Dundy County, Nebraska

Dundy County
County
Dundy County Courthouse in Benkelman
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°11′N101°41′W / 40.18°N 101.69°W / 40.18; -101.69
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1873 (authorized) 1884 (organized)
Named for	Elmer Scipio Dundy
Seat	Benkelman
Largest city	Benkelman
Area
• Total	921 sq mi (2,390 km2)
• Land	920 sq mi (2,400 km2)
• Water	1.2 sq mi (3 km2)  0.1%
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,654
• Density	2.0/sq mi (0.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	dundycounty.nebraska.gov

Dundy County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 1,654. ^[1] Its county seat is Benkelman. ^[2]

In the Nebraska license plate system, Dundy County is represented by the prefix 76 (it had the seventy-sixth-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

History

Dundy County was formed in 1873 and attached to neighboring Hitchcock County. ^{[3] [4]} It was named after Judge Elmer Scipio Dundy. ^{[5] [6]} The county government was organized in 1884. ^[7]

Geography

Dundy County lies at the lower SW corner of Nebraska. Its west boundary line abuts the east line of the state of Colorado, and its south boundary line abuts the north boundary line of the state of Kansas. According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 921 square miles (2,390 km²), of which 920 square miles (2,400 km²) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) (0.1%) is water. ^[8]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 34
• Nebraska Highway 27
• Nebraska Highway 61

Adjacent counties

• Hitchcock County – east
• Rawlins County, Kansas – southeast
• Cheyenne County, Kansas – south
• Yuma County, Colorado – west
• Chase County – north
• Hayes County – northeast

Protected areas

• Rock Creek State Recreation Area ^[9]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	37		—
1890	4,012		10,743.2%
1900	2,434		−39.3%
1910	4,098		68.4%
1920	4,869		18.8%
1930	5,610		15.2%
1940	5,122		−8.7%
1950	4,354		−15.0%
1960	3,570		−18.0%
1970	2,926		−18.0%
1980	2,861		−2.2%
1990	2,582		−9.8%
2000	2,292		−11.2%
2010	2,008		−12.4%
2020	1,654		−17.6%
2021 (est.)	1,635	[10]	−1.1%
US Decennial Census [11] 1790–1960 [12] 1900–1990 [13] 1990–2000 [14] 2010–2013 [1]

As of the 2000 United States Census, ^[15] there were 2,292 people, 961 households, and 637 families in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km²). There were 1,196 housing units at an average density of 1 units per square mile (0.39/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.95% White, 0.04% Black or African American, 0.79% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.87% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. 3.23% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 41.9% were of German, 13.2% American, 13.2% English and 6.3% Irish ancestry.

There were 961 households, out of which 27.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 3.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.70% were non-families. 30.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.87.

The county population contained 23.30% under the age of 18, 5.70% from 18 to 24, 23.50% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 22.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,010, and the median income for a family was $35,862. Males had a median income of $22,415 versus $18,583 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,786. About 11.00% of families and 13.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.10% of those under age 18 and 15.00% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

• Benkelman (county seat)

Village

• Haigler

Census-designated places

• Max
• Parks

Other unincorporated communities

• Lamont ^[16]
• Max
• Parks
• Sanborn

Former community

• Ough

Politics

Dundy County voters are reliably Republican. In only three national elections since 1900 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).

United States presidential election results for Dundy County, Nebraska ^[17]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	829	89.04%	96	10.31%	6	0.64%
2020	883	88.04%	105	10.47%	15	1.50%
2016	823	86.36%	89	9.34%	41	4.30%
2012	792	80.41%	176	17.87%	17	1.73%
2008	783	76.84%	218	21.39%	18	1.77%
2004	858	81.48%	186	17.66%	9	0.85%
2000	801	79.23%	179	17.71%	31	3.07%
1996	752	68.30%	224	20.35%	125	11.35%
1992	664	52.99%	245	19.55%	344	27.45%
1988	828	70.29%	333	28.27%	17	1.44%
1984	992	80.98%	225	18.37%	8	0.65%
1980	1,138	80.65%	192	13.61%	81	5.74%
1976	774	61.28%	457	36.18%	32	2.53%
1972	1,003	81.94%	221	18.06%	0	0.00%
1968	1,001	72.01%	261	18.78%	128	9.21%
1964	911	56.13%	712	43.87%	0	0.00%
1960	1,245	71.92%	486	28.08%	0	0.00%
1956	1,196	70.73%	495	29.27%	0	0.00%
1952	1,670	80.79%	397	19.21%	0	0.00%
1948	935	59.14%	646	40.86%	0	0.00%
1944	1,320	68.29%	613	31.71%	0	0.00%
1940	1,441	64.22%	803	35.78%	0	0.00%
1936	1,054	43.77%	1,328	55.15%	26	1.08%
1932	974	41.38%	1,344	57.09%	36	1.53%
1928	1,575	76.42%	472	22.90%	14	0.68%
1924	1,036	56.67%	459	25.11%	333	18.22%
1920	1,094	69.59%	375	23.85%	103	6.55%
1916	347	35.52%	570	58.34%	60	6.14%
1912	148	16.82%	304	34.55%	428	48.64%
1908	486	52.83%	391	42.50%	43	4.67%
1904	395	65.61%	92	15.28%	115	19.10%
1900	308	50.99%	283	46.85%	13	2.15%

See also

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

References

1. "US Census Bureau". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 1, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (1925). Nebraska Place-Names. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Studies in Language, Literature, and Criticism. p. 58. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
4. Andreas, A. T. (1882). "Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska". The Kansas Collection. Archived from the original on July 7, 2003. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
5. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p.  110.
6. Fitzpatrick, L.L.; Fairclough, G.T. (1960). Nebraska Place-Names. A bison book. University of Nebraska Press. p. 58. ISBN   978-0-8032-5060-4 . Retrieved May 13, 2019. Dundy county was named in honor of Judge Elmer S. Dundy (1830–1896) of the United States circuit court, a former resident of Falls City, Nebraska. Its boundaries were defined by an act approved February 27, 1873.
7. "Dundy County". Nebraska Association of County Officials. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
9. Rock Creek State Recreation Area, Parks NE Google Maps (accessed 20 January 2019)
10. "County Population Totals: 2020-2021". Census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
11. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
12. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
13. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
14. "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.
15. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
16. "Lamont" Dundy County NE Google Maps (accessed January 20, 2019)
17. Election Results

External links

Official website

40°11′N101°41′W / 40.18°N 101.69°W / 40.18; -101.69