Merna vs Ord
Merna, Nebraska versus Ord, Nebraska: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Merna and Ord score about the same overall (46 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Merna | Ord |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $71k | $56k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $45k |
| Home Value | $92k | $111k |
| Monthly Rent | $975 | $491 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $108 | $724 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.24% | 1.63% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 6.97% | 6.97% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.30% | 11.93% |
| Unemployment | 3.1% | 1.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 23.0 in | 26.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 29.5 in | 35.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 265 days | 265 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 51 days | 56 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 86.4 | 75.9 |
| School Quality | 63.8 | 59.3 |
| Violent Crime | 345/100k | 520/100k |
| Property Crime | 402/100k | 426/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 364 | 2,121 |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 42.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.21 | 0.03 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.32 | 1.08 |
| Political Leaning | R+73 | R+64 |
| White (%) | 86.3% | 95.3% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.0% | 3.6% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.7% | 0.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 6.7/20 | 6.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 201 mi | 156 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.4% | 82.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 23.57 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Good |
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 Merna or Ord more affordable?
- Merna has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Merna's $44k and Ord's $45k. Median rent is $975 in Merna versus $491 in Ord.
- Is Merna or Ord safer?
- Merna has the lower violent crime rate. Merna reports 345/100k and Ord reports 520/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Merna or Ord?
- The median home value is $92k in Merna and $111k in Ord, so homes are more affordable in Merna.