The Town FilesO'Neill, Nebraska
City in Holt County · population 3,581 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $153,300
- Household income
- $56,510
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 41.9
O'Neill is a city of 3,581 people in Holt County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $153,300, close to the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better for retirees than 93% of Nebraska towns, better for young professionals than 84% of Nebraska towns, more vibrant than 77% of Nebraska towns.
How O'Neill 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 O'Neill is worth $153,300, close to the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $56,510, which is more affordable than 28% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $697 a month. 67.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | O'Neill | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $153,300 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $697 | $818 |
| Median household income | $56,510 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 67.3% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in O'Neill
| People | O'Neill | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.4% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 25.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.5% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.5% | — |
| Work from home | 2.4% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 11.8 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.1% | 87.8% |
Weather in O'Neill
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 11.0°F. About 25.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.6 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of O'Neill since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 9, 2003 about 2.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 30, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 72 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on August 26, 2024.
Severe weather in Holt County since 1996
Holt County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4822: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Holt County
Holt County had 4,403 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,877 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in O'Neill itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Public schools in O'Neill
2 public schools with 826 students, about 12.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| O'NEILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 461 | 12.1 |
| O'NEILL HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 365 | 11.8 |
O'Neill questions
Is O'Neill, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, O'Neill scores better for retirees than 93% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 37%. 22.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.9).
How much does a house cost in O'Neill?
The median owner-occupied home in O'Neill is valued at $153,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,510, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $697 a month.
What is the weather like in O'Neill?
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 11.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.8 inches of precipitation a year and 25.6 inches of snow.
Does O'Neill get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of O'Neill since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 9, 2003. 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)