Frontier County, Nebraska

Frontier County
County
Frontier County Courthouse in Stockville
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°32′N100°23′W / 40.53°N 100.39°W / 40.53; -100.39
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1872
Seat	Stockville
Largest city	Curtis
Area
• Total	980 sq mi (2,500 km2)
• Land	975 sq mi (2,530 km2)
• Water	5.5 sq mi (14 km2)  0.6%
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,519
• Density	2.6/sq mi (0.99/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.co.frontier.ne.us

Frontier County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 2,519. ^[1] Its county seat is Stockville. ^[2]

In the Nebraska license plate system, Frontier County is represented by the prefix 60 (it had the sixtieth-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

History

Frontier County was formed in 1872. ^[3] It was named for its location along the frontier border in the late 19th century. ^[4]

The courthouse was completed in 1889. ^[5]

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 980 square miles (2,500 km²), of which 975 square miles (2,530 km²) is land and 5.5 square miles (14 km²) (0.6%) is water. ^[6]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 83
• Nebraska Highway 18
• Nebraska Highway 21
• Nebraska Highway 23

Adjacent counties

• Gosper County – east
• Furnas County –southeast
• Red Willow County – south
• Hitchcock County – southwest
• Hayes County – west
• Lincoln County – north
• Dawson County – northeast

Protected areas

• Hugh Butler Lake / Red Willow Reservoir State Wildlife Management Area (part) ^[7]
• Medicine Creek Reservoir State Recreation Area ^[8]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	934		—
1890	8,497		809.7%
1900	8,781		3.3%
1910	8,572		−2.4%
1920	8,540		−0.4%
1930	8,114		−5.0%
1940	6,417		−20.9%
1950	5,282		−17.7%
1960	4,311		−18.4%
1970	3,982		−7.6%
1980	3,647		−8.4%
1990	3,101		−15.0%
2000	3,099		−0.1%
2010	2,756		−11.1%
2020	2,519		−8.6%
US Decennial Census [9] 1790-1960 [10] 1900-1990 [11] 1990-2000 [12] 2010 [13]

As of the 2000 United States Census, ^[14] there were 3,099 people, 1,192 households, and 828 families in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1.2 people/km²). There were 1,543 housing units at an average density of 2 units per square mile (0.77/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.29% White, 0.10% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.39% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. 0.97% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 45.8% were of German, 12.8% English, 6.3% American and 6.1% Irish ancestry.

There were 1,192 households, out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.50% were married couples living together, 4.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.02.

The county population contained 26.00% under the age of 18, 11.30% from 18 to 24, 22.80% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 100.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,038, and the median income for a family was $38,664. Males had a median income of $25,792 versus $16,941 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,648. About 9.30% of families and 12.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.90% of those under age 18 and 8.30% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

• Curtis

Villages

• Eustis
• Maywood
• Moorefield
• Stockville (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Freedom
• Orafino
• Quick

Politics

Frontier County voters are strongly Republican. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024). The polarization has increased in recent years with Republican candidate Donald Trump winning 85.8% of the vote in 2024, a record in the county.

United States presidential election results for Frontier County, Nebraska ^{[15] [16]}

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,213	85.85%	185	13.09%	15	1.06%
2020	1,229	84.99%	189	13.07%	28	1.94%
2016	1,110	83.58%	161	12.12%	57	4.29%
2012	1,007	77.16%	271	20.77%	27	2.07%
2008	1,034	73.65%	349	24.86%	21	1.50%
2004	1,160	79.07%	275	18.75%	32	2.18%
2000	1,102	79.11%	244	17.52%	47	3.37%
1996	901	64.96%	310	22.35%	176	12.69%
1992	785	49.97%	302	19.22%	484	30.81%
1988	1,057	72.45%	384	26.32%	18	1.23%
1984	1,351	83.55%	258	15.96%	8	0.49%
1980	1,346	79.27%	259	15.25%	93	5.48%
1976	994	60.80%	588	35.96%	53	3.24%
1972	1,315	80.23%	324	19.77%	0	0.00%
1968	1,183	70.21%	345	20.47%	157	9.32%
1964	1,090	56.45%	841	43.55%	0	0.00%
1960	1,615	73.51%	582	26.49%	0	0.00%
1956	1,602	71.65%	634	28.35%	0	0.00%
1952	1,980	77.07%	589	22.93%	0	0.00%
1948	1,307	60.71%	846	39.29%	0	0.00%
1944	1,855	70.99%	758	29.01%	0	0.00%
1940	2,069	66.08%	1,062	33.92%	0	0.00%
1936	1,576	44.91%	1,883	53.66%	50	1.42%
1932	1,353	37.64%	2,188	60.86%	54	1.50%
1928	2,335	71.76%	879	27.01%	40	1.23%
1924	1,497	52.27%	599	20.91%	768	26.82%
1920	1,750	68.09%	673	26.19%	147	5.72%
1916	736	37.28%	1,138	57.65%	100	5.07%
1912	293	17.38%	657	38.97%	736	43.65%
1908	1,098	53.46%	847	41.24%	109	5.31%
1904	993	61.64%	190	11.79%	428	26.57%
1900	930	51.96%	810	45.25%	50	2.79%

See also

• Medicine Creek (Republican River tributary)
• Mowry Bluff Archeological Site
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Frontier County, Nebraska

References

1. "Frontier County, Nebraska". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved June 17, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Burr, George L. (1921). History of Hamilton and Clay Counties, Nebraska, Vol. 1. S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. p. 110.
4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p.  132.
5. "Stockville, Frontier County". Center for Advanced Land Management Information Technologies. University of Nebraska. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
7. Red Willow Reservoir State Wildlife Management Area, McCook NE Google Maps (accessed 21 January 2019)
8. Medicine Creek Reservoir State Recreation Area Google Maps (accessed 21 January 2019)
9. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
11. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
12. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
13. "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
14. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
15. Election Results
16. The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 579 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 120 votes and Prohibition Eugene Chafin received 37 votes.

40°32′N100°23′W / 40.53°N 100.39°W / 40.53; -100.39