Milford, Nebraska First from B 1, 2013
Milford’s story
160 years in pictures
Census counts: 402 in 1880, 2,155 in 2020. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1939 on.
- 1866Milford is platted
Population
2,286
2025 Census estimate · +5.6% since 2020
Typical home
$318K
+8.7% in a year
Household income
$83K
median
Median age
33.1
years
Jobs based here
619
A commuter town
Is Milford a good place to live?
Milford’s best subject grades are an A− for health and incomes; its weakest is a C− for hazard risk. On health, just 10 of Nebraska’s 131 towns do better. 7.7% of working residents work locally in Milford, where Nebraska’s towns sit at 34% and U.S. towns at 8%. The biggest park or preserve is Welch Park, at 20 acres. Milford has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Milford stand out
Where Milford beats most towns.
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Milford for work
Where Milford’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
619jobs based in Milford
8%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Milford grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Nebraska), ordered by how far Milford is from typical.
HealthMemorial Health Care Systems 9.7 miles awayA−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →Jobs & income$83K median household incomeA−Open →SchoolsA−Open →SafetyB+Open →Cost of livingB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7 of 20; 7% of households have no car; 3.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsCOpen →HistoryPlatted 1866; 3 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life0.9 library visits per resident; 7.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 33.1; 28% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Milford: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Milford, and how to reach them.
PowerNebraska Public Power District10.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Milford water system2 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpCity of Milford drop boxHire your ownTown site
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 hereSeward County ClerkSeward County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2026
ZIP code6840568405 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 Milford.
HealthA−
Milford is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns
Milford beats the Nebraska average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 22% of Milford adults binge drink, above both Nebraska’s towns (19%) and U.S. towns (16%). 72% of adults had a checkup this year in Milford.
84%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Milford | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 19% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 76% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 31% | 36% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 8.8% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Nebraska
2 better29 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Milford | NE |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8% | 12.4% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 8.8% | 10.7% |
| Fewer adults getting cholesterol checked | 79.8% | 83.7% |
Memorial Health Care Systems
9.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsA−
Milford’s schools rank ahead of 75% of Nebraska districts
Its public schools are run by the Milford Public Schools. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Milford High School, with 379 students.
75%of NE districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milford Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 430 | B |
| Milford High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 379 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NE on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
About two in five of Milford’s working residents commute to Lincoln
Most working residents leave Milford for work: only 8% work in town. Milford’s average trip to work is 19 minutes. Since 2013, Milford has lost 41 jobs, to 619 in 2023.
8%work in town
| Milford | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 6.3% | 5.4% | 11% |
| Median household income | $83,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Milford8%
Lincoln40%
Omaha7%
Seward6%
Crete2%
19 mi
median commute distance
619
jobs based in Milford
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 65% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SafetyB+
Crime per resident in Milford is lower than in 73% of U.S. towns
The property crime rate in Milford is 4.9 per 1,000 residents.
73%of U.S. towns report more crimeB+Safety Grade
| Milford | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.9 per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.8 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Milford1.8
Nebraska2.2
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Milford4.9
Nebraska14
U.S.15.5
73rd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
4
violent crimes reported in 2025
11
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Milford
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 74% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Milford since 2019.
74risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHailTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 2019
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Milford
Milford has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 15° and about 22 inches of snow falls in a winter.
22″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–37°
Spring39–63°
Summer63–85°
Fall41–65°
Oct 14
typical first frost
Apr 22
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More young adults than Nebraska overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 30% of residents (23% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 32% of residents (36% statewide). Milford has grown 5.6% since 2020, to 2,286 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 16% of Milford residents are 65 or older.
33.1median age · NE 37.2
| Milford | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.1 years | 37.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 16% | 19% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 22% | 24% | 22% |
MilfordNebraskaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma9%
High school27%
Some college17%
Associate’s18%
Bachelor’s22%
Graduate6%
Women and men · all residents
46% women, 54% men
About 120 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.6 points). Across Nebraska, 49.7% of residents are women.
| Milford | NE | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.9% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.3% | 11.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 20.4% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.6% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.6% | 13.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.8% | 11.1% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.7% | 11.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.7% | 9.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.1% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 8.8% | 7.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.4% | 25% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.4% | 21.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 18% | 11% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22% | 22.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.4% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,300, single groups can be off by several points
HousingCost of living grade B+
The typical home in Milford is valued at about $318K
The typical Milford home is worth about $318,000, up 8.7% in a year, 14% above the Nebraska typical home.
$318KZillow home value
| Milford | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 61% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $892 a month | $914 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Milford$318K
Nebraska$278K
+8.7%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 510 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Welch Park | — | 20 |
| 2. South Park | — | 10 |
| 3. Uptown Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 13 attractions →Memorial Stadium and 10 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Milford. Close and well known come first.
19 mi Stadium & arenaMemorial Stadium
18 mi Stadium & arenaPinnacle Bank Arena
19 mi MuseumSheldon Museum of Art
18 mi MuseumMuseum of American Speed
19 mi MuseumUniversity of Nebraska State Museum
20 mi Zoo & aquariumLincoln Children's ZooSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Memorial Stadium: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0 · Pinnacle Bank Arena: CrunchySkies, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Sheldon Museum of Art: Ammodramus, CC0 · Museum of American Speed: Amjackson16, CC BY-SA 4.0 · University of Nebraska State Museum: Hanyou23, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lincoln Children's Zoo: Hanyou23, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Milford
20pages on Milford
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 75% of NE districts · 2 schoolsSafetyB+1.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than NE on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$318K typical home · up 8.7% in a yearWork & commuteA−$83K median household income · 619 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 74% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Milford
Concordia University-NebraskaUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Seward10 mi$40,640 tuitionDoane UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Crete11.6 mi$43,985 tuition
College town 15 of every 100 Milford residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
Famous people from Milford
3 notable people were born in Milford.
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About Milford
City in Seward County, Nebraska, United States
Milford is a city in Seward County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Lincoln, Nebraska Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,155 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,453 ft
- ZIP code
- 68405
- Area code
- 402
Questions about Milford
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Milford, NE expensive?
Not for the area. That is 4.2 years of the area's median household income ($75,049 across the Lincoln, NE metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
What is Milford, NE known for?
Milford was platted in 1866. 3 notable people were born here, including Victor Mills and Harry Culver.