The Town FilesStromsburg, Nebraska
City in Polk County · population 1,143 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $159,900
- Household income
- $58,988
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 40
- Median age
- 42.8
Stromsburg is a city of 1,143 people in Polk County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $159,900, close to the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better for families than 89% of Nebraska towns, better transit than 72% of Nebraska towns, more of a college town than 71% of Nebraska towns.
How Stromsburg 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 Stromsburg is worth $159,900, close to the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $58,988, which is more affordable than 28% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $846 a month. 73.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Stromsburg | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $159,900 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $846 | $818 |
| Median household income | $58,988 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 73.4% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1945 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.1% | — |
Who lives in Stromsburg
| People | Stromsburg | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.9% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 26.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 12.8% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.2% | 87.8% |
Weather in Stromsburg
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 13.1°F. About 28.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.3 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stromsburg since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on May 5, 1964 about 3.6 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 34 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 15, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 82 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 26, 1986.
Severe weather in Polk County since 1996
Polk County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Winter Storm | DR-4868: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4808: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 27, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4662: Severe Storms 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 |
Jobs and pay in Polk County
Polk County had 1,438 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,530 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Stromsburg itself the ACS puts it at 0.2%.
Public schools in Stromsburg
3 public schools with 380 students, about 10.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CROSS COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 168 | 10.5 |
| CROSS COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 126 | 9.7 |
| CROSS COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 86 | 12.3 |
Towns near Stromsburg
- Osceola, NE4.8 mi · 875 people · home $148,400
- Shelby, NE10.1 mi · 710 people · home $120,500
- York, NE17.1 mi · 8,066 people · home $180,900
- Utica, NE19.9 mi · 840 people · home $188,700
- Central City, NE21.3 mi · 3,039 people · home $165,300
- Genoa, NE23.9 mi · 894 people · home $115,900
- Columbus, NE25.2 mi · 24,028 people · home $213,600
- David City, NE25.9 mi · 2,995 people · home $165,200
Stromsburg questions
Is Stromsburg, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Stromsburg scores better for retirees than 45% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 49%. 28.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.8).
How much does a house cost in Stromsburg?
The median owner-occupied home in Stromsburg is valued at $159,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,988, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $846 a month.
What is the weather like in Stromsburg?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 13.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.8 inches of precipitation a year and 29.3 inches of snow.
Does Stromsburg get tornadoes?
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stromsburg since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on May 5, 1964. 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)