Norfolk, NE — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Nebraska·Norfolk

Madison County · Norfolk · population 26,162

First-time buyers
Norfolk, NE
Image: Wikipedia · Norfolk, Nebraska
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
74
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Norfolk stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 5.3% in the last year.

Median home $260,598
1-year +5.3%
5-yr CAGR +6.2%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +1.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$261k$134k$179k$225k$271k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
81/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,185/mo$0$637$1,2732026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent107105801002026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 18.3
Lean buy

At a 18.3 price-to-rent ratio, Norfolk is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
76 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
71 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
68 · w16%
Rent YoY
62 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
69 · w10%
Long thesis

Norfolk has held up across the cycle: home values at $260,598 with +6.2% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Norfolk's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Norfolk

Norfolk is a city in Madison County, Nebraska, with an estimated population of 26,162. The population grew 1.2% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Norfolk is $260,598 as of 2026-04, up 5.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.2% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Norfolk average $1,185 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.5%). The composite momentum score is 74 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +6.2% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +5.3% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Net positive migration: population up 1.2% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Norfolk (Wikipedia)

Norfolk is a city in Madison County, Nebraska, United States, 113 miles (182 km) northwest of Omaha and 76 miles southwest of Sioux City, Iowa, at the intersection of U.S. Routes 81 and 275. The population was 24,955 at the 2020 census, making it the seventh-most populous city in Nebraska. It is the principal city of the Norfolk Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Madison County right now.

NWS active alerts (NE)Nebraska Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Madison County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Norfolk

Columbus, NE74 · RisingKearney, NE75 · RisingPlattsmouth, NE76 · RisingFremont, NE73 · Rising

Run the numbers for Norfolk

ToolCan I afford Norfolk?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Norfolk rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Norfolk to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolNorfolk cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
35° / 14°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
86° / 63°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
221
~61% of year
Annual precip
23″ rain
28″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Very high
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Norfolk listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Norfolk area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
65%
Moderate climate
Median household income
$71,700
Nebraska state median
Top industries (state-level)
AgricultureInsurance (Berkshire)Manufacturing

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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