Monowi, Nebraska, is the only town in the United States with a population of just one person.

Monowi was founded in 1902. It had about 150 people living there during the 1930s. Over time, younger people moved away to bigger cities for jobs. This is called rural flight. By 2000, only Elsie and her husband Rudy lived there. When Rudy died in 2004, Elsie became the last resident.The town is 0.21 square miles in size. To keep the town official, Elsie must follow state laws. She writes a road plan every year to get money from the state for four streetlights. She also runs the local tavern and a library with 5,000 books. People from all over the world visit her business.Nebraska law requires the town to have a government. Elsie fills all the roles to keep the town incorporated. She pays taxes to the town and then uses that money to pay for services. She even grants herself a license to sell food and drinks. The state updates the official road sign to show the population is one.