The Town FilesElwood, Nebraska
Village in Gosper County · population 658 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $183,300
- Household income
- $66,389
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 51.1
Elwood is a village of 658 people in Gosper County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $183,300, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks quieter than 98% of Nebraska towns, better for a vacation home than 98% of Nebraska towns, better for retirees than 97% of Nebraska towns.
How Elwood 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 Elwood is worth $183,300, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $66,389, which is more affordable than 22% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $750 a month. 85.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Elwood | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $183,300 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $750 | $818 |
| Median household income | $66,389 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 85.6% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Elwood
| People | Elwood | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.1 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.8% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.9% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 2.7% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 87.8% |
Weather in Elwood
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 15.2°F. About 23.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.3 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elwood since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 20, 1954 about 8.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 5, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 97 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 17, 1989.
Severe weather in Gosper County since 1996
Gosper County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 29, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4375: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| June 26, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4321: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
Jobs and pay in Gosper County
Gosper County had 452 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,932 a year. Unemployment was 2.2% in 2023; in Elwood itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Public schools in Elwood
2 public schools with 184 students, about 8.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 108 | 10.8 |
| ELWOOD HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 76 | 6.3 |
Towns near Elwood
- Bertrand, NE12.8 mi · 709 people · home $145,100
- Lexington, NE14.3 mi · 10,348 people · home $159,100
- Arapahoe, NE19.8 mi · 1,002 people · home $97,400
- Cozad, NE19.8 mi · 3,988 people · home $121,600
- Overton, NE19.9 mi · 607 people · home $105,100
- Oxford, NE26.2 mi · 718 people · home $92,900
- Cambridge, NE26.5 mi · 1,071 people · home $123,400
- Elm Creek, NE27.0 mi · 979 people · home $191,500
Elwood questions
Is Elwood, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Elwood scores better for retirees than 97% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 98%. 26.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.1).
How much does a house cost in Elwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Elwood is valued at $183,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,389, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $750 a month.
What is the weather like in Elwood?
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 15.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 23.4 inches of precipitation a year and 25.3 inches of snow.
Does Elwood get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 20, 1954. 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)