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Dalton vs Johnson

370 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (7 min in Johnson).

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Dalton, NEKnown for its schoolsNebraska · 435 people
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Johnson, NEKnown for its schoolsNebraska · 339 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

DaltonKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 85%of NE districts Housing$196K typical home30% below the NE typical home All about Dalton →
JohnsonKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 99%of NE districts All about Johnson →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Average commute7 min
Johnson has the shorter commute
Dalton 39 minJohnson 32 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $360 more a month in Johnson

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Dalton$1,250/mo
Typical home $196K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.35% · or rent about $883/mo · Housing →
Johnson$1,600/mo
Typical home $253K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.33% · or rent about $950/mo · Housing →

The difference: $360 a month, about $4,300 a year, between Johnson and Dalton.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Nebraska ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
ADaltonBetter than 85% of districts in the state A+JohnsonBetter than 99% of districts in the state
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
DaltonJohnson
Snow a year48″30″
January low20°F14°F
July high87°F87°F
Growing season (days)166d167d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)50th57th
Outdoors & history
DaltonJohnson
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—0%
National Register places1—
Famous people born here—1
Community
DaltonJohnson
Library hours a week10 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

370 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DaltonNEJohnsonNE
Dalton ↔ Johnson370 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

DaltonJohnson
People
Population 435Highest 339Lowest
Median age 36.9±24.8Highest about the NE average 33.3±7.8Lowest 10% below NE
Dalton and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.2%±7.6Lowest NE: 24.5% 37.2%±7.7Highest NE: 24.5%
Johnson and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 24.8%±3.9Highest NE: 16.7% 15.9%±5.5Lowest NE: 16.7%
Dalton and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 35.4%Highest NE: 34.6% 28.2%Lowest NE: 34.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.8%±3.8Highest NE: 6.6% 1.2%±3.3Lowest NE: 6.6%
Dalton and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $66,042±$26kHighest 14% below NE $59,875±$15kLowest 22% below NE
Dalton and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $95,700±$12kLowest 60% below NE $107,800±$25kHighest 55% below NE
Johnson and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $883±$376Lowest 18% below NE $950±$127Highest 11% below NE
Johnson and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,291Lowest 64% below NE $1,429Highest 60% below NE
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 25%±89.6Lowest NE: 45.1% 28.6%±69.2Highest NE: 45.1%
Johnson and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.7%Lowest NE: 10.6% 10.6%Highest NE: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 88%Highest NE: 66.5% 83.2%Lowest NE: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year 1944Lowest 31 yrs older than NE 1950Highest 25 yrs older than NE
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 39 minHighest 103% above NE 32 minLowest 67% above NE
Work from home 25.1%±22.5Highest NE: 11% 4.7%±4.5Lowest NE: 11%
Dalton and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.2%Lowest 5.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.3 miLowest 33.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.69Lowest 0.78Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Sidney (33%)Auburn (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in JohnsonFew work in Dalton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 1.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 120Lowest 128Highest
Schools
School district LEYTON PUBLIC SCHOOLSJOHNSON-BROCK PUBLIC SCHOOLS
High school in town Leyton High SchoolHigh School at Johnson
Students per teacherat that high school 7.2Lowest 11.6Highest
Nebraska average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Dalton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dalton’s Town Square.

Johnson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Johnson’s Town Square.

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Towns like Dalton

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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