Nebraska
The Cornhusker State
Quick Stats
Map
Seal & Motto
"Equality Before the Law"
Additional Information
Reflects the core democratic value of equal treatment under justice.
Adopted 1867.
Population Growth
Overview
Nebraska, the 'Cornhusker State,' is a Great Plains titan where open prairie skies stretch to every horizon and the land feeds the nation. Beyond its agricultural dominance, Omaha punches well above its weight as a major financial and corporate center, home to Warren Buffett and more Fortune 500 companies per capita than most coastal cities.
Historical Significance
Nebraska officially joined the Union on March 1, 1867, as the 37th state. Its history was forged by the wagon trails of pioneers — the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails all followed the Platte River Valley through Nebraska — and later by the transcontinental railroad that opened the Great Plains to the dramatic Homestead era.
Top Cities & Hubs
Omaha
Population: ~485,000Nebraska's largest city and a surprisingly powerful financial capital, the hometown of Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway, a major center for insurance, telemarketing, and the Henry Doorly Zoo.
Lincoln
Population: ~293,000The state capital and a vibrant university city, home to the University of Nebraska and its legendary "Big Red" football culture, featuring a stunning capitol building with a unique tower.
Bellevue
Population: ~63,000The state's third-largest city, home to Offutt Air Force Base and a key part of the thriving Omaha metropolitan area, with significant technology and defense sector employment.
Grand Island
Population: ~53,000The commercial heart of central Nebraska, a key agricultural and food processing center and the annual gathering point for the spectacular Sandhill Crane migration along the Platte River.
Kearney
Population: ~34,000A growing regional hub on the historic Platte River route, home to the University of Nebraska at Kearney and a major crossroads for travelers on Interstate 80.
Key Landmarks & Economy
Did You Know?
- Nebraska is the only state in the U.S. with a unicameral (single-chamber) legislature, making it unique in American governance since 1937.
- The Sandhill Crane migration on the Platte River near Kearney each spring is the largest concentration of birds in the Western Hemisphere, with over half a million cranes stopping to rest.
- Kool-Aid, one of America's most iconic drinks, was invented in Hastings, Nebraska in 1927 by Edwin Perkins, who created it by dehydrating a liquid drink concentrate.