The Town FilesWausa, Nebraska
Village in Knox County · population 592 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $85,900
- Household income
- $59,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 46.5
Wausa is a village of 592 people in Knox County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $85,900, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better for retirees than 82% of Nebraska towns, better for families than 74% of Nebraska towns, better for first-time buyers than 71% of Nebraska towns.
How Wausa 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 Wausa is worth $85,900, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $59,375, which is more affordable than 96% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $763 a month. 82.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wausa | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $85,900 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $763 | $818 |
| Median household income | $59,375 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 82.1% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Wausa
| People | Wausa | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.2% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 18.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.0% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 2.4% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.7% | 87.8% |
Weather in Wausa
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 41.7 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
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wausa since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 8, 1965 about 0.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 5, 2007.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 53 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 23, 1998.
Severe weather in Knox County since 1996
Knox County has been included in 18 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 Knox County
Knox County had 2,895 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,951 a year. Unemployment was 2.2% in 2023; in Wausa itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Wausa
2 public schools with 223 students, about 10.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAUSA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 118 | 10.7 |
| WAUSA HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 105 | 10.5 |
Towns near Wausa
- Bloomfield, NE8.9 mi · 986 people · home $92,800
- Osmond, NE10.1 mi · 794 people · home $132,400
- Randolph, NE12.4 mi · 879 people · home $119,000
- Plainview, NE16.1 mi · 1,282 people · home $96,000
- Hartington, NE16.2 mi · 1,517 people · home $178,100
- Crofton, NE16.3 mi · 756 people · home $125,500
- Coleridge, NE17.1 mi · 537 people · home $87,100
- Creighton, NE18.9 mi · 1,147 people · home $98,000
Wausa questions
Is Wausa, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wausa scores better for retirees than 82% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 57%. 27.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.5).
How much does a house cost in Wausa?
The median owner-occupied home in Wausa is valued at $85,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,375, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $763 a month.
What is the weather like in Wausa?
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 41.7 inches of snow.
Does Wausa get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wausa 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)