Browse / United States / Nebraska / Merna
Merna
Nebraskavillage
Merna
Total population
383
Median home value
$100,000
Bachelor's+
Median income
$61,875
Demographic figures from US Census Bureau · ACS 5-year estimates. Overview below cites Wikipedia and may reference a different year.
- Dense Fog Advisory · ModerateDense Fog Advisory issued September 30 at 1:40AM CDT until September 30 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS North Platte NE
Source: NOAA National Weather Service.
City facts
Facts from Wikidata (CC0).
Overview
Merna is a village in Custer County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Merna had a population of 343.
Read more on WikipediaHistory & geography
History
Merna was founded in the 1880s about the time the railroad was extended to that point. It was named Merna in honor of the young daughter of the first postmaster.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land. Recently, Merna was at the center of a geological controversy regarding a depression in the land several miles west of town in the Loess Hills. Originally called the Bartak Depression after the owners of the land, it was redubbed the Merna Crater by University of Kansas geology professor Wakefield Dort, Jr. Further research showed the crater to be more likely formed by wind and water erosion, but memories of the flurry of importance in the small town remain.
Excerpted from the corresponding Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA).
Demographics & economy
Race & ethnicity
Source: US Census Bureau — American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.
Geography
Coordinates & boundaries from the US Census TIGER/Line shapefiles.
Climate
Current forecast
Forecast for Merna, NE from NOAA NWS API.
Air quality
Industrial & pollution facilities
Natural hazard risk
Health (adults)
Walkability
Amenities nearby
Wildlife & biodiversity
Most-observed species
- American RobinTurdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves191
- Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves160
- Mourning DoveZenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves149
- Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves141
- European StarlingSturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves137
- Eurasian Collared-DoveStreptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838) · Aves115
- Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglecta Audubon, 1844 · Aves86
- Northern FlickerColaptes auratus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves84
Citizen-science & research observations from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).
Schools
Earthquake history
Most recent
- M 3 — 2018-12-1310 km S of Arnold, Nebraska
- M 2.6 — 2018-09-088 km SE of Arnold, Nebraska
- M 2.5 — 2018-09-0713 km WNW of Callaway, Nebraska
- M 2.6 — 2018-08-307 km WSW of Arnold, Nebraska
- M 2.6 — 2018-08-206 km SE of Arnold, Nebraska
- M 2.7 — 2018-08-154 km E of Arnold, Nebraska
Events from the USGS Earthquake Catalog (global) (FDSN Event Web Service).
Photos
Sights & places nearby
Notable people from here
People born within ~10 km, from Wikidata (CC0). Click any name for their Wikipedia article.
Nearby places in Nebraska
- Anselmo10.7 mi away · pop. 93
- Callaway15.7 mi away · pop. 562
- Westerville20.6 mi away · pop. 19
- Sargent22.9 mi away · pop. 534
- Dunning29.5 mi away · pop. 78
- Mason City30.1 mi away · pop. 189
- Eddyville33.4 mi away · pop. 125
- Burwell38.3 mi away
- Elyria41.3 mi away · pop. 43
- Gothenburg43.8 mi away · pop. 3,452
- Lexington48.9 mi away · pop. 10,862
- Thedford54.1 mi away · pop. 225
Geography & sun
Elevation, sunrise/sunset and daylight from Open-Meteo. Solar climatology from NASA POWER.
Nearby airports
Public attention
Pageview totals from the Wikimedia Pageviews API.
Books about Merna
Search results from Open Library.
Recent natural events nearby
- Wildfire Needles, Oglala Lakota, South DakotaWildfires · 2026-09-04 · 181 mi
- Wildfire Rancher fire, Oglala Lakota, South DakotaWildfires · 2026-08-11 · 182 mi
- Wildfire Potato Creek, Jackson, South DakotaWildfires · 2026-08-01 · 186 mi
- Wildfire XU Hill, Oglala Lakota, South DakotaWildfires · 2026-08-11 · 200 mi
- Wildfire Duhamel, Pennington, South DakotaWildfires · 2026-07-29 · 240 mi
Wildfires, storms and other events from NASA EONET (last 12 months, within 250 mi).
Ground air-quality sensors
Recently spotted species
Research-grade observations from iNaturalist (within ~15 mi).
Nearest stream gauge
Events
Gallery
Sources
- • Wikipedia
- • US Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates)
- • NOAA National Weather Service
- • Wikidata
- • USGS Earthquake Catalog (global feed)
- • GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)
- • iNaturalist
- • Open-Meteo / sunrise-sunset.org
- • Wikipedia Pageviews API
- • Open Library
- • NASA EONET