Benjamin and Mary Kellenbarger House · National Register of Historic Places
Merna’s story
146 years in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1880Merna is settled
MernaNE
A town of 344, settled in 1880.
Brenizer Library · Photo: Ammodramus · Public domain
Population
344
2025 Census estimate · −0.3% since 2020
Typical home
$170K
+5.9% in a year
Household income
$62K
median
Median age
39.3
years
Jobs based here
30
A commuter town
Is Merna a good place to live?
0.6% of working residents work locally in Merna, below both Nebraska’s towns (34%) and U.S. towns (8%). Only 1 of the 51 Nebraska towns we compare have a lower typical home value than Merna. Merna has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Brenizer Library and Benjamin and Mary Kellenbarger House. Merna has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
344 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 Merna: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Merna, and how to reach them.
PowerCuster Public Power District13.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVillage of Merna 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 Merna’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 hereCuster County ClerkCuster County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code6885668856 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 Merna.
Housing
Merna’s typical home value is about $170K
The typical Merna home is worth about $170,000, up 5.9% in a year, 39% below the Nebraska typical home.
$170KZillow home value
| Merna | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 73% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $983 a month | $914 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Merna$170K
Nebraska$278K
+5.9%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
A larger share of residents in Merna live below the poverty line than in the typical Nebraska or U.S. town
20% of residents live below the poverty line in Merna, against 11% in Nebraska’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. The median household income in Merna is $62,000. Jobs based in Merna fell to 30 in 2023, 26 fewer than in 2013.
1%work in town
| Merna | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 20% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Merna1%
Broken Bow24%
Sargent11%
Lincoln5%
Omaha4%
24 mi
median commute distance
30
jobs based in Merna
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Merna, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Merna has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 13° and about 30 inches of snow falls in a winter.
30″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–39°
Spring35–61°
Summer58–84°
Fall36–64°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 10
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Merna is
Merna beats the Nebraska average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 20% of adults binge drink in Merna.
| Merna | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 19% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 14% | 17% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Nebraska
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Merna | NE |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.4% | 8.3% |
Jennie M Melham Memorial Medical Center
8.5 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Merna
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 59% of U.S. communities.
59risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Merna
15pages on Merna
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Merna; the nearest are
Mid-Plains Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · North Platte59.1 mi$3,600 in-state tuitionUniversity of Nebraska at KearneyUniversity or college · Public · Kearney64.2 mi$8,676 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Merna residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Merna for work
Where Merna’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
30jobs based in Merna
1%of working residents work in town
24 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
2 places in Merna on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Merna
Village in Nebraska, United States
Merna is a village in Custer County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Merna had a population of 343.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,664 ft
- ZIP code
- 68856
Questions about Merna
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Merna, NE a good place to live?
Merna has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.