Panama Public School (Nebraska), 2012
Panama’s story
157 years in pictures
Census counts: 230 in 1910, 235 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1965 on.
- 1869Panama is settled
PanamaNE
A town of 230, settled in 1869.
Population
230
2025 Census estimate · −3.8% since 2020
Typical home
$275K
+1.8% in a year
Household income
$95K
median
Median age
52.7
years
Jobs based here
53
A commuter town
Is Panama a good place to live?
Panama’s average trip to work is 34 minutes, against 17 minutes in Nebraska’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Of the 58 Nebraska towns we compare, none has a higher share of residents 65 or older than Panama. Panama has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
230 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 Panama: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Panama, and how to reach them.
PowerNorris Public Power District9.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVillage of Panama water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Panama’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 hereLancaster Election CommissionerLancaster County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6841968419 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 Panama.
Work & commute
Panama stands out in Nebraska and nationally, with fewer of its working residents who work locally
0.9% of working residents work locally in Panama, below both the Nebraska town median (34%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). Jobs based in Panama grew to 53 in 2023, 31 more than in 2013. 3.5% of Panama residents live below the poverty line.
1%work in town
| Panama | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 0.9% | 34% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.5% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $95,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Panama1%
Lincoln64%
Omaha6%
Grand Island3%
La Vista2%
17 mi
median commute distance
53
jobs based in Panama
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Panama, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Panama has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 15° and about 29 inches of snow falls in a winter.
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–37°
Spring40–63°
Summer63–85°
Fall42–65°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Compared with most of Nebraska and the rest of the country, fewer of Panama’s adults report frequent mental distress
13% of adults report frequent mental distress in Panama. Among 58 Nebraska towns, just 4 have a lower share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than Panama. 9.8% of adults report frequent physical distress in Panama.
| Panama | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 28% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 31% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 9.8% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Nebraska
17 better14 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Panama | NE |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 6.7% | 12.3% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.4% | 9.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10% | 8.3% |
Bryan Medical Center
15.5 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
A typical Panama home is worth about $275K
The typical Panama home is worth about $275,000, up 1.8% in a year, close to the Nebraska typical home. Only 1 of the 58 Nebraska towns we compare have a higher share of households owning their home than Panama.
$275KZillow home value
Typical home value
Panama$275K
Nebraska$278K
+1.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Tornadoes leads a moderate hazard risk in Panama
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 51% of U.S. communities.
51risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TornadoesInland floodingHail
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 181 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Dutch Hunt Field Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 36 attractions →Memorial Stadium and 11 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Panama. Close and well known come first.
18 mi Stadium & arenaMemorial Stadium
18 mi Stadium & arenaPinnacle Bank Arena
31 mi MuseumStrategic Air and Space Museum
18 mi MuseumSheldon Museum of Art
18 mi MuseumUniversity of Nebraska State Museum
19 mi MuseumMuseum of American SpeedSources: 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 · Strategic Air and Space Museum: User Kandykornhead on en.wikipedia, Public domain · Sheldon Museum of Art: Ammodramus, CC0 · University of Nebraska State Museum: Hanyou23, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Museum of American Speed: Amjackson16, CC BY-SA 4.0
_from_NE_1.JPG){kind=link}
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Panama
17pages on Panama
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Panama
About 6 of every 100 Panama residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Nebraska.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Panama for work
Where Panama’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
53jobs based in Panama
1%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Panama
Village in Nebraska, United States
Panama is a village in Lancaster County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Lincoln, Nebraska Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 235 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,394 ft
- ZIP code
- 68419
Questions about Panama
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Panama, NE a good place to live?
Panama has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.