Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Hastings, NE

    Is Hastings a good place to live?

    Watch Hastings

    Hastings ranks #6 of 8 Nebraska cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (46/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.4% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $177,200
    +13.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $858
    per month
    Household income
    $61,202
    median
    Unemployment
    2.7%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Hastings

    The median home value in Hastings is $177,200 and median rent is $858 a month, against a median household income of $61,202. Homes cost about 2.9× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Hastings crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Nebraska the 2025 rate was 223 violent and 1,404 property crimes per 100,000 people — #32 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Hastings, NE

    Hastings has about 25,005 residents, 2.7% unemployment and 17% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Hastings with

    Hastings vs OmahaHastings vs LincolnHastings vs BellevueHastings vs Grand IslandHastings vs KearneyHastings vs FremontHastings vs Norfolk

    More: Where to move in Nebraska · Best counties in Nebraska

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report