Dr. W. C. Wightman House · National Register of Historic Places
Wayne’s story
Wayne in pictures
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
WayneNE
A town of 6,121. Public schools that outperform most of Nebraska.
Photo: Ammodramus · Public domain
Population
6,121
+5.5% since 2010
Typical home
$247K
+6.8% in a year
Household income
$54K
median
Median age
23.2
years
Jobs based here
3,093
Balanced
What makes Wayne stand out
The 3 things Wayne does most differently from other towns.
College town
31% of Wayne is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Wayne’s report card
SchoolsB+Beats 66% of NE districtsCommute1 miHalf of commuters travel lessHousing$247K12% below the NE typical homeHealthB+Healthier than 72% of U.S. townsOutdoors1 mi#16 for trails in NESafetyA−Less crime than 80% of U.S. townsClimate85°/11°Summer high · winter low · 32″ snowHazards61/100High risk of storm & flood damage
Now in Wayne
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Wayne is #61 of 61 in NE for “Oldest”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Wayne’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →69°
Cloudy
H 0° · L 59°
Local news
All →- Scotus Girls Varsity Volleyball @ Waynemaxpreps.com · Sep 26
- Norfolk Catholic Boys Varsity Basketball @ Waynemaxpreps.com · Sep 26
- Winnebago Girls Varsity Basketball @ Waynemaxpreps.com · Sep 25
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Wayne. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Wayne’s public schools outperform 66% of Nebraska districts
The public schools Wayne’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 66% of Nebraska’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
B+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne Elementary School | PK–6 | 499 | A− |
| St. Mary Elementary School Private | PK–6 | 40 | |
| Wayne Junior High School | 7–8 | 148 | C+ |
| Wayne High School | 9–12 | 323 | A+ |
| Wayne Early Learning Center | PK | 46 | Not graded |
| Tower School | PK–12 | — | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NE on state tests and graduationAll 6 schools →
Work & commute
About half of working residents work right in Wayne
51% of Wayne’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Wakefield (6%), Norfolk (5%) and Omaha (5%). Half commute less than 1 miles.
51%work in town
Where working residents work
In Wayne51%
Wakefield6%
Norfolk5%
Omaha5%
Lincoln3%
1 mi
median commute distance
3,093
jobs based in Wayne
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Housing
A typical Wayne home is worth about $247K
The typical Wayne home is worth about $247,000, up 6.8% in a year, 12% below the Nebraska typical home.
$247KZillow home value
Typical home value
Wayne$247K
Nebraska$281K
+6.8%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 72% of U.S. towns
Wayne beats the Nebraska average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8.
B+Health Grade
32 measures vs. Nebraska
7 better17 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Wayne | NE |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.8% | 8.3% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 17.9% | 24% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18.9% | 12.4% |
Providence Medical Center
0.3 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
74th
percentile among NE towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Outdoors
3.1% of Wayne is conserved land
1.4 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves.
#16for trails in NE
3.1%
conserved · 58 of 1,874 acres
1.4 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bressler Park | 0.3 mi | 3 |
| 2. Sunnyview Park | — | 3 |
| 3. Swimming Pool Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 80% of U.S. towns
Wayne reports less crime per resident than 80% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
A−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Wayne1
Nebraska2.2
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Wayne3.8
Nebraska14
U.S.15.5
80th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
76th
percentile among NE towns
6
violent crimes reported in 2025
24
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Wayne has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 32 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
32″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–33°
Spring36–60°
Summer61–83°
Fall38–62°
Oct 11
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 61% of U.S. communities.
61risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Landmarks
4 places in Wayne on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Wayne
9 notable people were born in Wayne.
About Wayne
City in Wayne County, Nebraska, United States
Wayne is a city in Wayne County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Wayne had a population of 5,973. It is the county seat of Wayne County and the home of Wayne State College.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 5,973
- Area
- 2.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,453 ft
- ZIP code
- 68787
- Area code
- 402
More about Wayne
Still missing for Wayne:archive photosupcoming events