Gothenburg vs Merna
Gothenburg, Nebraska versus Merna, Nebraska: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Gothenburg and Merna score about the same overall (46 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Gothenburg | Merna |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $85k | $71k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $44k |
| Home Value | $153k | $92k |
| Monthly Rent | $815 | $975 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $108 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.39% | 1.24% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 6.97% | 6.97% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.21% | 10.30% |
| Unemployment | 3.3% | 3.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 27°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 24.1 in | 23.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 30.7 in | 29.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 266 days | 265 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 45 days | 51 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 75.2 | 86.4 |
| School Quality | 54.0 | 63.8 |
| Violent Crime | 801/100k | 345/100k |
| Property Crime | 593/100k | 402/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 3,463 | 364 |
| Median Age | 40.6 | 33.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.11 | 0.21 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.18 | 1.32 |
| Political Leaning | R+45 | R+73 |
| White (%) | 92.5% | 86.3% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.9% | 6.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.8% | 7.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 7.4/20 | 6.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 223 mi | 201 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.8% | 93.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 77.97 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Gothenburg or Merna more affordable?
- Gothenburg has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Gothenburg's $44k and Merna's $44k. Median rent is $815 in Gothenburg versus $975 in Merna.
- Is Gothenburg or Merna safer?
- Merna has the lower violent crime rate. Gothenburg reports 801/100k and Merna reports 345/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Gothenburg or Merna?
- The median home value is $153k in Gothenburg and $92k in Merna, so homes are more affordable in Merna.