Brown County, Nebraska

Brown County
County
Brown County Courthouse in Ainsworth
Flag
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°26′N99°56′W / 42.44°N 99.93°W / 42.44; -99.93
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1883
Seat	Ainsworth
Largest city	Ainsworth
Area
• Total	1,225 sq mi (3,170 km2)
• Land	1,221 sq mi (3,160 km2)
• Water	3.8 sq mi (10 km2)  0.31%
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,903
• Density	2.4/sq mi (0.91/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.browncounty.ne.gov

Brown County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 2,903. ^[1] Its county seat is Ainsworth. ^[2] The county was established in 1883 ^[3] and named for two members of the legislature who reported the bill for the county's organization. ^[4]

In the Nebraska license plate system, Brown County is represented by the prefix 75 (it had the 75th-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 1,225 square miles (3,170 km²), of which 1,221 square miles (3,160 km²) is land and 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) (0.3%) is water. ^[5]

Brown County is located in Nebraska's Outback region. ^[6]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 20
• U.S. Highway 183
• Nebraska Highway 7

Adjacent counties

• Keya Paha County - north
• Rock County - east
• Loup County - southeast
• Blaine County - south
• Cherry County - west

National protected area

• Niobrara National Scenic River (part)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	4,359		—
1900	3,470		−20.4%
1910	6,083		75.3%
1920	6,749		10.9%
1930	5,772		−14.5%
1940	5,962		3.3%
1950	5,164		−13.4%
1960	4,436		−14.1%
1970	4,021		−9.4%
1980	4,377		8.9%
1990	3,657		−16.4%
2000	3,525		−3.6%
2010	3,145		−10.8%
2020	2,903		−7.7%
2022 (est.)	2,872		−1.1%
US Decennial Census [7] 1790-1960 [8] 1900-1990 [9] 1990-2000 [10] 2010 [11] 2020 [12]

As of the 2000 United States Census, ^[13] there were 3,525 people, 1,530 households, and 996 families in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1.2 people/km²). There were 1,916 housing units at an average density of 2 units per square mile (0.77/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.64% White, 0.03% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 43.0% were of German, 11.7% American, 11.6% English and 8.2% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 1,530 households, out of which 26.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 5.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.90% were non-families. 31.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.86.

The county population contained 24.80% under the age of 18, 5.20% from 18 to 24, 22.80% from 25 to 44, 24.70% from 45 to 64, and 22.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 96.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,356, and the median income for a family was $35,029. Males had a median income of $23,986 versus $17,135 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,924. About 8.50% of families and 11.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.70% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

The voters of Brown County have been solidly Republican since its founding. As of 2024, only once has the county voted for the Democratic Party candidate in a national election since 1916.

United States presidential election results for Brown County, Nebraska ^{[14] [15]}

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,428	86.65%	201	12.20%	19	1.15%
2020	1,470	87.29%	191	11.34%	23	1.37%
2016	1,385	86.73%	153	9.58%	59	3.69%
2012	1,302	83.73%	224	14.41%	29	1.86%
2008	1,208	77.09%	311	19.85%	48	3.06%
2004	1,426	82.29%	268	15.46%	39	2.25%
2000	1,375	81.65%	250	14.85%	59	3.50%
1996	1,105	62.57%	359	20.33%	302	17.10%
1992	999	54.12%	311	16.85%	536	29.04%
1988	1,336	74.93%	435	24.40%	12	0.67%
1984	1,514	82.60%	312	17.02%	7	0.38%
1980	1,615	77.38%	341	16.34%	131	6.28%
1976	1,241	67.59%	557	30.34%	38	2.07%
1972	1,462	81.58%	330	18.42%	0	0.00%
1968	1,340	71.62%	369	19.72%	162	8.66%
1964	1,272	58.97%	885	41.03%	0	0.00%
1960	1,735	77.15%	514	22.85%	0	0.00%
1956	1,566	74.08%	548	25.92%	0	0.00%
1952	1,950	78.22%	543	21.78%	0	0.00%
1948	1,174	62.65%	700	37.35%	0	0.00%
1944	1,549	67.52%	745	32.48%	0	0.00%
1940	1,783	64.65%	975	35.35%	0	0.00%
1936	1,419	53.79%	1,188	45.03%	31	1.18%
1932	1,174	42.69%	1,565	56.91%	11	0.40%
1928	1,907	74.06%	636	24.70%	32	1.24%
1924	1,104	45.02%	714	29.12%	634	25.86%
1920	1,417	68.62%	558	27.02%	90	4.36%
1916	528	35.11%	901	59.91%	75	4.99%
1912	295	22.64%	483	37.07%	525	40.29%
1908	588	50.21%	526	44.92%	57	4.87%
1904	587	70.81%	134	16.16%	108	13.03%
1900	470	57.39%	327	39.93%	22	2.69%

Communities

Cities

• Ainsworth (county seat)
• Long Pine

Village

• Johnstown

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Brown County, Nebraska

References

1. "Brown County, Nebraska". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved June 16, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Fitzpatrick, Lillian L. (1960). Nebraska Place-Names. University of Nebraska Press. p. 22. ISBN   0803250606.
4. History of the Origin of the Place Names in Nine Northwestern States. 1908. p. 12.
5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
6. "About" Archived October 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine , North Central RC&D.
7. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
11. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/browncountynebraska/PST045222.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
12. "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
13. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
14. Election Results - Brown County NE
15. The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 413 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 91 votes and Prohibition Eugene Chafin received 21 votes.

External links

• Brown County official website
• Brown County at Flags of the World

42°26′N99°56′W / 42.44°N 99.93°W / 42.44; -99.93