The Town FilesSargent, Nebraska
City in Custer County · population 500 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $57,900
- Household income
- $54,423
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 44.2
Sargent is a city of 500 people in Custer County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $57,900, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better for cycling than 90% of Nebraska towns, better for retirees than 89% of Nebraska towns, quieter than 89% of Nebraska towns.
How Sargent 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 Sargent is worth $57,900, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 1.1 times the median household income of $54,423, which is more affordable than 99% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $631 a month. 70.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sargent | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $57,900 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $631 | $818 |
| Median household income | $54,423 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.1× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 70.6% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1946 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sargent
| People | Sargent | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.2 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.2% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 23.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.0% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.7% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 3.7% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.5% | 87.8% |
Weather in Sargent
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 9.2°F. About 26.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.2 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 173 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sargent since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 30, 1961 about 1.0 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 2 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 23, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 90 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 24, 1989.
Severe weather in Custer County since 1996
Custer County has been included in 20 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 Custer County
Custer County had 4,537 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,959 a year. Unemployment was 1.7% in 2023; in Sargent itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Sargent
2 public schools with 167 students, about 9.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SARGENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 84 | 7.6 |
| SARGENT HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 83 | 11.9 |
Towns near Sargent
- Burwell, NE15.5 mi · 1,087 people · home $164,400
- Broken Bow, NE21.5 mi · 3,506 people · home $133,200
- Ord, NE23.4 mi · 2,113 people · home $119,800
Sargent questions
Is Sargent, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sargent scores better for retirees than 89% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 89%. 14.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.2).
How much does a house cost in Sargent?
The median owner-occupied home in Sargent is valued at $57,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,423, so homes cost about 1.1 times income. Median rent is $631 a month.
What is the weather like in Sargent?
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 9.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.8 inches of precipitation a year and 30.2 inches of snow.
Does Sargent get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sargent since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 30, 1961. 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)