In Pilger, the population is composed mainly of white residents, while only 13% are black or African American. Another 1% are American Indian or Alaska Native. There are also 17.8% Hispanic or Latino residents, and 2.6% are other races. Census respondents are asked about their ancestry, and German, Sub Saharan African, and Danish ancestry are the most prevalent.
The town of Pilger is located in Stanton County in northeast Nebraska. It lies near the boundary of Tornado Alley, a wide area in which tornadoes are most likely to strike. The odds of experiencing a significant tornado in Pilger are one in every two million, but the risk of being struck is low. During a tornado warning, residents of Pilger were urged to take cover.
In September 2014, Pilger community leaders met to begin a comprehensive planning process for the town. The goal was to create a document that would help guide the future development of Pilger. It will also serve as a guide for the village board as it makes decisions about future development. Residents are organizing around eight topics: communications, public safety, community clean-up, people attraction/branding, and other issues.
In the past, Pilger residents have dealt with many tragedies, including fires and floods. A major tornado struck the town again in 1954. While the community rebuilt in the aftermath of the storm, its residents were already ready to "reinvent" themselves for prosperity. A recent study found that the city had a strong reliance on all capitals, but still had sufficient assets within each one.