The Town FilesValparaiso, Nebraska
Village in Saunders County · population 595 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $230,400
- Household income
- $85,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 41.0
Valparaiso is a village of 595 people in Saunders County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $230,400, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of Nebraska towns, better for families than 96% of Nebraska towns, quieter than 83% of Nebraska towns.
How Valparaiso 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 Valparaiso is worth $230,400, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $85,625, which is more affordable than 28% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $931 a month. 83.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Valparaiso | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $230,400 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $931 | $818 |
| Median household income | $85,625 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 83.8% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Valparaiso
| People | Valparaiso | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.2% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 16.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.4% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 31.9 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.8% | 87.8% |
Weather in Valparaiso
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 12.6°F. About 31.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.5 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 146 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Valparaiso since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 15, 1992 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 21, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 84 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 14, 2022.
Severe weather in Saunders County since 1996
Saunders County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 22, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4896: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| May 21, 2025 | Winter Storm | DR-4868: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| October 21, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4838: 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 |
Jobs and pay in Saunders County
Saunders County had 5,914 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,905 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Valparaiso itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Public schools in Valparaiso
1 public school with 148 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELEMENTARY SCH AT VALPARAISO | PK-5 | 148 | 13.5 |
Towns near Valparaiso
- Ceresco, NE9.9 mi · 919 people · home $210,600
- Wahoo, NE14.7 mi · 4,818 people · home $243,600
- Seward, NE18.1 mi · 7,643 people · home $244,600
- David City, NE19.4 mi · 2,995 people · home $165,200
- Waverly, NE19.5 mi · 4,279 people · home $316,600
- Lincoln, NE20.4 mi · 291,082 people · home $264,000
- Mead, NE20.6 mi · 617 people · home $166,400
- Greenwood, NE21.9 mi · 595 people · home $177,000
Valparaiso questions
Is Valparaiso, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Valparaiso scores better for retirees than 49% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 83%. 21.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.0).
How much does a house cost in Valparaiso?
The median owner-occupied home in Valparaiso is valued at $230,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,625, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $931 a month.
What is the weather like in Valparaiso?
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 12.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.0 inches of precipitation a year and 31.5 inches of snow.
Does Valparaiso get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Valparaiso since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 15, 1992. 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)