The Town FilesLexington, Nebraska
City in Dawson County · population 10,348 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $159,100
- Household income
- $67,666
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 31.3
Lexington is a city of 10,348 people in Dawson County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $159,100, close to the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better for cycling than 93% of Nebraska towns, better transit than 93% of Nebraska towns, more vibrant than 92% of Nebraska towns.
How Lexington 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 Lexington is worth $159,100, close to the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $67,666, which is more affordable than 40% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $966 a month. 57.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lexington | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $159,100 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $966 | $818 |
| Median household income | $67,666 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 57.4% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lexington
| People | Lexington | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.3 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.3% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 34.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.1% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.8% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 1.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 41.7% | — |
| Work from home | 0.5% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 16.1 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.9% | 87.8% |
Weather in Lexington
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 15.2°F. About 23.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.0 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lexington since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on October 31, 2000 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 5, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 94 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on September 21, 2023.
Severe weather in Dawson County since 1996
Dawson County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 13, 2026 | Fire | FM-5623: Morrill-Cottonwood Fire |
| September 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4822: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Dawson County
Dawson County had 11,864 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,639 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Lexington itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Lexington
8 public schools with 3,229 students, about 14.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 919 | 14.4 |
| LEXINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 678 | 14.1 |
| BRYAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 386 | 16.1 |
| MORTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-1 | 363 | 14.5 |
| SANDOZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 2-3 | 321 | 12.8 |
| PERSHING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 4-5 | 305 | 13.3 |
| EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY | PK-PK | 257 | 23.4 |
| EARLY INTERVENTION/HOMEBOUND | PK-PK | — | — |
Towns near Lexington
- Cozad, NE13.8 mi · 3,988 people · home $121,600
- Gothenburg, NE23.6 mi · 3,478 people · home $191,000
Lexington questions
Is Lexington, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lexington scores better for retirees than 1% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 5%. 9.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.3).
How much does a house cost in Lexington?
The median owner-occupied home in Lexington is valued at $159,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,666, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $966 a month.
What is the weather like in Lexington?
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 15.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 23.4 inches of precipitation a year and 20.0 inches of snow.
Does Lexington get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lexington since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on October 31, 2000. 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)