The Town FilesPierce, Nebraska
City in Pierce County · population 1,845 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $179,400
- Household income
- $70,859
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 35.3
Pierce is a city of 1,845 people in Pierce County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $179,400, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better for cycling than 98% of Nebraska towns, hipper than 89% of Nebraska towns, better for families than 88% of Nebraska towns.
How Pierce 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 Pierce is worth $179,400, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $70,859, which is more affordable than 36% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $1,274 a month. 77.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pierce | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $179,400 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $1,274 | $818 |
| Median household income | $70,859 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 77.2% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Pierce
| People | Pierce | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.8% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 23.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.7% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 2.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 19.1 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.4% | 87.8% |
Weather in Pierce
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 9.9°F. About 27.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.0 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pierce since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 6, 1975 about 1.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 12, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 61 times; the largest was 3.25 inches on August 26, 2024.
Severe weather in Pierce County since 1996
Pierce County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| June 29, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4375: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
Jobs and pay in Pierce County
Pierce County had 1,967 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,779 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Pierce itself the ACS puts it at 0.2%.
Public schools in Pierce
2 public schools with 675 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PIERCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 344 | 15.0 |
| PIERCE JR/SR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 331 | 13.8 |
Towns near Pierce
- Osmond, NE11.5 mi · 794 people · home $132,400
- Norfolk, NE12.9 mi · 24,955 people · home $211,700
- Woodland Park, NE13.8 mi · 1,830 people · home $165,600
- Battle Creek, NE14.4 mi · 1,194 people · home $194,300
- Randolph, NE15.1 mi · 879 people · home $119,000
- Plainview, NE16.9 mi · 1,282 people · home $96,000
- Tilden, NE18.9 mi · 992 people · home $156,500
- Wausa, NE20.6 mi · 592 people · home $85,900
Pierce questions
Is Pierce, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pierce scores better for retirees than 46% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 56%. 15.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.3).
How much does a house cost in Pierce?
The median owner-occupied home in Pierce is valued at $179,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,859, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,274 a month.
What is the weather like in Pierce?
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 9.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.5 inches of precipitation a year and 30.0 inches of snow.
Does Pierce get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pierce since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 6, 1975. 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)