Sprague, Nebraska Market Street 1, 2013
Sprague’s story
138 years in pictures
Census counts: 112 in 1920, 136 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1897 on.
- 1888Sprague is settled
SpragueNE
A town of 134, settled in 1888.
William H. Charlton House · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0
Population
134
2025 Census estimate · −2.2% since 2020
Median home value
$197K
Census ACS
Household income
$81K
median
Median age
32.7
years
Jobs based here
52
Balanced
Is Sprague a good place to live?
Sprague’s average trip to work is 31 minutes, against 17 minutes in Nebraska’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Only 1 of the 57 Nebraska towns we compare have a higher median rent than Sprague. Sprague has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
134 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 Sprague: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sprague, and how to reach them.
PowerNorris Public Power District9.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVillage of Sprague water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Sprague’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 code6843868438 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 Sprague.
Who lives here
Fewer middle-aged adults than Nebraska overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 21% of residents (36% statewide); children under 18 are 32% of residents (25% statewide). At 32.7 years, Sprague’s median age is where Nebraska’s towns sit at 37.5 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. Sprague has lost 2.2% of its people since 2020, down to 134 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
32.7median age · NE 37.2
| Sprague | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.7 years | 37.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 32% | 28% | 29% |
SpragueNebraskaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
22%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma7%
High school33%
Some college23%
Associate’s5%
Bachelor’s21%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
46% women, 54% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±8.8 points. Across Nebraska, 49.7% of residents are women.
| Sprague | NE | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.6% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 18.8% | 11.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.3% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 21.6% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8% | 13.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 5.7% | 11.1% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.4% | 11.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.9% | 9.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.8% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.5% | 7.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 33.3% | 25% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.1% | 21.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4.6% | 11% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.3% | 22.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.1% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 100, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Sprague has four seasons and pleasant summers
Sprague has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 88°, January nights drop to 15° and about 29 inches of snow falls in a winter.
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–38°
Spring40–63°
Summer63–86°
Fall41–65°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
A larger share of residents in Sprague live below the poverty line than in the typical Nebraska or U.S. town
19% of residents live below the poverty line in Sprague. Jobs based in Sprague grew to 52 in 2023, 37 more than in 2013. Most working residents leave Sprague for work: only 0% work in town.
0%work in town
| Sprague | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $81,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Sprague0%
Lincoln61%
Crete10%
Omaha9%
Grand Island3%
13 mi
median commute distance
52
jobs based in Sprague
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
Sprague stands out in Nebraska and nationally: a smaller share of its adults sleep under 7 hours
27% of Sprague adults sleep under 7 hours. Among 58 Nebraska towns, just 1 have a lower share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Sprague. 18% of Sprague adults get no exercise outside work.
| Sprague | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 31% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 9.7% | 13% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 28% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Nebraska
17 better14 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Sprague | NE |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 4.7% | 12.4% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7% | 12.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.3% | 8.3% |
Crete Area Medical Center
10.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Sprague faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by tornadoes
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 53% of U.S. communities.
47risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TornadoesInland floodingHail
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
Homes in Sprague sell for about $247K
Only 5 of the 58 Nebraska towns we compare have a higher share of households owning their home than Sprague.
$247Kmedian sale price
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 19 attractions →Memorial Stadium and 11 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Sprague. Close and well known come first.
14 mi Stadium & arenaMemorial Stadium
13 mi Stadium & arenaPinnacle Bank Arena
35 mi MuseumStrategic Air and Space Museum
13 mi MuseumSheldon Museum of Art
13 mi MuseumMuseum of American Speed
14 mi MuseumUniversity of Nebraska State MuseumSources: 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 · Museum of American Speed: Amjackson16, CC BY-SA 4.0 · University of Nebraska State Museum: Hanyou23, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sprague
16pages on Sprague
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Sprague
Doane UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Crete10.8 mi$43,985 tuitionUnion Adventist UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Lincoln11.4 mi$29,334 tuitionUniversity of Nebraska-LincolnUniversity or college · Public · Lincoln13.4 mi$10,434 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Sprague residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
About Sprague
Village in Nebraska, United States
Sprague is a village in Lancaster County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Lincoln, Nebraska Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 136 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,280 ft
- ZIP code
- 68438
- Area code
- 402
Questions about Sprague
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sprague, NE a good place to live?
Sprague has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.