The Town FilesChadron, Nebraska
City in Dawes County · population 5,206 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $153,800
- Household income
- $54,590
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 30.5
Chadron is a city of 5,206 people in Dawes County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $153,800, close to the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better for young professionals than 99% of Nebraska towns, hipper than 99% of Nebraska towns, better for cycling than 99% of Nebraska towns.
How Chadron 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 Chadron is worth $153,800, close to the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $54,590, which is more affordable than 22% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $881 a month. 56.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chadron | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $153,800 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $881 | $818 |
| Median household income | $54,590 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 56.2% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Chadron
| People | Chadron | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.5 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.6% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.6% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 2.8% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 13.7 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.9% | 87.8% |
Weather in Chadron
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 12.5°F. About 18.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.3 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 44 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 173 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chadron since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 27, 1960 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 29, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 94 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 5, 1965.
Severe weather in Dawes County since 1996
Dawes County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 10, 2026 | Fire | FM-5637: South Fork 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 |
| March 21, 2019 | Flood | DR-4420: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Dawes County
Dawes County had 3,156 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,535 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Chadron itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Public schools in Chadron
5 public schools with 1,007 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHADRON PRIMARY | PK-2 | 306 | 16.1 |
| CHADRON MIDDLE SCHOOL | 5-8 | 291 | 13.2 |
| CHADRON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 253 | 11.0 |
| CHADRON INTERMEDIATE | 3-4 | 121 | 11.0 |
| PINE RIDGE JOB CORPS | 10-12 | 36 | 9.0 |
Towns near Chadron
- Pine Ridge, SD26.7 mi · 3,138 people · home —
Chadron questions
Is Chadron, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chadron scores better for retirees than 23% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 9%. 15.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.5).
How much does a house cost in Chadron?
The median owner-occupied home in Chadron is valued at $153,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,590, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $881 a month.
What is the weather like in Chadron?
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 12.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.8 inches of precipitation a year and 50.3 inches of snow.
Does Chadron get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chadron since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 27, 1960. 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)