Elgin, Nebraska downtown 1, 2010
Elgin’s story
142 years in pictures
Census counts: 451 in 1900, 717 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1963 on.
- 1884Elgin is settled
ElginNE
A town of 706, settled in 1884.
Photo: Ammodramus · Public domain
Population
706
2025 Census estimate · −2.1% since 2020
Typical home
$244K
+5.1% in a year
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
35.3
years
Jobs based here
218
Balanced
Is Elgin a good place to live?
No town among the 57 in Nebraska we compare has a lower median rent than Elgin. Elgin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
706 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 Elgin: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Elgin, and how to reach them.
PowerElkhorn Rural Public Pwr Dist9.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Elgin 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 Elgin’s 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 hereAntelope County ClerkAntelope County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code6863668636 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 Elgin.
Schools
The schools Elgin’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Elgin Public Schools. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elgin Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 103 | A− |
| Elgin High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 79 | A |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
In Elgin, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Elgin has cold winters and warm summers. No town among the 58 in Nebraska we compare has a lower July high than Elgin.
30″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–35°
Spring36–60°
Summer60–83°
Fall38–62°
Oct 9
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Most of Elgin’s workers commute out: the town has 0.8 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Elgin for work: only 10% work in town. 16% of Elgin residents live below the poverty line, where Nebraska’s towns sit at 11% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Elgin’s average trip to work is 22 minutes.
10%work in town
| Elgin | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 9.9% | 34% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Elgin10%
Neligh11%
Norfolk11%
Omaha5%
Clearwater5%
22 mi
median commute distance
218
jobs based in Elgin
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Elgin is
Elgin beats the Nebraska average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 29% of Elgin adults sleep under 7 hours, below both the Nebraska town median (31%) and the median of U.S. towns (36%). 17% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Elgin.
| Elgin | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 31% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 18% | 23% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 14% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Nebraska
1 better25 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Elgin | NE |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.4% | 77.5% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.4% | 6.1% |
Antelope Memorial Hospital
10.8 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
Elgin’s typical home value is about $244K
The typical Elgin home is worth about $244,000, up 5.1% in a year, 12% below the Nebraska typical home. 78% of Elgin households own their home.
$244KZillow home value
Typical home value
Elgin$244K
Nebraska$278K
+5.1%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 459 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Elgin Municipal Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazards
Hail leads a moderate hazard risk in Elgin
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities.
50risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HailInland floodingDrought
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Elgin
18pages on Elgin
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Elgin; the nearest are
Northeast Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Norfolk35.5 mi$3,840 in-state tuitionWayne State CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Wayne57.6 mi$8,216 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Elgin residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
About Elgin
City in Antelope County, Nebraska, United States
Elgin is a city in Antelope County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Elgin had a population of 717.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,926 ft
- ZIP code
- 68636
- Area code
- 402
Questions about Elgin
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Elgin, NE a good place to live?
Elgin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.