The Town FilesHershey, Nebraska
Village in Lincoln County · population 649 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $172,000
- Household income
- $91,458
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 35
- Median age
- 41.8
Hershey is a village of 649 people in Lincoln County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $172,000, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks more of a college town than 86% of Nebraska towns, better for retirees than 73% of Nebraska towns, better for families than 71% of Nebraska towns.
How Hershey 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 Hershey is worth $172,000, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $91,458, which is more affordable than 76% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $783 a month. 80.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hershey | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $172,000 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $783 | $818 |
| Median household income | $91,458 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 80.4% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Hershey
| People | Hershey | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.8 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.7% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 0.8% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 16.4 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.6% | 87.8% |
Weather in Hershey
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 14.4°F. About 19.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.9 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hershey since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on March 18, 2012 about 6.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 29, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 188 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 13, 1996.
Severe weather in Lincoln County since 1996
Lincoln County has been included in 20 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 |
| September 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4822: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4808: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4521: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Lincoln County
Lincoln County had 14,738 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,150 a year. Unemployment was 2.2% in 2023; in Hershey itself the ACS puts it at 0.3%.
Public schools in Hershey
2 public schools with 542 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| HERSHEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 303 | 15.9 |
| HERSHEY HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 239 | 11.4 |
Towns near Hershey
- Sutherland, NE6.5 mi · 1,313 people · home $188,200
- North Platte, NE13.1 mi · 23,390 people · home $169,100
- Paxton, NE18.6 mi · 516 people · home $131,300
Hershey questions
Is Hershey, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hershey scores better for retirees than 73% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 64%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.8).
How much does a house cost in Hershey?
The median owner-occupied home in Hershey is valued at $172,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,458, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $783 a month.
What is the weather like in Hershey?
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 14.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.6 inches of precipitation a year and 26.9 inches of snow.
Does Hershey get tornadoes?
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hershey since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on March 18, 2012. 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)