4 miles; NORFOLK, NE; Abbreviation: OFK)
CHAN GURNEY MUNI (about 61 miles; YANKTON, SD; Abbreviation: YKN)
SIOUX GATEWAY/COL. BUD DAY FIELD (about 77 miles; SIOUX CITY, IA; Abbreviation: SUX)

Other public-use airports nearest to Norfolk:

WAYNE MUNI (about 35 miles; WAYNE, NE; Abbreviation: LCG)
BLOOMFIELD MUNI (about 41 miles; BLOOMFIELD, NE; Abbreviation: 84Y)
HARTINGTON MUNI (about 41 miles; HARTINGTON, NE; Abbreviation: 0B4)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/Universities in Norfolk:

NORTHEAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 2,732; Location: 801 E BENJAMIN; Public; Website: alpha.necc.cc.ne.us)
NEBRASKA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 151; Location: 1800 SYRACUSE; Private, not-for-profit; Website: nechristian.edu)

Other colleges/universities with over 2000 students near Norfolk:

WAYNE STATE COLLEGE (about 30 miles; WAYNE, NE; Full-time enrollment: 3,026)
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA (about 63 miles; VERMILLION, SD; Full-time enrollment: 6,014)
WESTERN IOWA TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 80 miles; SIOUX CITY, IA; Full-time enrollment: 2,639)
SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE AREA (about 98 miles; LINCOLN, NE; Full-time enrollment: 5,137)
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT LINCOLN (about 98 miles; LINCOLN, NE; Full-time enrollment: 19,806)
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA (about 101 miles; OMAHA, NE; Full-time enrollment: 10,150)
CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY (about 101 miles; OMAHA, NE; Full-time enrollment: 5,806)

Schools

Public high schools in Norfolk:

NORFOLK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,052; Grades: 10 – 12)
ALTERNATIVES FOR SUCCESS SCH (Students: 30; Grades: 09 – 12)

Private high schools in Norfolk:

NORFOLK CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 408; Location: 2300 MADISON AVE; Grades: 6 – 12)
LUTHERAN HIGH NORTHEAST (Students: 85; Location: PO BOX 2454; Grades: 9 – 12)

Biggest public primary/middle schools in Norfolk:

NORFOLK JR HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 688; Grades: 07 – 09)
BEL AIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 331; Grades: PK – 06)
NORFOLK MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 311; Grades: 04 – 08)
WESTSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 307; Grades: PK – 06)
WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 272; Grades: PK – 06)
JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 271; Grades: PK – 06)
WOODLAND PARK ELEMENTARY SCH (Students: 251; Grades: PK – 06)
GRANT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 189; Grades: PK – 06)
NORTHERN HILLS ELEM SCHOOL (Students: 175; Grades: PK – 06)
LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 166; Grades: PK – 06)

Private primary/middle schools in Norfolk:

CHRIST LUTHERAN SCHOOL (Students: 412; Location: 511 SOUTH 5TH STREET; Grades: PK – 8)
SACRED HEART ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 382; Location: 201 S. 6TH ST.; Grades: PK – 5)
ST PAULS LUTHERAN SCHOOL (Students: 117; Location: 1010 GEORGIA AVENUE; Grades: PK – 8)
CHRIST IS KING COMMUNITY SCH (Students: 51; Location: 203 S 8TH STREET; Grades: PK – 9)
PARK AVENUE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (Students: 43; Location: 401 EAST PARK AVENUE; Grades: KG – 9)

Libraries

Library in Norfolk:

NORFOLK PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $1,074,732; Location: 308 PROSPECT AVENUE; 75,146 books; 2,634 audio materials; 1,841 video materials; 190 serial subscriptions)