Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 149, settled in 1886.
Mason City’s median age is 27.9 years, below both Nebraska’s towns (37.5 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). Mason City School is on the National Register of Historic Places. Mason City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 241 in 1900, a peak of 487 in 1920, 151 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 1942 and 2 maps from 1951 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Mason City, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Mason City.
Mason City sits above both the Nebraska town median (28%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%) on this measure. Adults 35 to 64 are 22% of residents (36% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 36% of residents (23% statewide).
42% women, 58% men
About 136 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±5.7 points). Across Nebraska, 49.7% of residents are women.
| Mason City | NE | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 16.4% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 6.9% | 11.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 27% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.5% | 13.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 5.8% | 11.1% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 6.9% | 11.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.6% | 9.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.9% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0% | 7.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.3% | 25% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.2% | 21.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.6% | 11% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 31.3% | 22.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 4.7% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 100, single groups can be off by several points
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 79% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Mason City for work: only 0% work in town. Mason City’s average trip to work is 25 minutes. The top destinations are Broken Bow (30%), Ansley (8%) and Kearney (7%).
| Mason City | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 11% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Mason City home is worth about $194,000, up 3% in a year, 30% below the Nebraska typical home. The median rent in Mason City is $838 a month.
| Mason City | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $838 a month | $914 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 75% | 67% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Mason City has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 13° and about 26 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Mason City beats the Nebraska average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 16% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Mason City.
| Mason City | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 18% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 19% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 31% | 36% |
| What stands out | Mason City | NE |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 10.2% | 12.4% |
| More adults seeing a dentist | 71.3% | 64.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.8% | 8.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Mason City; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Mason City residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
Where Mason City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Village in Nebraska, United States
Mason City is a village in Custer County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Mason City had a population of 151.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Mason City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.