The Town FilesPender, Nebraska
Village in Thurston County · population 1,115 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $175,000
- Household income
- $73,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 36.0
Pender is a village of 1,115 people in Thurston County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $175,000, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better transit than 97% of Nebraska towns, better for young professionals than 92% of Nebraska towns, better for first-time buyers than 79% of Nebraska towns.
How Pender 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 Pender is worth $175,000, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $73,125, which is more affordable than 40% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $875 a month. 78.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pender | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $175,000 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $875 | $818 |
| Median household income | $73,125 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 78.7% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Pender
| People | Pender | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.7% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 27.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.5% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.4% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.4% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.7% | 87.8% |
Weather in Pender
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 10.6°F. About 29.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.9 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pender since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on June 16, 2014 about 8.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 0 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 12, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on June 27, 2005.
Severe weather in Thurston County since 1996
Thurston County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4928: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 21, 2025 | Winter Storm | DR-4868: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Thurston County
Thurston County had 3,471 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,494 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Pender itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Public schools in Pender
2 public schools with 423 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PENDER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 239 | 12.0 |
| PENDER HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 184 | 12.3 |
Towns near Pender
- Walthill, NE11.5 mi · 682 people · home $39,400
- Emerson, NE11.6 mi · 840 people · home $116,400
- Wakefield, NE13.3 mi · 1,522 people · home $116,500
- Wisner, NE13.4 mi · 1,239 people · home $139,500
- Beemer, NE13.5 mi · 611 people · home $129,300
- Winnebago, NE15.1 mi · 916 people · home $66,600
- Lyons, NE17.2 mi · 824 people · home $104,300
- Wayne, NE17.6 mi · 5,973 people · home $228,900
Pender questions
Is Pender, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pender scores better for retirees than 23% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 16%. 17.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.0).
How much does a house cost in Pender?
The median owner-occupied home in Pender is valued at $175,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,125, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $875 a month.
What is the weather like in Pender?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 10.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.8 inches of precipitation a year and 31.9 inches of snow.
Does Pender get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pender since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on June 16, 2014. 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)