Townapedia
Holdrege, Nebraska city office from W 1
Holdrege, Nebraska city office from W 1 · Ammodramus, Public domain
Phelps County Courthouse, Holdrege
Phelps County Courthouse, Holdrege · Calvin Beale, Public domain
Kinner House from NE 1
Kinner House from NE 1 · Ammodramus, Public domain
Phelps County Courthouse (Nebraska) from S
Phelps County Courthouse (Nebraska) from S · Ammodramus, Public domain
Ironhorse Station center
Ironhorse Station center · Ammodramus, Public domain

Holdrege, Nebraska

Holdrege is a city of 5,546 people in Phelps County, Nebraska.

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Population5,546 +1.7% since 2019
Elevation2,329 ft 710 m
Land area4.2 sq mi
ZIP code68949
Nearest airportBrewster Field (HDE) 2 mi

Why visit Holdrege

Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 13 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.

Highlights include Sun Theatre, Holdrege station, Kinner House and North Park.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 13°F, and about 25 inches of snow fall in a normal year.

About Holdrege

Holdrege is a city in Phelps County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 5,515 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Phelps County. The Nebraska Prairie Museum is located in Holdrege.

From the Wikipedia article Holdrege, Nebraska (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do1

Sun Theatre

Cinema and theater

421 West Avenue, Holdrege

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Museums and landmarks6

Holdrege station

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi

Railway station

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Kinner House

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places

House in Holdrege, Nebraska, United States

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Phelps County Courthouse

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi

Historic courthouse in Holdrege, Nebraska, USA

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Phelps County Historical Museum

Museum · 1.6 mi

2701 Burlington Street, Holdrege

Apr-Oct: Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00; Sa,Su 13:00-17:00; Nov-Mar: Mo-Fr...

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Franklin Elementary School

Monument and historic site · 0.7 mi

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Lincoln Elementary School

Monument and historic site · 0.6 mi

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Parks, trails and playgrounds3

North Park

Park · 0.8 mi

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Holdrege Country Club

Golf course · 1.2 mi

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South Park

Park

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Restaurants and cafes13

Pizza Hut

Restaurant · Pizza

302 Blaine Street, Holdrege

Open in Google Maps · +1 308-995-6162

CHEEX

Diner · American · 0.4 mi

306 East Ave.

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Country Cookin

Diner · American · 0.5 mi

614 West 4th Avenue, Holdrege

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Gourmet House

Restaurant · Chinese · 0.7 mi

1503 Burlington Street, Holdrege

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La Hacienda

Restaurant · Mexican · 0.7 mi

1509 Burlington Street, Holdrege

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Hotel Dale Family Restaurant

Diner · American · 0.4 mi

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Sail Inn Lounge

Bar and pub · 0.7 mi

1507 Burlington Street, Holdrege

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Subway

Fast food · Sandwich

322 4th Avenue, Holdrege

Mo-Fr 07:00-22:00; Sa-Su 08:00-22:00

Open in Google Maps · +1 308-995-6543

Sonic

Fast food · Burger · 0.5 mi

1113 Burlington Street, Holdrege

Mo-Sa 07:00-23:00; Su 08:00-23:00

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DQ Grill & Chill

Fast food · Ice Cream, Burger

224 4th Avenue, Holdrege

Open in Google Maps · +1 308-995-4071

McDonald's

Fast food · Burger · 0.4 mi

410 West 4th Avenue, Holdrege

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Runza

Fast food · Regional

319 Nobes Street, Holdrege

Mo-Su 10:30-22:00

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1 more on the map.

History

Holdrege was established in 1883 when the railroad was extended to that point. It was named for George Ward Holdrege, a railroad official. Holdrege was designated county seat in 1884.

Holdrege was settled primarily by immigrants from Sweden in the 1880s and was named after George Ward Holdrege, general manager of the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad Company. He constructed most of the line's mileage in Nebraska, including a section through this small settlement in Phelps County. On December 10, 1883, the first train arrived in Holdrege, a pioneer town inhabited by 200 people.

In 1884, a campaign was started to move the county seat from Phelps Center to Holdrege, and an election was scheduled for October. By that time, the town had acquired a block of ground on which to erect a courthouse. With calm assurance of victory at the polls, Holdrege laid the cornerstone of the building intended to be the Phelps County Courthouse. At the special election, Holdrege received a majority of the votes but the legality of the election was questioned. So citizens of Holdrege went to Phelps Center, picked up the official records and books and hid them for two months pending the arrival of new county officials who would take over on January 1, 1885. Holdrege succeeded in becoming the county seat and the courthouse was completed.

From the History section of Holdrege, Nebraska on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to stay4

Churches and places of worship12

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Shopping3

Gas and EV charging4

Schools, colleges and libraries10

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Healthcare4

Map of Holdrege

60 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

20°40°60°80°January: 0.6 in of rainFebruary: 0.7 in of rainMarch: 1.6 in of rainApril: 2.8 in of rainMay: 4.4 in of rainJune: 3.9 in of rainJuly: 4.2 in of rainAugust: 3.6 in of rainSeptember: 2.1 in of rainOctober: 2.0 in of rainNovember: 0.9 in of rainDecember: 0.7 in of rainJanuary: 37°FFebruary: 41°FMarch: 52°FApril: 62°FMay: 72°FJune: 83°FJuly: 87°FAugust: 85°FSeptember: 78°FOctober: 65°FNovember: 51°FDecember: 39°FJanuary: 13°FFebruary: 16°FMarch: 25°FApril: 35°FMay: 46°FJune: 57°FJuly: 62°FAugust: 60°FSeptember: 51°FOctober: 38°FNovember: 25°FDecember: 16°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRainSnow
Jan37°F13°F0.6 in5.6 in
Feb41°F16°F0.7 in7.0 in
Mar52°F25°F1.6 in3.9 in
Apr62°F35°F2.8 in1.8 in
May72°F46°F4.4 in0.2 in
Jun83°F57°F3.9 in0.0 in
Jul87°F62°F4.2 in0.0 in
Aug85°F60°F3.6 in0.0 in
Sep78°F51°F2.1 in0.0 in
Oct65°F38°F2.0 in0.8 in
Nov51°F25°F0.9 in2.0 in
Dec39°F16°F0.7 in4.1 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Holdrege Hcn (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$55,789median household income
$198,900median home value
$835median monthly rent
41.1median age
30.1%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
62.5%of homes are owner-occupied
13.4 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1822%18 to 3423%35 to 6433%65 and over22%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Phelps County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.

  • 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
  • 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
  • 2019-03-21: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
  • 2014-07-24: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
  • 2011-08-12: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
  • 2010-07-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Brewster Field (HDE) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.

  • Alma 23 mi south, about 37 min by car
  • Kearney 24 mi northeast, about 38 min by car
  • Lexington 30 mi northwest, about 49 min by car
  • Gibbon 35 mi northeast, about 56 min by car
  • Cozad 43 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Cambridge 43 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Phillipsburg 48 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Norton 50 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Hastings 53 mi east, about 1 h 30 min by car
  • Gothenburg 53 mi northwest, about 1 h 30 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.