The Town FilesPalmyra, Nebraska
Village in Otoe County · population 534 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $164,500
- Household income
- $85,139
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 30.7
Palmyra is a village of 534 people in Otoe County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $164,500, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better for families than 99% of Nebraska towns, easier by car than 81% of Nebraska towns, more of a college town than 75% of Nebraska towns.
How Palmyra 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 Palmyra is worth $164,500, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $85,139, which is more affordable than 76% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $1,188 a month. 94.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Palmyra | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $164,500 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $1,188 | $818 |
| Median household income | $85,139 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 94.4% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Palmyra
| People | Palmyra | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.7 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.9% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 28.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.9% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 10.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 14.5% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.8% | 87.8% |
Weather in Palmyra
July highs average 88.2°F and January lows 12.6°F. About 32.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.1 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 40 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palmyra since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 22, 2004 about 4.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 41 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 29, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 77 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on April 27, 1989.
Severe weather in Otoe County since 1996
Otoe County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Winter Storm | DR-4868: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 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 Otoe County
Otoe County had 6,224 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,027 a year. Unemployment was 2.2% in 2023; in Palmyra itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Palmyra
2 public schools with 334 students, about 15.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| JR-SR HIGH SCHOOL AT PALMYRA | 9-12 | 185 | 9.3 |
| PALMYRA MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 149 | 149.0 |
Towns near Palmyra
- Bennet, NE6.1 mi · 1,082 people · home $272,400
- Eagle, NE7.9 mi · 1,065 people · home $172,800
- Elmwood, NE10.7 mi · 654 people · home $194,800
- Syracuse, NE11.4 mi · 1,941 people · home $205,900
- Hickman, NE13.5 mi · 2,607 people · home $311,700
- Waverly, NE16.0 mi · 4,279 people · home $316,600
- Firth, NE16.2 mi · 649 people · home $221,600
- Lincoln, NE16.5 mi · 291,082 people · home $264,000
Palmyra questions
Is Palmyra, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Palmyra scores better for retirees than 25% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 59%. 10.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.7).
How much does a house cost in Palmyra?
The median owner-occupied home in Palmyra is valued at $164,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,139, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $1,188 a month.
What is the weather like in Palmyra?
July highs average 88.2°F and January lows 12.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.2 inches of precipitation a year and 28.1 inches of snow.
Does Palmyra get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palmyra since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 22, 2004. 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)