Townapedia
Downtown Pender, Nebraska 1.1
Downtown Pender, Nebraska 1.1 · Ammodramus, Public domain
Pender School B
Pender School B · WiinterU, CC0
Pender School A
Pender School A · WiinterU, CC0
Pender School dedication plaque
Pender School dedication plaque · WiinterU, CC0
St. Marks Lutheran Church Pender
St. Marks Lutheran Church Pender · WiinterU, CC0
Pender School C
Pender School C · WiinterU, CC0

Pender, Nebraska

Pender is a village of 1,379 people in Thurston County, Nebraska, founded in 1885.

Loading the weather...
Population1,379 +14.5% since 2019
Elevation1,342 ft 409 m
Founded1885
Land area0.7 sq mi
ZIP code68047
Nearest airportSioux Gateway Airport (SUX) 26 mi

Why visit Pender

Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 3 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.

Highlights include First Thurston County Courthouse, Thurston County Courthouse and Pender Park.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 11°F, and about 32 inches of snow fall in a normal year.

About Pender

Pender is a village in and the county seat of Thurston County, Nebraska, United States. On March 22, 2016, the United States Supreme Court resolved a disagreement as to whether Pender is located on the Omaha Indian Reservation, holding unanimously that "the disputed land is within the reservation’s boundaries." The predominantly European-American population was 1,115 at the 2020 census.

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

Museums and landmarks4

First Thurston County Courthouse

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places

Pender, Nebraska, listed on the NRHP in Nebraska

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Thurston County Courthouse

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places

Courthouse in Nebraska, United States

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Heritage Museum of Thurston County

Museum · 0.4 mi

501 Ivan Street, Pender

Open in Google Maps

Blue Ox

Monument and historic site · 0.5 mi

Open in Google Maps

Parks, trails and playgrounds2

Pender Park

Park

Open in Google Maps

Heyne Memorial Field

Sports field and stadium

Open in Google Maps

Restaurants and cafes3

Godfather's Pizza

Restaurant · Pizza

701 4th Street, Pender

Su-Th 08:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 08:00-21:00

Open in Google Maps · +1-402-385-6120

Popo's

Diner · American

Valley Street, Pender

Open in Google Maps

Subway

Fast food · Sandwich

325 Main Street, Pender

10:00-21:00

Open in Google Maps · +1 402-385-0163

Advertisement

Where to stay2

Cross Roads Lodge

Motel and hotel

A motel in Pender, Nebraska.

402 Earl Street, Pender

Open in Google Maps · +1-402-385-6160

Blue Ox RV Park

Campground · 0.6 mi

Industrial Road, Pender

Open in Google Maps · +1 402 385 3051

History

European-American settlers founded the village in April 1885, naming it in honor of the Scottish politician and businessman Sir John Pender, a pioneer of the Transatlantic Cable. He founded what is now Cable & Wireless Worldwide, and was a director of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway.

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

Churches and places of worship5

Shopping1

Advertisement

Gas and EV charging3

Schools, colleges and libraries4

Healthcare1

Advertisement

Map of Pender

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

Climate by month

20°40°60°80°January: 0.7 in of rainFebruary: 1.0 in of rainMarch: 1.7 in of rainApril: 3.2 in of rainMay: 4.0 in of rainJune: 4.5 in of rainJuly: 3.4 in of rainAugust: 3.6 in of rainSeptember: 3.0 in of rainOctober: 2.3 in of rainNovember: 1.4 in of rainDecember: 1.0 in of rainJanuary: 30°FFebruary: 35°FMarch: 48°FApril: 61°FMay: 73°FJune: 83°FJuly: 87°FAugust: 84°FSeptember: 78°FOctober: 64°FNovember: 48°FDecember: 34°FJanuary: 11°FFebruary: 14°FMarch: 25°FApril: 36°FMay: 49°FJune: 60°FJuly: 64°FAugust: 61°FSeptember: 52°FOctober: 38°FNovember: 25°FDecember: 15°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRainSnow
Jan30°F11°F0.7 in6.1 in
Feb35°F14°F1.0 in8.3 in
Mar48°F25°F1.7 in5.1 in
Apr61°F36°F3.2 in2.0 in
May73°F49°F4.0 in0.1 in
Jun83°F60°F4.5 in0.0 in
Jul87°F64°F3.4 in0.0 in
Aug84°F61°F3.6 in0.0 in
Sep78°F52°F3.0 in0.0 in
Oct64°F38°F2.3 in0.8 in
Nov48°F25°F1.4 in2.9 in
Dec34°F15°F1.0 in6.9 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Walthill 1E (12 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$73,125median household income
$175,000median home value
$875median monthly rent
36.0median age
31.5%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
78.7%of homes are owner-occupied
27.4 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1828%18 to 3421%35 to 6433%65 and over18%

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

Disaster history

Thurston County has had 19 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.

  • 2026-08-03: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
  • 2025-05-21: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Winter Storm)
  • 2022-07-27: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
  • 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)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 26 miles away.

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

Reviews, tips and questions

Loading what members have shared...

Sources and licences

Photo credits

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