Cherry County, NE
Housing, jobs, water, deposits and federal obligations for this county, each figure with the release it came from. Internal point 42.57, -101.05.
Assembled 2026-10-06. Read the brief.
- 47th pct · 1,597th of 3,063 US counties · median $234,566
- 59th pct · 37th of 89 Nebraska counties · median $218,486
- 3rd pct · 2,969th of 3,063 US counties · median +2.9%
- 1st pct · 88th of 89 Nebraska counties · median +4.0%
- US counties: not published this period
- Nebraska counties: not published this period
- 17th pct · 2,651st of 3,221 US counties · median 8,232
- 51st pct · 46th of 93 Nebraska counties · median 2,151
- 14th pct · 2,769th of 3,221 US counties · median $1,039
- 22nd pct · 72nd of 93 Nebraska counties · median $970
- 65th pct · 1,062nd of 3,063 US counties · median 4.3
- 73rd pct · 24th of 89 Nebraska counties · median 4.1
Typical home value divided by the average annual wage of one covered job.
A percentile here is a min-max scaling of average rank: the smallest published value in the cohort is 0 and the largest is 100, and tied values share the average of the ranks they span. It is not the share of entities below the value, so 0 means smallest, not none below. Entities that did not publish the metric are outside the cohort entirely and are counted in neither the rank nor its denominator.
Home values #
Typical home $228,666 (Aug 2026), -6.6% over one year, +21.1% over five
- 47th pct · 1,597th of 3,063 US counties · median $234,566
- 59th pct · 37th of 89 Nebraska counties · median $218,486
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry County, NE | $228,666 · -6.6% 1-yr |
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), typical value of homes in the 35th to 65th percentile, smoothed and seasonally adjusted; a model estimate of value, not a sale price. Data through Zillow Research.
Rents #
Zillow publishes no rent index for this area (ZORI covers about 1,400 counties)
- US counties: not published this period
- Nebraska counties: not published this period
Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), smoothed, all homes and multifamily; price-to-rent = typical home / (typical rent × 12).
What the typical home costs to carry #
Principal and interest of $1,252 a month on $228,666 at 7.28%, against an average weekly wage worth $3,761 a month: 33.3% of one job’s pay.
- payment = P·r / (1 − (1+r)^−n), P = $228,666 × 80% = $182,932, r = 7.28%/12 (Freddie Mac PMMS via FRED, 2026-10-01), n = 360 → $1,252/mo principal and interest
- wage share = payment / (avg weekly wage $868 × 52 / 12 = $3,761) = 33% of one average job's pay (BLS QCEW 2026 Q1, all covered jobs)
- years of wages = $228,666 / ($868 × 52) = 5.1
The wage is one covered job’s average, not a household’s income, so this is the share of a single paycheque and not a mortgage underwriting ratio.
Estimate. Principal and interest on the typical home with 20% down over 30 years at this week's Freddie Mac average rate; compared with the average weekly wage of all jobs covered by unemployment insurance in the area (BLS QCEW), which is pay per job, not household income.
Jobs & wages #
2,175 jobs at 303 employers (2026 Q1); +1.4% jobs and +6.2% average weekly wage over the year
- 17th pct · 2,651st of 3,221 US counties · median 8,232
- 51st pct · 46th of 93 Nebraska counties · median 2,151
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry County, NE | 2,175 jobs · $868/wk · +1.4% YoY |
| NAICS sector | Jobs | Avg weekly wage | Location quotient | Jobs over the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 316 | $829 | 20.11 | +12.5% |
| Retail trade | 316 | $594 | 1.49 | -4.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 212 | $439 | 1.08 | +5.5% |
| Construction | 135 | $1,028 | 1.18 | +10.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 120 | $981 | 0.37 | +3.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 98 | $664 | 1.18 | +1.0% |
| Professional and technical services | 68 | $723 | 0.45 | -2.9% |
| Manufacturing | 61 | $517 | 0.35 | +22.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 46 | $1,210 | 0.52 | +15.0% |
| Other services | 42 | $837 | 0.65 | -8.7% |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 35 | $1,453 | 0.98 | -5.4% |
| Real estate and rental | 24 | $814 | 0.72 | +26.3% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, all ownerships, total covered employment in the quarter's third month; over-the-year changes as published. Suppressed cells stay blank.
Drought #
D0 abnormally dry
Sites found: 5, searched within 0 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 0 km away are not.
US Drought Monitor current week; the highest class of any polygon containing the point.
Reservoirs #
No reservoir gauges within 150 km (or the camera is above the gauge altitude)
Sites found: 0, searched within 150 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 150 km away are not.
Σ(capacity × percent full) / Σ capacity over TWDB reservoirs within 150 km. Texas only; elsewhere USGS reservoir elevation/storage is listed without a capacity to normalise by.
Stream gauges #
10 gauges · 0 flooding · 1 with quality panels averaging 100 % · 5 stale
Sites found: 10, searched within 75 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 75 km away are not.
| Site | Reading | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| USGS-425250100334501 | flow 46.0 ft³/s · STALE | 52 km |
| Niobrara R at Borman Bridge nr Valentine, Nebr. | stage 18.6 ft | 53 km |
| Niobrara R at Cornell Bridge nr Valentine, Nebr. | stage 8.53 ft | 59 km |
| LITTLE WHITE RIVER NEAR VETAL, SD | flow 70.1 ft³/s | 61 km |
| Tyler Falls at Ft Niobrara NWR nr Valentine, Nebr. | flow 0.94 ft³/s · STALE | 63 km |
| Big Beaver Cr at Nebr Hwy 12 nr Valentine, Nebr. | flow 0.09 ft³/s · STALE | 63 km |
| Niobrara River near Sparks, Nebr. | flow 598.0 ft³/s · quality 100 % (5) | 67 km |
| LAKE CR ABOVE REFUGE NEAR TUTHILL,SD | flow 22.0 ft³/s · STALE | 73 km |
| USGS-423552100085501 | flow 1.35 ft³/s · STALE | 74 km |
| LAKE CREEK BELOW REFUGE NEAR TUTHILL, SD | flow 14.3 ft³/s | 74 km |
USGS latest readings screened against EPA freshwater criteria (DO ≥ 5 mg/L, pH 6.5–9, conductance, turbidity, temperature); NWS flood categories where a NWPS gauge is co-located.
Groundwater #
13 wells in 1 named aquifer: High Plains aquifer
Sites found: 13, searched within 75 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 75 km away are not.
| Site | Reading | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| USGS-430153100531002 | depth 22.0 ft · 2026-10-05 | 53 km |
| USGS-430258100471401 | depth 45.7 ft · 2026-10-05 | 57 km |
| USGS-430154100411801 | depth 10.2 ft · 2026-10-05 | 59 km |
| USGS-430415100451501 | depth 20.9 ft · 2026-10-05 | 60 km |
| USGS-430726101033501 | depth 28.4 ft · 2026-10-05 | 61 km |
| USGS-430122100344501 | depth 14.5 ft · 2026-10-05 | 63 km |
| USGS-430314100372001 | depth 46.3 ft · 2026-10-05 | 64 km |
| High Plains aquifer | depth 3.03 ft · 2015-06-30 | 64 km |
USGS latest daily water levels. A single latest reading says where the table is, not which way it is moving; select a well for its 365-day trace.
Water stress #
low (0.00)
Σ wᵢ·termᵢ / Σ wᵢ = 0.35×0.00 + 0.2×0.00 / 0.55
Banks & federal dollars #
$385.3 m in deposits at 7 offices of 5 banks (SOD June 2026); HHI 2,885, highly concentrated. $41.9 m federal obligations in FY2026 (direct payments $33.6 m, grants $8.2 m), $19,266 per covered job
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Security First Bank | $157.8 m · 41.0% share · 3 offices | |
| Union Bank and Trust Company | $110.5 m · 28.7% share · 1 office | |
| Sandhills State Bank | $66.2 m · 17.2% share · 1 office | |
| Cherry, NE | $41.9 m FY2026 · $19,266/job | |
| MULTIPLE RECIPIENTS | $28.3 m · top recipient FY2026 |
| Institution | Deposits | Share | Offices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security First Bank | $157,822,000 | 41.0% | 3 |
| Union Bank and Trust Company | $110,500,000 | 28.7% | 1 |
| Sandhills State Bank | $66,207,000 | 17.2% | 1 |
| Wells Fargo Bank, National Association | $29,384,000 | 7.6% | 1 |
| BMO Bank National Association | $21,378,000 | 5.5% | 1 |
Deposit concentration is 2,885 across 5 banks, which the 1995 Department of Justice bank merger screen calls highly concentrated.
HHI = Σ (share %)² over 5 banks with deposits in the county = 41.0² + 28.7² + 17.2² + … (2 more) = 2,885
FDIC Summary of Deposits: deposits at every insured office as of June 30, annual; HHI is the sum of squared county deposit shares (DOJ 1995 bank merger screen: 1000 / 1800). USAspending: obligations by place of performance for the latest complete federal fiscal year (Oct 1 to Sep 30), what agencies committed, not what they paid out; recipients are legal entities. Per-job divides obligations by BLS QCEW covered employment.
Federal obligations #
USAspending place-of-performance obligations for FY2026, by awarding agency.
| Awarding agency | Obligations |
|---|---|
| Social Security Administration | $25,253,018 |
| Department of Transportation | $8,193,821 |
| Department of Agriculture | $5,266,186 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | $2,845,754 |
| Railroad Retirement Board | $203,841 |
| Department of the Interior | $70,112 |
| Federal Communications Commission | $40,415 |
| Department of Education | $18,059 |
| Department of Housing and Urban Development | $11,443 |
That is $19,266 per covered job, against 2,175 jobs in the 2026 Q1 QCEW quarter.
per job = FY2026 obligations $41.9 m / 2,175 covered jobs (BLS QCEW 2026 Q1, all ownerships) = $19,266
USAspending obligations are recorded where the work is performed, so a prime award performed here is counted here even when the recipient is headquartered elsewhere. Recipients are legal entities, never people.
National context, not this county #
These are United States, single-gauge, single-state and port series. None of them is keyed to this county.
| Series | Latest | As of | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River at Memphis, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Mississippi River at St. Louis, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Ohio River at Louisville, stage · ft | 12.69 | 2026-10-05 | +3.3% |
| Missouri River at St. Joseph, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Colorado River below Hoover Dam, flow (Hoover releases) · ft³/s | 5,170.00 | 2026-02-05 | -25.3% |
| Texas reservoirs, statewide percent full · % | 72.60 | 2026-10-06 | +0.0% |
| Laredo truck crossings, monthly · trucks | 258,700.00 | 2026-08-01 | -0.4% |
| Los Angeles + Long Beach container volume, annual · TEU | 10,513,167.00 | 2023-01-01 | -13.5% |
| Containerships waiting for a berth, all US ports · ships | 6.00 | 2026-09-22 | -14.3% |
| Shanghai to Los Angeles container rate · $ per 40 ft box | 6,830.00 | 2026-08-01 | +7.4% |
| US diesel retail price · $ per gallon | unavailable | not published | |
| WTI crude oil, spot · $ per barrel | 96.16 | 2026-09-29 | -3.2% |
| 30-year fixed mortgage rate · % | 7.28 | 2026-10-01 | +3.6% |
| Housing starts, annual rate · thousands of units | 1,275.00 | 2026-08-01 | -2.6% |
| Building permits, annual rate · thousands of units | 1,403.00 | 2026-08-01 | -2.1% |
| Case-Shiller US home price index · index, Jan 2000 = 100 | 337.31 | 2026-07-01 | +0.1% |
| Unemployment rate · % | 4.20 | 2026-09-01 | +2.4% |
| US goods and services trade balance, monthly · $ millions | -88,576.00 | 2026-07-01 | -24.4% |
| Retail sales excluding food services, monthly · $ millions | 646,347.00 | 2026-08-01 | +1.1% |
The indicator registry has no county-keyed series and no geographic selection: every entry is national, a named gauge, a single state or a port. They are here as the backdrop the county's own numbers move against, and they are never this county's readings.
What changed #
Cherry County, NE: 9 findings, 1 at an alert level, 2 at a watch level and 6 noted
alertCherry County, NE's typical home value is -6.6% against a year earlier, an alert level here: typical home value at least 5 percent below a year ago (arithmetic on Zillow ZHVI, county and metro files; convention chosen for this dashboard, not an official level). The previous published period is not in this table, so this is a standing level rather than a change.
Period 2026-08.Show the arithmetic
- test: home.yoyPct = -6.638046980480839 <= -5
arithmetic on Zillow ZHVI, county and metro files; convention chosen for this dashboard, not an official level
watchCherry County, NE's typical home value is -6.6% against a year earlier, a watch level here: typical home value below a year ago (arithmetic on Zillow ZHVI, county and metro files; not an official level). The previous published period is not in this table, so this is a standing level rather than a change.
Period 2026-08.Show the arithmetic
- test: home.yoyPct = -6.638046980480839 < 0
arithmetic on Zillow ZHVI, county and metro files; not an official level
watchCherry County, NE's covered employment of 2,175 scores 18 on the 0-to-100 scale across US counties but 51 across Nebraska counties, a gap of 33 points.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- 33 = |18 across US counties - 51 across Nebraska counties|
position among the entities that published this metric this period; not an official level
noteCherry County, NE's average weekly wage was 6.2% higher than the same quarter a year earlier in 2026 Q1, on BLS QCEW's published over-the-year change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- +6.2 % = BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change for 2026 Q1, as published
- the newest QCEW file carries no year-earlier level, so no move from one level to another is printed
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published
noteCherry County, NE's covered employment was 1.4% higher than the same quarter a year earlier in 2026 Q1, on BLS QCEW's published over-the-year change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- +1.4 % = BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change for 2026 Q1, as published
- the newest QCEW file carries no year-earlier level, so no move from one level to another is printed
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published
Read all 9 findings in the full brief
Every finding is produced by a fixed rule table and a fixed sentence for each rule. Nothing here is generated prose.