The Town FilesSeward, Nebraska
City in Seward County · population 7,643 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $244,600
- Household income
- $72,564
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 22 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 32.0
Seward is a city of 7,643 people in Seward County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $244,600, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 100% of Nebraska towns, better for cycling than 100% of Nebraska towns, better for young professionals than 97% of Nebraska towns.
How Seward 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 Seward is worth $244,600, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $72,564, which is more affordable than 6% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $1,018 a month. 60.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Seward | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $244,600 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $1,018 | $818 |
| Median household income | $72,564 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 60.6% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Seward
| People | Seward | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.0 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.2% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.6% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.6% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.8% | 87.8% |
Weather in Seward
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 12.0°F. About 28.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.5 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 35 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Seward since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 13, 2001 about 3.0 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 13 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 24, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 87 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on July 26, 2014.
Severe weather in Seward County since 1996
Seward County has been included in 19 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 |
| 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 Seward County
Seward County had 5,990 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,719 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Seward itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Seward
3 public schools with 1,471 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-4 | 550 | 15.3 |
| SEWARD HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 495 | 12.7 |
| SEWARD MIDDLE SCHOOL | 5-8 | 426 | 13.7 |
Towns near Seward
- Crete, NE21.0 mi · 7,099 people · home $223,500
- Lincoln, NE23.0 mi · 291,082 people · home $264,000
- David City, NE23.8 mi · 2,995 people · home $165,200
- York, NE26.1 mi · 8,066 people · home $180,900
- Waverly, NE29.4 mi · 4,279 people · home $316,600
Seward questions
Is Seward, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Seward scores better for retirees than 47% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 4%. 17.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.0).
How much does a house cost in Seward?
The median owner-occupied home in Seward is valued at $244,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,564, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,018 a month.
What is the weather like in Seward?
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 12.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.7 inches of precipitation a year and 21.5 inches of snow.
Does Seward get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Seward since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 13, 2001. 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)