Cowles, Nebraska Main Street 1, 2012
Cowles’s story
148 years in pictures
Census counts: 220 in 1920, 21 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 3 maps from 1898 on.
- 1878Cowles is platted
CowlesNE
A town of 21, platted in 1878.
Is Cowles a good place to live?
Cowles’ midpoint age is 54 years, above both Nebraska’s towns (37.5 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). Only 3 of the 58 Nebraska towns we compare have a lower home-ownership rate than Cowles. Cowles has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
21 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 Cowles: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cowles, and how to reach them.
PowerSouth Central Public Pwr Dist9.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet1 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Cowles’ trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Nebraska you can register online until 18 days before Election Day, in person until 11 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 18 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereWebster County ClerkWebster County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2024
ZIP code6893068930 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Cowles.
Natural hazards
Cowles faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by hail
Cowles’ natural-hazard score from FEMA stands at 74 of 100, above both the Nebraska town median (55 of 100) and the median of U.S. towns (44 of 100). 44% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from hail, followed by drought at 22%.
74risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HailDroughtStrong wind
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
25″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–40°
Spring38–64°
Summer62–87°
Fall40–66°
Oct 5
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Cowles is
In Cowles, 37% of adults have high blood pressure. Of 32 CDC measures, Cowles beats the Nebraska average on 4 and trails it on 5. Among adults in the town, 13% report frequent mental distress and 30% sleep under 7 hours.
| Cowles | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 31% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Nebraska
4 better23 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Cowles | NE |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.5% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.7% | 9.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.4% | 8.3% |
Webster County Community Hospital
6.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cowles
13pages on Cowles
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Cowles; the nearest are
Hastings CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Hastings29.2 mi$37,770 tuitionCentral Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Grand Island49.8 mi$3,360 in-state tuitionUniversity of Nebraska at KearneyUniversity or college · Public · Kearney50.1 mi$8,676 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Cowles residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
About Cowles
Village in Webster County, Nebraska, United States
Cowles is a village in Webster County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Cowles had a population of 21.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,791 ft
Questions about Cowles
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Cowles, NE a good place to live?
Cowles has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.