KSMap-doton-Bern, 2005
Bern’s story
172 years in pictures
Census counts: 306 in 1930, 161 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2005 and 5 maps from 1888 on.
- 1854Bern is settled
BernKS
The town was settled in 1854 and has 161 residents today.
Population
161
2025 Census estimate · −3% since 2020
Typical home
$257K
+10.2% in a year
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
50.5
years
Jobs based here
373
A job hub
Is Bern a good place to live?
No town among the 152 in Kansas we compare has a lower January low than Bern. Bern has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Bern stand out
Where Bern beats most towns.
Small town
161 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bern: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bern, and how to reach them.
PowerEvergy14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Bern water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bern’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Kansas you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereNemaha County ClerkNemaha County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP code6640866408 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bern.
Work & commute
About half of Bern’s working residents commute to Seneca
The share of residents in Bern who live below the poverty line: 5.1%. For most workers, Bern is a place to come home to: only 6% work in town. Jobs in Bern grew by 171 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 373. Its average commute is 25 minutes.
6%work in town
| Bern | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 5.1% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 6.5% | 15% | 8% |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Bern6%
Seneca49%
Sabetha6%
Hiawatha3%
Topeka3%
10 mi
median commute distance
373
jobs based in Bern
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Bern: four seasons and pleasant summers
Expect July afternoons of 88° and January nights of 16°, with about 24 inches of snow a winter.
24″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–39°
Spring41–64°
Summer64–86°
Fall42–66°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 22
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Bern faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 63% of U.S. communities. 43% of Bern’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by tornadoes at 28%.
37risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Bern is
31% of adults feel lonely in Bern. The town tracks Kansas closely on all 32 CDC measures. Two figures for adults here: 40% have obesity, 17% binge drink.
| Bern | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 35% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 37% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 31% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Great Plains of Sabetha
9.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
Bern stands out in Kansas and nationally: the median rent there is lower
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 10%. 88% of households own their home in Bern, against 72% in Kansas’ towns and 73% across U.S. towns. The typical Bern home is worth about $257,000, up 10.2% in a year, close to the Kansas typical home.
$257KZillow home value
| Bern | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 88% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $567 a month | $975 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Bern$257K
Kansas$246K
+10.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bern
15pages on Bern
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Bern; the nearest are
Peru State CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Peru, NE37.6 mi$8,640 in-state tuitionHighland Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Highland37.7 mi$4,080 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Bern residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
A job hub
Every workday, about 368 people come to Bern for work
Where Bern’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
373jobs based in Bern
6%of working residents work in town
10 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Bern
City in Nemaha County, Kansas
Bern is a city in Nemaha County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 161.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1854
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,280 ft
- ZIP code
- 66408
- Area code
- 785
Questions about Bern
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bern, KS a good place to live?
Bern has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.