Siding choice in eastern Nebraska is really a question about two things: hail and thermal movement. We get both in quantity, and every material handles them differently.
Standard vinyl is the least expensive option and it does one thing genuinely well: it never rots and it never needs paint. It also becomes brittle in deep cold, which is exactly when a January hailstorm or a stray branch will crack it. Insulated vinyl, with the foam backer, resists impact considerably better and stiffens the panel so the walls read flat instead of wavy.
Fiber cement is the durability answer. It does not crack from hail at the sizes we normally see, it holds paint for fifteen years or more, and it will not burn. It is heavy, it costs more to install, and the cut edges have to be sealed properly or moisture gets into them. Done right it is the longest-lived option on this list.
Steel siding has quietly become a serious contender here, particularly on west and south walls. It shrugs off impact, holds color, and does not soften in heat. Its weakness is cosmetic: a large enough hailstone will dent it, and a dent does not repair the way a cracked vinyl panel replaces.
Engineered wood sits between vinyl and fiber cement on both cost and durability, and it gives you a real wood grain without the maintenance of actual cedar.
Whichever you choose, what actually keeps water out of the wall is behind the siding, not the siding itself. The house wrap, the flashing above every window and door, and the details at the corners do the real work. We have replaced a lot of expensive siding that failed because those three things were rushed underneath it.