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Osceola, Nebraska

14 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1896 and the latest in 1985. It stands in South Osceola precinct. It lies in ZIP code area 68651. The Survey maps it on the Osceola quadrangle. 875 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,667 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Osceola within Polk County

On record in Osceola

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 2 records

Population over time

2 figures

Osceola fell from 880 to 875 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
2010880
2020875-5 (-1%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

6 surveys from 14 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

13 since 2003

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 13 fires within 5 miles of Osceola between 2003 and 2018, burning about 143 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning9
Railroad operations and maintenance2
Equipment and vehicle use2

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
30 September 2005Equipment and vehicle use2.0 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named
8 June 2017Debris and open burning1.0 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named
4 June 2017Debris and open burning1.0 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named
4 June 2017Debris and open burning1.0 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named
10 June 2017Debris and open burning1.0 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named
22 May 2009Debris and open burning1.0 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named
8 April 2018Debris and open burningunder an acreNebraska Forest Servicenot named
6 April 2008Equipment and vehicle use30 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Polk County

Storms near this place

60 of 79 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Osceola in 79 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 38 hail, 22 thunderstorm wind, 13 heavy rain, 3 flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
May 2019FloodOsceola$500,000Heavy rainfall resulted in widespread flooding across Polk County. Clear Creek, Davis Creek and the Big Blue River were all out of their banks. The Clear Creek gauge, located in rural portions of Polk County north of Shelby, crested at 8.23 feet the afternoon of the 28th, and that was the 4th-highest crest on record. Numerous rural roads and bridges were covered in water. Due to the Davis Creek flooding, water covered a portion of Highway 81/92 just outside the west side of Osceola and threatened the highway as well as homes and property on the east side of town. To keep people from driving into Osceola, Highway 81/92 was closed approximately 3 miles east of town.
June 2021HailOsceola$250,000Hail ranging from quarter size to two inches in diameter was reported across Osceola.
June 2017HailOsceola$100,000Hail ranging from quarter to golf ball size fell along the Highway 81/92 corridor between Osceola and Shelby.
May 2011Tornado (EF1)Osceola$100,000This confirmed tornado was witnessed by a number of spotters, including the Emergency Manager and Fire Chief. The initial touchdown was south of Osceola, but lifted as it approached the town. It then touched down once again on the northeast edge of town, before lifting for the final time approximately 3/4 of a mile to the north. Damage included 4 metal sheds destroyed south of town, with some of the debris ending up in the city park, a large tree uprooted in the city park, and porch and shed damage to a residence on the north side of town. The top wind speed estimated with this tornado was 90 mph.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindOsceola$100,000no account filed
June 1997Thunderstorm WindOsceola$100,000no account filed
June 2017Thunderstorm WindOsceola$75,000This was the second round of wind gusts estimated near 65 MPH to affect Osceola this night. Between the 2 rounds, numerous large tree branches were downed in town, some blocking roadways.
August 2007HailOsceola$75,000no account filed
August 2007HailOsceola$75,000no account filed
October 2023Thunderstorm WindOsceola$50,000A wind gust of 86 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located on the south side of Osceola. This anemometer was mounted approximately 30 feet up. A metal amateur radio tower approximately 40 feet tall was knocked over at this location. One of the wooden light poles at nearby high school football field was snapped. Overall minor tree damage was reported in town and power was out on the south side of town.
June 2021HailOsceola$50,000Hail ranging from quarter size to ping pong ball size was reported along and near this path.
May 2012HailOsceola$50,000no account filed
May 2002Thunderstorm WindOsceola$50,000no account filed
May 1999HailOsceola$50,000no account filed
March 2006Thunderstorm WindOsceola$30,000no account filed
May 2002HailOsceola$30,000no account filed
June 2017Thunderstorm WindOsceola$25,000Wind gusts were estimated to be around 65 MPH, knocking down large tree limbs, some up to around 12 inches in diameter. This was the first of 2 rounds of severe-criteria winds to affect Osceola.
June 2014HailOsceola$25,000no account filed
July 2011HailOsceola$25,000no account filed
July 2004Thunderstorm WindOsceola$25,000no account filed
May 2000Thunderstorm WindOsceola$25,000no account filed
July 2011Thunderstorm WindOsceola$20,000Wind gusts were estimated at 60 MPH, knocking down a large tree limb which caused roof damage to the garage.
August 2007Flash FloodOsceola$20,000Flooding of streets in town and nearby county roads.
June 1999Thunderstorm WindOsceola$20,000no account filed
May 1998HailOsceola$20,000no account filed
June 2020Thunderstorm WindOsceola$15,000Wind gusts estimated to be near 60 MPH resulted in small tree limbs being downed across Osceola, with a larger branch approximately 2 feet in diameter falling onto and damaging an attached garage on the far south side of town.
September 2014FloodOsceola$15,000Heavy rain in a small area upstream of Osceola resulted in the flooding of Davis Creek. A portion of Highway 81-92 approximately 1 mile west of town were covered in a few inches of water. Traffic was hindered, only one vehicle was allowed to pass at a time through this section. On the east side of town, where the highway crosses Davis Creek, water was covering part of the westbound lane.
July 2006FloodOsceola$15,000no account filed
June 2005HailOsceola$10,000no account filed
June 2024Thunderstorm WindOsceola$5,000NWS COOP Observer estimated 60 MPH winds that downed some tree limbs in town.
October 2013HailOsceola$5,000The ground was about 50 percent covered by half dollar size hail. The time was estimated from radar.
June 1998HailOsceola$5,000no account filed
July 2008HailOsceola$2,000no account filed
April 2024Thunderstorm WindOsceola-Wind gusts were estimated to be at least 60 MPH. Scattered tree limbs were downed across town.
October 2023Thunderstorm WindOsceola-A wind gust of 60 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located three miles south-southeast of Osceola.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindOsceola-A wind gust of 62 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located three miles south-southeast of Osceola.
December 2021Thunderstorm WindOsceola-Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH, downing a few tree limbs. Pea size hail was also reported.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindOsceola-Wind gusts estimated to be near 60 MPH resulted in downed tree limbs across town and a small tree being blown over on the south side of town.
June 2019Heavy RainOsceola-An NERAIN observer recorded a 24-hour rainfall of 3.33 inches 7 miles north of Osceola. Another NERAIN observer recorded a 24-hour rainfall of 3.25 inches 4 miles west northwest of Shelby. Most rain fell early morning of the 26th.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindOsceola-An estimated wind gust of 60 MPH occurred in Osceola.
August 2017Heavy RainOsceola-Overnight rainfall totaled 3.14 in Osceola, bringing the 5-day total up to an impressive 10.19.
August 2017Heavy RainOsceola-A 24-hour precipitation amount of 6.95 inches was recorded in Osceola.
August 2017Heavy RainOsceola-A 24-hour precipitation amount of 4.35 inches was recorded 7 miles west of Osceola.
August 2017Heavy RainOsceola-A 24-hour precipitation amount of 4.48 inches was recorded 4 miles west-northwest of Osceola.
October 2016Heavy RainOsceola-A daily rainfall total of 3.53 inches was reported from separate rounds of morning and afternoon thunderstorms.
June 2014Heavy RainOsceola-A 24 hour rain total of 3.68 inches fell from mid-evening through the overnight, 7 miles north of Osceola.
August 2014Heavy RainOsceola-An NWS cooperative observer reported a storm-total rainfall of 3.17 inches, the majority of which fell between 830-1030 am CDT. Law enforcement reported some minor flooding in the immediate Osceola area.
September 2014Heavy RainOsceola-Storm total rainfall of 3.87 inches was reported, most falling between 6-9 p.m.
May 2012Thunderstorm WindOsceola-Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph.
July 2011Heavy RainOsceola-Between 4 and 5:45 p.m., 4.20 inches of rain fell in Osceola.
July 2011Heavy RainOsceola-Between 4 and 5:45 p.m., 4.10 inches of rain fell 5 miles north of Osceola.
July 2011Heavy RainOsceola-Total rainfall of 3.86 inches fell over the past 24 hours, most falling during the late afternoon hours on the 5th.
July 1994HailOsceola-Thunderstorm winds produced hail up to golf ball-size causing extensive crop damage in Merrick, Valley and Polk Counties. In Merrick County, crop damage was estimated at $5.9 million.
April 2025HailOsceola-no account filed
May 2025HailOsceola-no account filed
May 2023HailOsceola-no account filed
August 2021HailOsceola-no account filed
August 2020HailOsceola-no account filed
April 2015HailOsceola-no account filed
April 2013HailOsceola-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Polk County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Stromsburg5.3 miles13
Swedehome6.3 miles13
Shelby6.5 miles11
Durant8.6 miles13
Polk14.4 miles13

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on OsceolaAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q644598The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 831907. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.