The Town FilesCrawford, Nebraska
City in Dawes County · population 840 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $80,700
- Household income
- $51,528
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 57.8
Crawford is a city of 840 people in Dawes County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $80,700, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Nebraska towns, better for retirees than 94% of Nebraska towns, better for young professionals than 85% of Nebraska towns.
How Crawford 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 Crawford is worth $80,700, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $51,528, which is more affordable than 91% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $625 a month. 81.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Crawford | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $80,700 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $625 | $818 |
| Median household income | $51,528 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 81.6% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1942 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.7% | — |
Who lives in Crawford
| People | Crawford | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.8 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 38.4% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 15.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.4% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.5% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 15.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 10.9% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.8% | 87.8% |
Weather in Crawford
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 12.7°F. About 15.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.3 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 55 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 181 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Crawford since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 31, 1985 about 0.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 17, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 60 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on May 10, 1991.
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 Crawford itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Crawford
2 public schools with 169 students, about 8.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRAWFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 94 | 9.4 |
| CRAWFORD HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 75 | 7.5 |
Towns near Crawford
- Chadron, NE23.1 mi · 5,206 people · home $153,800
Crawford questions
Is Crawford, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Crawford scores better for retirees than 94% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 51%. 38.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.8).
How much does a house cost in Crawford?
The median owner-occupied home in Crawford is valued at $80,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,528, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $625 a month.
What is the weather like in Crawford?
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 12.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.2 inches of precipitation a year and 48.3 inches of snow.
Does Crawford get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Crawford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 31, 1985. 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)