America's Smallest Town Has One Resident, And She's The Mayor, Bartender, & Librarian

You may know Nebraska for iconic Midwest landmarks like Chimney Rock, the Ashfall Fossil Beds, or even the fun and kitschy Carhenge. However, not far from the border between Nebraska and South Dakota sits another landmark that is worth a visit. If you're looking for a unique place to explore, stop by Monowi, Nebraska, a town with only a single resident. In fact, Monowi was declared the U.S. town with the lowest population in 2025 by Guinness World Records. The only person living in this 0.21-square-mile town is Elsie Eiler, a woman in her 90s who moved there with her family when she was a young girl. Not only is Eiler the mayor of Monowi, but she's also the bartender, librarian, town clerk, treasurer, and secretary.

While Eiler hasn't lived in the town for her entire life — she and her late husband Rudy also lived in other places, though they first met in the town's one-room schoolhouse when she was in third grade and he was in fourth grade — she came back and decided to stay. In fact, she told interviewers in a 2021 YouTube video, "I'm not here because I have to be. I could pack up, go anywhere I wanted to, but this is where I want to be." And despite being the only resident, she's not completely isolated. Eiler has family in the area, and people frequent her tavern, which also serves food. 

In the video, you can see the three working buildings in Monowi, Nebraska. To start, there is the tavern, which Elsie Eiler runs. She cooks all the food, serves the drinks, and handles the money. She works there six days a week, and generally, the tavern is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. It also features a cash register believed to be made over a century ago, though she only uses the drawer today. Then there is Eiler's home and the town library. While it may seem like a library in a town with a single resident would be rather sparse, there are around 5,000 books. These books belonged to Eiler's husband, and the building is named Rudy's Library in his honor.

There are, however, a number of building ruins around town, including some houses and a church. Eiler told the interviewers that this area is largely farmland, and that there isn't really anything to keep young people around. Still, she has regular lunch and dinner customers, and the locals threw her a party for the 50th anniversary of her owning the tavern in 2021.

Elsie Eiler keeps her prices at the tavern low and still uses the Coca-Cola machine the company gave her when she and the town appeared in an Arby's commercial featuring the soda brand in 2018. Despite the fact that she's the only resident, Eiler says she's not lonely, telling a journalist from The New York Times, "This is my home. ... All my friends are around. Why would I want to leave?"

You're going to need a car to get to Monowi to visit Eiler. The closest airport to the town is Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX) in Sioux City, Iowa, just under 120 miles away. Alternatively, Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is 144 miles away. If you're looking for a major airport, the closest option is Des Moines International Airport (DSM) in Iowa at 307 miles away or Kansas City International Airport (MCI) in Missouri at 370 miles away. (The latter is among the most traveler-friendly airports in the Midwest, so the longer drive may be worth it to you.) If you're making one of those long drives, you may want to hit Costco to level up your road trip.