Village · Nebraska
Pender, Nebraska
Pender, village, in Thurston County, Nebraska. Pender had 1,106 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,115 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,379 (±133). GEOID 3138750.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,106
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,115 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,379 ±133
Median household income
$73,125
±$27,771 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $76,475
Median home value
$175,000
±$41,024 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $238,600
Median gross rent
$875
±$176 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $1,072
Where is Pender and what county is it in?
Pender is a village in Thurston County, Nebraska. It covers 0.7 square miles of land, 1,591 residents per square mile in 2020.
Pender lies entirely within Pender Township, a township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Pender, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,106 people lived in Pender on July 1, 2025, down 2.5% since 2020, while Nebraska grew 2.9%. The 2020 Census counted 1,115 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,379 (±133).
| Measure | Pender | Thurston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,379 ±133 | 6,627 | +175 |
| Households | 465 ±52 | 1,990 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.87 ±0.26 | 3.27 | +0.49 |
| Housing units | 496 ±52 | 2,290 | no clear change |
Pender's population since 2000
From 1,148 in 2000 to 1,106 in 2025: down 3.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Pender as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Pender?
The median resident of Pender is 36.0 years old; 27.8% are under 18 and 17.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 82.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 8.4%.
| Measure | Pender | Thurston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 ±4.8 | 29.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 27.8% ±3.5 pts | 34.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.7% ±3.0 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Male | 48.4% ±2.9 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8.4% ±3.4 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 82.7% ±5.6 pts | 36.2% | −8.1 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.2 pts | 1.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±2.1 pts | 53.7% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.6% ±3.5 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.0% ±1.7 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.2% ±3.4 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.1% ±2.0 pts | 5.6% | – |
| With a disability | 11.3% ±2.7 pts | 8.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.5% ±2.1 pts | 9.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.8% ±2.8 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 31.5% ±3.9 pts | 22.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.3% ±3.1 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.3% ±4.0 pts | 91.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Pender earn?
Half of Pender's 465 households earn less than $73,125 a year (±$27,771), against $69,177 in Thurston County and $76,475 in Nebraska. In 2015-2019 it was $78,970 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Pender | Thurston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,125 ±$27,771 | $69,177 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $102,580 ±$12,726 | $86,211 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,434 ±$4,378 | $27,509 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.4% ±4.8 pts | 13.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 15.1% ±10.4 pts | 18.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 2.8% ±2.5 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.5% ±3.1 pts | 94.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.7% ±3.8 pts | 87.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Pender?
Owners occupy 78.7% of Pender's occupied homes and renters 21.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $175,000 by its owner (±$41,024). The median renter pays $875 a month including utilities, and 31.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Pender | Thurston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $175,000 ±$41,024 | $114,600 | +$58,330 |
| Median gross rent | $875 ±$176 | $699 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 31.1% ±16.8 pts | 22.9% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,395 ±$201 | $1,370 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.7% ±6.4 pts | 61.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.3% ±6.4 pts | 39.0% | – |
| Housing units | 496 ±52 | 2,290 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.0% ±4.5 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 87.9% ±4.8 pts | 80.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.6% ±0.9 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.9 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.6% ±2.6 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 32.7% ±5.7 pts | 21.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.6% ±1.2 pts | 5.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Pender building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Pender in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 5.3 across Nebraska.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Pender work and get to work?
80.6% of Pender's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 27.4 minutes.
| Measure | Pender | Thurston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.6% ±4.9 pts | 65.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% ±3.1 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.6% ±5.5 pts | 83.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.2% ±4.6 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 6.0% ±3.0 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 2.4% ±1.7 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.4 min ±10.0 | 21.3 min | +14.0 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Pender?
No census tract lies mostly in Pender; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9401Thurston County | 3,943 | $69,329 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Pender) · Census block assignment files
How does Pender compare with other places in Nebraska?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Pender is the 9,873rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 99th-most populous of 528 in Nebraska.
Pender ranks 60th of 136 places in Nebraska with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 99th | 528 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 106th | 132 |
| Residents per square mile | 48th | 136 |
| Median household income | 60th | 136 |
| Per capita income | 63rd | 136 |
| Median home value | 64th | 135 |
| Median gross rent | 60th | 129 |
| Poverty rate | 67th | 109 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35th | 135 |
| Median age | 96th | 136 |
| Owner-occupied share | 35th | 135 |
| Travel time to work | 8th | 135 |
Pender's figures with every place in Nebraska (CSV)
Every place in Nebraska, sortable · Compare Pender with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Pender?
17 of the 57 figures for Pender on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Pender are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Pender.