The Town FilesLaurel, Nebraska
City in Cedar County · population 972 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $164,200
- Household income
- $58,519
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 38.5
Laurel is a city of 972 people in Cedar County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $164,200, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better transit than 88% of Nebraska towns, better for retirees than 84% of Nebraska towns, better for first-time buyers than 84% of Nebraska towns.
How Laurel 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 Laurel is worth $164,200, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $58,519, which is more affordable than 22% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $815 a month. 66.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Laurel | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $164,200 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $815 | $818 |
| Median household income | $58,519 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 66.4% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Laurel
| People | Laurel | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.5 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.3% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.5% | 87.8% |
Weather in Laurel
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 9.3°F. About 28.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.2 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Laurel since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 23, 2003 about 6.9 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 5 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 12, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 51 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 27, 2012.
Severe weather in Cedar County since 1996
Cedar County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 27, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4662: Severe Storms 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 |
| August 27, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4387: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Cedar County
Cedar County had 2,789 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,563 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Laurel itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Laurel
2 public schools with 293 students, about 10.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAUREL-CONCORD-COLERIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-4 | 154 | 11.0 |
| LAUREL-CONCORD-COLERIDGE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 139 | 9.3 |
Towns near Laurel
- Coleridge, NE7.6 mi · 537 people · home $87,100
- Randolph, NE13.8 mi · 879 people · home $119,000
- Wayne, NE13.9 mi · 5,973 people · home $228,900
- Hartington, NE15.8 mi · 1,517 people · home $178,100
- Wakefield, NE16.4 mi · 1,522 people · home $116,500
- Emerson, NE21.6 mi · 840 people · home $116,400
- Ponca, NE21.9 mi · 907 people · home $201,000
- Wausa, NE23.1 mi · 592 people · home $85,900
Laurel questions
Is Laurel, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Laurel scores better for retirees than 84% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 52%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.5).
How much does a house cost in Laurel?
The median owner-occupied home in Laurel is valued at $164,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,519, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $815 a month.
What is the weather like in Laurel?
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 9.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.8 inches of precipitation a year and 33.2 inches of snow.
Does Laurel get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Laurel since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 23, 2003. 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)