Greeley County, Nebraska

Greeley County
County
Greeley County Courthouse in Greeley
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°34′N98°31′W / 41.56°N 98.52°W / 41.56; -98.52
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1871 (created) 1872 (organized)
Named for	Horace Greeley
Seat	Greeley Center
Largest village	Spalding
Area
• Total	571 sq mi (1,480 km2)
• Land	570 sq mi (1,500 km2)
• Water	0.8 sq mi (2 km2)  0.1%
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,188
• Density	3.8/sq mi (1.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.greeleycounty.ne.gov

Greeley County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 2,188. ^[1] Its county seat is Greeley Center, ^[2] also known simply as Greeley.

In the Nebraska license plate system, Greeley County is represented by the prefix 62 (it had the 62nd-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

History

Greeley County was created in 1871 and organized in 1872. ^{[3] [4] [5]} It was named after Horace Greeley, a newspaper editor and politician of the mid-19th century. Greeley encouraged western settlement with the motto "Go West, young man." ^{[6] [7] [8]}

Geography

The Cedar River flows southeastward through the NE corner of Greeley County, and the North Loup River flows SSE through the SW corner of the county.

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 571 square miles (1,480 km²), of which 570 square miles (1,500 km²) is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) (0.1%) is water. ^[9]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 281
• Nebraska Highway 11
• Nebraska Highway 22
• Nebraska Highway 56
• Nebraska Highway 91

Adjacent counties

• Wheeler County (north)
• Boone County (northeast)
• Nance County (southeast)
• Howard County (south)
• Sherman County (southwest)
• Valley County (west)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	1,461		—
1890	4,869		233.3%
1900	5,691		16.9%
1910	8,047		41.4%
1920	8,685		7.9%
1930	8,442		−2.8%
1940	6,845		−18.9%
1950	5,575		−18.6%
1960	4,595		−17.6%
1970	4,000		−12.9%
1980	3,462		−13.4%
1990	3,006		−13.2%
2000	2,714		−9.7%
2010	2,538		−6.5%
2020	2,188		−13.8%
US Decennial Census [10]

As of the 2000 United States Census, ^[11] there were 2,714 people, 1,077 households, and 734 families in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile (1.9 people/km²). There were 1,199 housing units at an average density of 2 units per square mile (0.77/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.94% White, 0.66% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.77% from other races, and 0.48% from two or more races. 0.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,077 households, out of which 29.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.00% were married couples living together, 6.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.80% were non-families. 30.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.08.

The county population contained 26.90% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 21.60% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 23.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 97.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,375, and the median income for a family was $34,159. Males had a median income of $22,036 versus $17,056 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,731. About 11.90% of families and 14.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.10% of those under age 18 and 20.50% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Villages

• Greeley Center
• Scotia
• Spalding
• Wolbach (part)

Unincorporated communities

• Belfast
• Brayton
• Horace
• O'Connor
• Scotia Junction

Politics

Greeley County residents vote powerfully Republican. In no national election since 1976 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.

United States presidential election results for Greeley County, Nebraska ^[12]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,030	83.40%	192	15.55%	13	1.05%
2020	1,016	80.70%	229	18.19%	14	1.11%
2016	912	77.62%	210	17.87%	53	4.51%
2012	820	69.20%	340	28.69%	25	2.11%
2008	715	59.63%	458	38.20%	26	2.17%
2004	865	69.31%	361	28.93%	22	1.76%
2000	839	64.05%	416	31.76%	55	4.20%
1996	642	50.27%	472	36.96%	163	12.76%
1992	588	41.44%	435	30.66%	396	27.91%
1988	763	53.06%	670	46.59%	5	0.35%
1984	948	65.74%	485	33.63%	9	0.62%
1980	1,028	63.26%	495	30.46%	102	6.28%
1976	787	46.05%	877	51.32%	45	2.63%
1972	1,005	56.94%	760	43.06%	0	0.00%
1968	882	50.03%	739	41.92%	142	8.05%
1964	775	37.26%	1,305	62.74%	0	0.00%
1960	960	43.18%	1,263	56.82%	0	0.00%
1956	1,240	57.67%	910	42.33%	0	0.00%
1952	1,543	62.55%	924	37.45%	0	0.00%
1948	829	39.59%	1,265	60.41%	0	0.00%
1944	1,242	49.54%	1,265	50.46%	0	0.00%
1940	1,530	50.46%	1,502	49.54%	0	0.00%
1936	1,107	31.40%	1,988	56.40%	430	12.20%
1932	817	21.83%	2,832	75.66%	94	2.51%
1928	1,457	40.88%	2,098	58.87%	9	0.25%
1924	773	26.48%	1,220	41.80%	926	31.72%
1920	1,345	51.38%	1,180	45.07%	93	3.55%
1916	627	31.60%	1,289	64.97%	68	3.43%
1912	371	21.25%	913	52.29%	462	26.46%
1908	691	38.26%	1,072	59.36%	43	2.38%
1904	836	54.25%	447	29.01%	258	16.74%
1900	463	34.17%	880	64.94%	12	0.89%

See also

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

References

1. "Greeley 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. 115.
4. Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (1925). Nebraska Place-Names. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Studies in Language, Literature, and Criticism. p. 69. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
5. "Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey Reconnaissance Survey Final Report of Greeley County, Nebraska" (PDF). Nebraska State Historical Society. August 1, 1992. Archived from the original on November 16, 2006. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
6. Josiah Busnell Grinnell (1891). Men and Events of Forty Years. Boston: D. Lothrop. p.  87 . Retrieved February 13, 2009.
7. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p.  143.
8. Greeley County. Archived July 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Nebraska Association of County Officials. Archived June 5, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved March 14, 2008.
9. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
10. "US Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
11. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
12. Election Results

41°34′N98°31′W / 41.56°N 98.52°W / 41.56; -98.52