The Town FilesCurtis, Nebraska
City in Frontier County · population 806 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $149,100
- Household income
- $58,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 30.7
Curtis is a city of 806 people in Frontier County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $149,100, close to the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better for young professionals than 90% of Nebraska towns, better for first-time buyers than 88% of Nebraska towns, more of a college town than 88% of Nebraska towns.
How Curtis 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 Curtis is worth $149,100, close to the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $58,750, which is more affordable than 36% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $590 a month. 51.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Curtis | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $149,100 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $590 | $818 |
| Median household income | $58,750 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 51.9% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Curtis
| People | Curtis | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.7 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.1% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 15.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.5% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.3% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 71.4% | 87.8% |
Weather in Curtis
July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 13.5°F. About 21.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.1 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 52 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Curtis since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 18, 1975 about 6.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 17, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 116 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 17, 1989.
Severe weather in Frontier County since 1996
Frontier 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 |
| July 15, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1924: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Frontier County
Frontier County had 814 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,952 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Curtis itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Curtis
2 public schools with 206 students, about 10.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEDICINE VALLEY ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 123 | 13.7 |
| MEDICINE VALLEY JR-SR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 83 | 8.3 |
Towns near Curtis
- Gothenburg, NE27.5 mi · 3,478 people · home $191,000
- Indianola, NE28.0 mi · 524 people · home $91,000
Curtis questions
Is Curtis, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Curtis scores better for retirees than 62% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 24%. 18.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.7).
How much does a house cost in Curtis?
The median owner-occupied home in Curtis is valued at $149,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,750, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $590 a month.
What is the weather like in Curtis?
July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 13.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.3 inches of precipitation a year and 28.1 inches of snow.
Does Curtis get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Curtis since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 18, 1975. 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)