Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Of the 58 Nebraska towns we compare, none has a higher share of residents 65 or older than Ponca. Its National Register listings include Cook Blacksmith Shop and Ponca Historic District. Ponca has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Ponca beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 594 in 1880, 907 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 1912 and 2 maps from 1964 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ponca, 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 Ponca.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 79% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Ponca.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Its public schools are run by the Ponca Public Schools. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ponca Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades 3–6 | Grades 3–6 | 128 | A− |
| Ponca High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 198 | A |
NCES · EDFacts
Ponca has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. Among 58 Nebraska towns, just 3 have a lower July high than Ponca.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Ponca for work: only 16% work in town. At 23 minutes, Ponca’s average trip to work is where Nebraska’s towns sit at 17 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. 6.7% of Ponca residents live below the poverty line.
| Ponca | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 16% | 34% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 6.7% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
At $505 a month, Ponca’s median rent is below both Nebraska’s towns ($914 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Typical home values rose 9.7% in the year to September 2026.
| Ponca | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $505 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
Ponca beats the Nebraska average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 16% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Ponca.
| Ponca | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 18% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 31% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 40% | 35% |
| What stands out | Ponca | NE |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.6% | 77.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.2% | 8.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mattison Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Ponca. Close and well known come first.
18 mi LandmarkSergeant Floyd Monument
2 mi National park siteMissouri National Recreational River166K visitors a year
19 mi MuseumNational Music MuseumSergeant Floyd Monument: Bkell, Public domain · Missouri National Recreational River: Dugan Smith, Public domain · National Music Museum: Charvex, Public domain
1 within 15 miles of the center of Ponca
About 2 of every 100 Ponca residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
3 places in Ponca on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Ponca.
City in and county seat of Dixon County, Nebraska, U.S.
Ponca is a city in and the county seat of Dixon County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Ponca had a population of 907.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Ponca has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Home to 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born here, including Charles D. Alexander and Tommy Atkins.
