More than 4,000 students representing 43 schools across Greater Nebraska have overwhelmingly indicated their penchant for small communities according to five years of cumulative data released by Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF) (NebraskaHometown.org) and the Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

NCF and CPAR began the Nebraska Youth Survey initiative in 2020 in an effort to better understand the priorities and perspectives of middle and high school students living in communities from Diller (population 260), to Norfolk (population 25,928).

Feedback has remained consistent over the past five years, often with increasing favorability for rural communities over time. Key findings taking into account all 4,063 responses gathered since 2020 include:

Students prefer small towns and report no stigma attached to living in rural places. When asked about ideal community size, students most often answer “small like my hometown.” A staggering 73% said there is no negative stigma with returning to or staying in the place you live now.

Their safety is a top priority. Students have selected safety from violence and theft, good schools and proximity to family as the top three most important factors, in that order, for five consecutive years. Bullying (both online and in-person) is a common occurrence among Nebraska youth with a cumulative 44% reporting they have experienced it.

Many Young Nebraskans want to remain in the state. Of the over 4,000 students surveyed, 59% say they are somewhat or extremely likely to live in the area they live now as an adult.

Findings from the Nebraska Youth Survey have been used extensively over the years by Nebraska Community Foundation’s network composed of 270 communities and 1,500 volunteers. For instance, only 34% of student respondents have agreed with the statement “I play a role in this community” since the survey began. In response, volunteers across the NCF network have been devising numerous strategies to better engage young people.

“Our extensive youth survey work is helping NCF and the thousands of leaders we work with build communities of choice for the leaders of tomorrow,” said Jeff Yost, president and CEO of Nebraska Community Foundation.

For information, visit NebraskaHometown.org.