The Town FilesMead, Nebraska
Village in Saunders County · population 617 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $166,400
- Household income
- $80,272
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 35.2
Mead is a village of 617 people in Saunders County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $166,400, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better for families than 86% of Nebraska towns, more upscale than 80% of Nebraska towns.
How Mead 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 Mead is worth $166,400, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $80,272, which is more affordable than 61% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $1,013 a month. 83.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mead | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $166,400 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $1,013 | $818 |
| Median household income | $80,272 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 83.8% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1948 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mead
| People | Mead | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.2 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.8% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 25.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.1% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 19.8 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 87.8% |
Weather in Mead
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 12.0°F. About 30.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.3 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 149 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mead since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on April 26, 2024 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 21, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 93 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 4, 2003.
Severe weather in Saunders County since 1996
Saunders County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 22, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4896: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| May 21, 2025 | Winter Storm | DR-4868: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| October 21, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4838: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Saunders County
Saunders County had 5,914 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,905 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Mead itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Mead
2 public schools with 289 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 157 | 14.3 |
| MEAD HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 132 | 11.0 |
Towns near Mead
- Yutan, NE4.9 mi · 1,347 people · home $198,800
- Wahoo, NE6.8 mi · 4,818 people · home $243,600
- Valley, NE9.1 mi · 3,037 people · home $528,100
- Waterloo, NE11.2 mi · 935 people · home $231,400
- Cedar Bluffs, NE13.5 mi · 615 people · home $167,200
- Ashland, NE14.1 mi · 3,086 people · home $249,700
- Ceresco, NE14.2 mi · 919 people · home $210,600
- Fremont, NE14.9 mi · 27,141 people · home $214,700
Mead questions
Is Mead, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mead scores better for retirees than 10% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 54%. 13.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.2).
How much does a house cost in Mead?
The median owner-occupied home in Mead is valued at $166,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,272, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $1,013 a month.
What is the weather like in Mead?
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 12.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.1 inches of precipitation a year and 20.3 inches of snow.
Does Mead get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mead since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on April 26, 2024. 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)