The Town FilesHumboldt, Nebraska
City in Richardson County · population 800 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $67,500
- Household income
- $41,786
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 52.8
Humboldt is a city of 800 people in Richardson County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $67,500, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks quieter than 96% of Nebraska towns, better for retirees than 80% of Nebraska towns.
How Humboldt 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 Humboldt is worth $67,500, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $41,786, which is more affordable than 91% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $492 a month. 63.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Humboldt | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $67,500 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $492 | $818 |
| Median household income | $41,786 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 63.1% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Humboldt
| People | Humboldt | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.8 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.6% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 15.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.0% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.4% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.4% | 87.8% |
Weather in Humboldt
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 14.4°F. About 34.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.4 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Humboldt since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 16, 1968 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 19, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 54 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 12, 2023.
Severe weather in Richardson County since 1996
Richardson County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4822: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4641: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 Richardson County
Richardson County had 2,345 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,201 a year. Unemployment was 2.1% in 2023; in Humboldt itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Public schools in Humboldt
3 public schools with 298 students, about 7.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| HTRS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 160 | 8.4 |
| HTRS HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 81 | 8.1 |
| HTRS MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 57 | 6.3 |
Towns near Humboldt
- Pawnee City, NE11.7 mi · 865 people · home $64,000
- Auburn, NE16.3 mi · 3,470 people · home $98,800
- Tecumseh, NE19.2 mi · 1,694 people · home $106,300
- Sabetha, KS19.4 mi · 2,545 people · home $170,800
- Falls City, NE19.6 mi · 4,133 people · home $89,800
- Seneca, KS23.6 mi · 2,139 people · home $235,100
- Peru, NE24.3 mi · 648 people · home $96,600
- Rock Port, MO27.5 mi · 1,278 people · home $115,600
Humboldt questions
Is Humboldt, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Humboldt scores better for retirees than 80% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 96%. 30.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.8).
How much does a house cost in Humboldt?
The median owner-occupied home in Humboldt is valued at $67,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $41,786, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $492 a month.
What is the weather like in Humboldt?
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 14.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.1 inches of precipitation a year and 21.4 inches of snow.
Does Humboldt get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Humboldt since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 16, 1968. 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)