The Town FilesWayne, Nebraska
City in Wayne County · population 5,973 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $228,900
- Household income
- $53,702
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 23.2
Wayne is a city of 5,973 people in Wayne County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $228,900, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better for young professionals than 100% of Nebraska towns, more of a college town than 100% of Nebraska towns, hipper than 99% of Nebraska towns.
How Wayne 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 Wayne is worth $228,900, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $53,702, which is more affordable than 0% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $792 a month. 42.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wayne | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $228,900 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $792 | $818 |
| Median household income | $53,702 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 42.4% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wayne
| People | Wayne | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 23.2 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.0% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.6% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 2.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.2% | — |
| Work from home | 15.4% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 10.5 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.6% | 87.8% |
Weather in Wayne
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 10.8°F. About 27.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 32.2 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 159 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wayne since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on June 16, 2014 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 12, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 74 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on May 5, 1964.
Severe weather in Wayne County since 1996
Wayne County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
| August 27, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4387: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Wayne County
Wayne County had 4,188 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,234 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Wayne itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Wayne
5 public schools with 1,009 students, about 15.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAYNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 477 | 15.4 |
| WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 319 | 16.8 |
| WAYNE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-8 | 161 | 16.1 |
| WAYNE EARLY LEARNING CENTER | PK-PK | 52 | 52.0 |
| TOWER SCHOOL | PK-12 | — | — |
Towns near Wayne
- Norfolk, NE25.9 mi · 24,955 people · home $211,700
Wayne questions
Is Wayne, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wayne scores better for retirees than 65% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 9%. 12.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 23.2).
How much does a house cost in Wayne?
The median owner-occupied home in Wayne is valued at $228,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,702, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $792 a month.
What is the weather like in Wayne?
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 10.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.5 inches of precipitation a year and 32.2 inches of snow.
Does Wayne get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wayne since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on June 16, 2014. 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)