You May Just Want To Drop Everything And Move To Holdrege, The Happiest Town In Nebraska

Nebraska is packed with charming small towns and incredible places to live. This state is blessed to have innumerable spots that anyone would be proud to call home. Though it seems like an impossible task, researchers from career-search platform Zippia managed to narrow down the top ten happiest places to live in Nebraska, and one little town came out on top. Here’s why Holdrege may be the most delightful spot in the state.

Wikimedia Commons/Ammodramus

Holdrege is a tiny city of just 5,506 people. It is located in Phelps County. It was established in 1883 when the railroad arrived and spans just 3.87 square miles. It’s a quiet place without much hustle and bustle, though the community is home to the Nebraska Prairie Museum. Holdrege is big enough to offer amenities like a fine performing arts center and modern hospital, but small enough that residents still feel like they’re part of a tight-knit village.

Related Stories

The Largest Tenderloins In Nebraska Require Two Buns At Six Mile Cafe

Few People Know The Real Reason Behind Nebraska Becoming The Corn Capital Of The World

Best Waterfalls in Nebraska: 9 Local Favorites & Hidden Gems

City of Holdredge

In order to make their selections, researchers used data from the 49 places in Nebraska with populations over 2,000 people. They looked at factors that have been shown to influence happiness, such as having a college degree, being employed, having a short commute to work, being and staying married, owning a home, and enjoying a low cost of living. They also tracked the poverty rate in each town.

Advertisement

City of Holdredge

Just about 58 percent of adults in Holdrege are married, which makes the city a stable place for families but not a hopeless spot to live for singles. Around 62 percent of people own their own homes rather than rent, which is a great indicator of prosperity. This is a place where you know your neighbors, the houses have inviting porches, and the wide streets are lined with big trees. Holdrege has a low crime rate and a great school system, which definitely makes for happy locals.

Give Holdrege a visit to see if this cheerful little town might be your new favorite destination. For more of the best small towns in Nebraska, click here.