<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0407</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2023-03-31</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000070487</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NATIONAL RESEARCH CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NRC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001247191</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RAASCH JONA S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O NATIONAL RESEARCH CORP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1245 Q STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LINCOLN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>68508</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isOfficer>true</isOfficer>
            <officerTitle>COO, NRC Health</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <aff10b5One>false</aff10b5One>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2023-03-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>17643</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>43.4296</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7976</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2023-04-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6288</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>44.0973</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1688</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11263</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The price in Column 4 is a weighted average price. The prices actually ranged from $43.09 to $43.88, inclusive. The reporting person will provide to the issuer, any security
holder of the issuer, or the SEC staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each price within the ranges set forth in footnotes (1) and (2) of this Form 4.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The price in Column 4 is a weighted average price. The prices actually ranged from $43.83 to $44.535, inclusive.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Jona S. Raasch, by Heidi Hornung-Scherr, attorney-in-fact, pursuant to a POA previously filed with the SEC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2023-04-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
