Wayne’s active college campus is located amidst the Great Plains
Wayne is a small Nebraska town — surrounded by the great expanse that is the Great Plains — between the larger towns of Norfolk and Sioux City. It’s also home to Wayne State College, which brings an influx of new residents every fall. “A lot of parents buy homes for their kids to live in and then sell them in three to four years,” says Tami White, a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Ambassador Real Estate, who has about a decade of experience. “It teaches college-aged kids how to be responsible for property. It’s the small-town Nebraska teaching values.”
Wayne State College and early college credit at Wayne High School
Children may begin their K-12 journeys at Wayne Elementary School, which receives a B-plus grade from Niche. Afterward, they may attend Wayne Jr. High School, which scores a B-minus, before transitioning to Wayne Sr. High School, earning an A-minus. High school students may earn dual credit from various higher education institutions in 10 different courses, including Western classical music, British literature and astronomy. Science Quiz Bowl, Mock Trial and a dance team are a few of the extracurricular activities available to students.
Wayne State College sprawls across the northeastern quadrant of the city, with a student body of almost 5,000. The school maintains more than 130 undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as 15 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II teams.
20th-century homes along brick roads rarely come on the market
Sidewalks placed far from the road and shaded by leafy trees make most streets in Wayne walkable. Original brick roads and expansive, mature trees speak to the history of the city. Cottages, split-level and ranch-style homes were built throughout the 20th century, and though homes rarely come on the market, those that sold in 2024 and 2025 ranged between $150,000 and $225,000 for roughly 2,000 to 2,250 square feet.
Golfing, bowling and other recreation at Wayne’s community center
Neighborhood green spaces with colorful playgrounds are scattered throughout. The Wayne Community Recreation Center is the city’s hub for athletics and recreation with 12 basketball hoops, four volleyball courts, four pickleball courts, a walking track, a fitness room, ping pong, foosball and pool tables. Various youth sports programs and adult leagues gather at the recreation center for practices and games, while the aquatic center next door has a pool and a large spiral slide.
The city is also home to the Wayne Country Club, a partially public golf course with 18 holes, and a bowling alley — Wildcat Lanes. “My sister owns the bowling alley,” White says. “She has a college night on Thursdays with a live DJ, yet the alley is still very family-oriented. She has family tournaments and birthday parties every other day of the week.”
Main Street and East Seventh Street have most of Wayne’s businesses
Boutiques, antique stores, local eateries — like Fiesta Brava Mexican Restaurant — and other small businesses make up downtown Wayne, which is centered around Main Street. East Seventh Street, also known as Nebraska state Route 35, is the city’s other main commercial corridor, home to a popular breakfast joint and ice cream shop, Udder Delights. Farther east, The 4th Jug serves easygoing American fare like pizza, burgers and prime rib and offers eight beers on tap. Diners will find a Professional Golfers’ Association simulator and a Keno gambling machine inside, while three volleyball courts and two basketball courts provide more entertainment out back. A Dollar General is located on either side of the city, along Seventh Street.
The annual Wayne Chicken Show
The Wayne Chicken Show, programmed for the middle of every July, is one of the city’s most unique events. Encompassing all things chicken-related, the multi-day festival includes events like chicken egg judging, hard-boiled egg eating contests and live chicken flying, among other divertissements.
Highway connections to Norfolk, Sioux City and its regional airport
Wayne is located at the intersection of Nebraska state Route 15 and Route 35, which travels southwest toward Norfolk, about 30 miles away. There, commuters can catch the North Fork Area Transit bus to the Wayne Public Library and the Great Dane semi-trailer manufacturing plant. State Route 35 also reaches toward Sioux City, roughly 45 miles to the northeast. The closest flights are located at the Sioux Gateway Airport, which maintains daily service to and from Chicago and Denver.
