The Town FilesMinden, Nebraska
City in Kearney County · population 3,118 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $208,500
- Household income
- $68,449
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 38.6
Minden is a city of 3,118 people in Kearney County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $208,500, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better transit than 94% of Nebraska towns, better for cycling than 90% of Nebraska towns, more walkable than 80% of Nebraska towns.
How Minden 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 Minden is worth $208,500, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $68,449, which is more affordable than 12% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $823 a month. 75.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Minden | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $208,500 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $823 | $818 |
| Median household income | $68,449 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 75.4% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.6% | — |
Who lives in Minden
| People | Minden | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.9% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 26.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.2% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 3.9% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.9% | 87.8% |
Weather in Minden
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 14.5°F. About 25.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.8 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 38 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 149 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Minden since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 13, 1990 about 2.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 6, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 72 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 12, 2002.
Severe weather in Kearney County since 1996
Kearney County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4641: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| July 24, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4183: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Kearney County
Kearney County had 1,999 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,822 a year. Unemployment was 1.7% in 2023; in Minden itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Minden
3 public schools with 781 students, about 11.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| C L JONES MIDDLE SCHOOL | 4-8 | 305 | 13.3 |
| MINDEN HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 244 | 10.2 |
| MINDEN EAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-3 | 232 | 12.2 |
Towns near Minden
- Kearney, NE15.3 mi · 33,790 people · home $244,600
- Holdrege, NE21.9 mi · 5,515 people · home $198,900
Minden questions
Is Minden, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Minden scores better for retirees than 58% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 38%. 21.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).
How much does a house cost in Minden?
The median owner-occupied home in Minden is valued at $208,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,449, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $823 a month.
What is the weather like in Minden?
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 14.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.7 inches of precipitation a year and 24.8 inches of snow.
Does Minden get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Minden since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 13, 1990. 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)