The Town FilesBayard, Nebraska
City in Morrill County · population 1,140 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $109,800
- Household income
- $68,333
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 36
- Median age
- 38.8
Bayard is a city of 1,140 people in Morrill County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $109,800, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks quieter than 80% of Nebraska towns.
How Bayard 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 Bayard is worth $109,800, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $68,333, which is more affordable than 91% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $722 a month. 85.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bayard | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $109,800 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $722 | $818 |
| Median household income | $68,333 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 85.9% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1950 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Bayard
| People | Bayard | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.9% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.5% | — |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.2% | 87.8% |
Weather in Bayard
July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 15.8°F. About 18.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.3 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 57 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bayard since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 27, 1955 about 1.6 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 36 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 12, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 99 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 3, 2014.
Severe weather in Morrill County since 1996
Morrill County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Fire | DR-4920: Wildfires |
| March 13, 2026 | Fire | FM-5623: Morrill-Cottonwood Fire |
| May 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4786: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4521: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3483: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Morrill County
Morrill County had 1,550 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,331 a year. Unemployment was 2.2% in 2023; in Bayard itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Bayard
2 public schools with 335 students, about 12.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAYARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 177 | 11.8 |
| BAYARD SECONDARY SCHOOL | 7-12 | 158 | 12.2 |
Towns near Bayard
- Minatare, NE9.9 mi · 715 people · home $80,500
- Bridgeport, NE13.3 mi · 1,454 people · home $105,100
- Gering, NE18.1 mi · 8,564 people · home $186,500
- Terrytown, NE18.9 mi · 1,057 people · home $114,100
- Scottsbluff, NE19.1 mi · 14,436 people · home $137,700
- Mitchell, NE28.1 mi · 1,548 people · home $122,300
Bayard questions
Is Bayard, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bayard scores better for retirees than 40% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 80%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Bayard?
The median owner-occupied home in Bayard is valued at $109,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,333, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $722 a month.
What is the weather like in Bayard?
July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 15.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.6 inches of precipitation a year and 40.3 inches of snow.
Does Bayard get tornadoes?
36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bayard since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 27, 1955. 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)