The Town FilesArapahoe, Nebraska
City in Furnas County · population 1,002 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $97,400
- Household income
- $57,188
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 52.9
Arapahoe is a city of 1,002 people in Furnas County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $97,400, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks quieter than 90% of Nebraska towns, better for cycling than 87% of Nebraska towns, hipper than 74% of Nebraska towns.
How Arapahoe ranks
Percentile among Nebraska towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Nebraska towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Arapahoe is worth $97,400, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $57,188, which is more affordable than 87% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $838 a month. 69.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Arapahoe | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $97,400 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $838 | $818 |
| Median household income | $57,188 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 69.3% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.5% | — |
Who lives in Arapahoe
| People | Arapahoe | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.9 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.4% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 17.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 15.5 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 75.4% | 87.8% |
Weather in Arapahoe
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 15.6°F. About 24.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 23.8 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 51 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 170 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arapahoe since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 29, 1956 about 3.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 1, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 102 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 29, 2022.
Severe weather in Furnas County since 1996
Furnas County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 23, 2022 | Fire | FM-5436: Road 702 Fire |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4521: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3483: Covid-19 |
| March 21, 2019 | Flood | DR-4420: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| June 26, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4321: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
Jobs and pay in Furnas County
Furnas County had 1,748 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,949 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Arapahoe itself the ACS puts it at 0.6%.
Public schools in Arapahoe
2 public schools with 321 students, about 12.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARAPAHOE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 174 | 14.5 |
| ARAPAHOE HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 147 | 10.5 |
Towns near Arapahoe
- Beaver City, NE12.1 mi · 537 people · home $78,900
- Cambridge, NE14.2 mi · 1,071 people · home $123,400
- Oxford, NE14.5 mi · 718 people · home $92,900
- Elwood, NE19.8 mi · 658 people · home $183,300
- Bertrand, NE20.7 mi · 709 people · home $145,100
- Indianola, NE27.9 mi · 524 people · home $91,000
- Holdrege, NE28.9 mi · 5,515 people · home $198,900
Arapahoe questions
Is Arapahoe, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Arapahoe scores better for retirees than 68% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 90%. 26.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.9).
How much does a house cost in Arapahoe?
The median owner-occupied home in Arapahoe is valued at $97,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,188, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $838 a month.
What is the weather like in Arapahoe?
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 15.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.8 inches of precipitation a year and 23.8 inches of snow.
Does Arapahoe get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arapahoe since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 29, 1956. The typical Nebraska town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)