Nebraska Fast Facts:
Location, Location, Location…: Nebraska is located in the Great Plains region of the Midwestern U.S. and is ranked 10th in total land area.
Cities: The state’s capital is Lincoln and its largest city and industrial center is Omaha.
Behind the Name: Nebraska is nicknamed “The Cornhusker State.”
A Closer Look: In Nebraska, prairies extend for miles, the landscape is scattered with fields of wheat and herds of cattle roam on wide grazing lands. Even though stagecoaches and locomotives are memories of a distant past, the days of farms, pioneers and explorers remain at the center of Nebraska.
Did You Know? Nebraska has more miles of river than any other state.
Nebraska Careers and Employment:
Population: 1,783,432 (4.2 % increase since 2000) – 50.4% Female, 49.6% Male (2008 U.S. Census Bureau).
Business Environment: Ranked 10th in Forbes Magazine’s “Best States for Business,” 2008.
Top Industries: In terms of paid employees, according to a 2008 U.S. Census Bureau study: (1) retail trade; (2) health care and social assistance; (3) manufacturing; (4) accommodation and food services; and (5) administrative and support and waste management and remediation services.
Taxes: Income Tax, 2.56% to 6.84%% and Sales Tax, 5.5% (Federation of Tax Administrators).
Cost of Living: 89.8 in relation to the “National Average” of 100 (Federal Cost of Living Index).
Quality of Life: Ranked 15th of 50 states by CNBC, 2009.
Weather: Average Temperature (In °F) – Jan: 22.73; Apr: 48.14; July: 74.26; Oct: 50.49 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
K-12: Ranked 19th of 50 states in “Academic Achievement” by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 2009.
Nebraska Economics:
In General: Historically considered part of the American desert, Nebraska is cur a leading farming and ranching state. In fact, Nebraska’s economy depends significantly upon agriculture and Nebraska is a leading state in terms of agricultural output, ranking fourth in the nation in total agricultural receipts.
Service Industry: Nebraska’s service industry is heavily reliant upon private health care, data processing companies, engineering companies, law firms and repair shops.
Agriculture: Livestock products account for about two-thirds of Nebraska’s farm income, with beef cattle and hogs as the most important products. Corn is Nebraska’s most important crop, with the harvest predominantly feeding the crucial cattle and hog industry.
Manufacturing: Nebraska’s leading manufacturing activity is food processing (meat products, breakfast cereal, livestock feed, baked goods, dairy product, soft drinks), as the state is one of the world’s major meatpacking centers.
Mining: Petroleum, sand and gravel, and clay are mined in Nebraska.
Did You Know? The cities of Omaha and Lincoln are both considered national centers for insurance and telecommunications industries. [Ed. Note: Who can forget the famous “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom” television program one of the great sponsored series.]
Nebraska Education:
Find Colleges and Universities in Nebraska, here.
Sources: In addition to specific citations noted in this “Career Information” section, supplementary source materials include: the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service; Netstate.com; Education-Portal.com; USCollegeSearch.org; and Wikipedia.com.
