The Town FilesSt. Paul, Nebraska
City in Howard County · population 2,416 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $203,300
- Household income
- $62,212
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 22 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 42.5
St. Paul is a city of 2,416 people in Howard County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $203,300, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 85% of Nebraska towns, easier by car than 75% of Nebraska towns, better for retirees than 72% of Nebraska towns.
How St. Paul 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 St. Paul is worth $203,300, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $62,212, which is more affordable than 8% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $707 a month. 71.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Paul | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $203,300 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $707 | $818 |
| Median household income | $62,212 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 71.4% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in St. Paul
| People | St. Paul | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.5 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.3% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 25.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.1% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.1% | — |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.4% | 87.8% |
Weather in St. Paul
July highs average 88.8°F and January lows 14.3°F. About 27.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 22.4 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 40 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 145 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Paul since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 8, 1965 about 1.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 18, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 84 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 4, 2012.
Severe weather in Howard County since 1996
Howard 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 |
| 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 |
| May 3, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4778: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4521: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Howard County
Howard County had 1,570 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,289 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in St. Paul itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Public schools in St. Paul
2 public schools with 668 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ST PAUL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 373 | 12.4 |
| ST PAUL JR/SR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 295 | 13.4 |
Towns near St. Paul
- Cairo, NE16.2 mi · 822 people · home $193,000
- Grand Island, NE20.9 mi · 53,131 people · home $218,600
- Alda, NE24.0 mi · 647 people · home $106,500
- Central City, NE24.9 mi · 3,039 people · home $165,300
- Ravenna, NE26.1 mi · 1,441 people · home $135,900
- Loup City, NE26.8 mi · 1,053 people · home $96,300
- Fullerton, NE27.4 mi · 1,244 people · home $128,500
- Wood River, NE28.2 mi · 1,172 people · home $151,200
St. Paul questions
Is St. Paul, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Paul scores better for retirees than 72% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 64%. 25.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.5).
How much does a house cost in St. Paul?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Paul is valued at $203,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,212, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $707 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Paul?
July highs average 88.8°F and January lows 14.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.3 inches of precipitation a year and 22.4 inches of snow.
Does St. Paul get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Paul since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 8, 1965. 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)