Jefferson County, Nebraska

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Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Nebraska courthouse from E.JPG
Jefferson County Courthouse in Fairbury
Map of Nebraska highlighting Jefferson County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska in United States.svg
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°10′N97°09′W / 40.17°N 97.15°W / 40.17; -97.15
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Nebraska.svg  Nebraska
FoundedJanuary 26, 1856 (founded)
1864 (organized)
Named for Thomas Jefferson
Seat Fairbury
Largest cityFairbury
Area
  Total
576 sq mi (1,490 km2)
  Land570 sq mi (1,500 km2)
  Water5.5 sq mi (14 km2)  1.0%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
7,240
  Estimate 
(2021)
7,176 Decrease2.svg
  Density13/sq mi (4.9/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
  Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 3rd
Website jeffersoncounty.nebraska.gov

Jefferson County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 7,240. [1] Its county seat is Fairbury. [2] The county was named for Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America. In the Nebraska license plate system, Jefferson County is represented by the prefix 33 (it had the thirty-third-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Contents

History

Jefferson County was founded on January 26, 1856, and its governing structure was organized in 1864. [3] [4] It was named for Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States. [5]

In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed south out of Jefferson County.

Geography

Jefferson County lies on the south line of Nebraska. Its south boundary line abuts the north boundary line of the state of Kansas. The terrain of Jefferson County consists of low rolling hills, whose leveled tops are largely used for agriculture. The Little Blue River flows southeastward through the southwestern-middle of the county. The county has a total area of 576 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 570 square miles (1,500 km2) is land and 5.5 square miles (14 km2) (1.0%) is water. [6]

Major highways

Protected areas

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1870 2,440
1880 8,096231.8%
1890 14,85083.4%
1900 15,1962.3%
1910 16,85210.9%
1920 16,140−4.2%
1930 16,4091.7%
1940 15,532−5.3%
1950 13,623−12.3%
1960 11,620−14.7%
1970 10,436−10.2%
1980 9,817−5.9%
1990 8,759−10.8%
2000 8,333−4.9%
2010 7,547−9.4%
2020 7,240−4.1%
2021 (est.)7,176 [1] −0.9%
US Decennial Census [10]
1790-1960 [11] 1900-1990 [12]
1990-2000 [13] 2010-2013 [14]

As of the 2000 United States Census, [15] there were 8,333 people, 3,527 households, and 2,352 families in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (5.4 people/km2). There were 3,942 housing units at an average density of 7 units per square mile (2.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.42% White, 0.07% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. 1.31% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,527 households, out of which 28.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 5.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 29.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.85.

The county population contained 23.30% under the age of 18, 6.10% from 18 to 24, 23.70% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 22.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,629, and the median income for a family was $40,747. Males had a median income of $26,929 versus $18,594 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,380. About 8.00% of families and 8.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.20% of those under age 18 and 8.70% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

Villages

Unincorporated communities

Politics

Jefferson County is strongly Republican, having only backed the Democratic Party presidential candidate five times since 1900.

United States presidential election results for Jefferson County, Nebraska [16] [17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.%No.%No.%
2024 2,61471.83%96826.60%571.57%
2020 2,61670.13%1,01627.24%982.63%
2016 2,39968.66%83723.96%2587.38%
2012 2,16662.86%1,19534.68%852.47%
2008 2,10356.88%1,52041.11%742.00%
2004 2,60064.82%1,35233.71%591.47%
2000 2,35161.11%1,36135.38%1353.51%
1996 1,97949.17%1,52037.76%52613.07%
1992 1,78339.70%1,50633.53%1,20226.76%
1988 2,47157.16%1,81942.08%330.76%
1984 3,11668.89%1,36730.22%400.88%
1980 3,09067.59%1,12524.61%3577.81%
1976 2,62854.88%2,06843.18%931.94%
1972 3,00867.08%1,47632.92%00.00%
1968 2,79360.23%1,57233.90%2725.87%
1964 2,27544.79%2,80455.21%00.00%
1960 4,04768.11%1,89531.89%00.00%
1956 4,26771.25%1,72228.75%00.00%
1952 4,94176.12%1,55023.88%00.00%
1948 3,35260.29%2,20839.71%00.00%
1944 4,25766.06%2,18733.94%00.00%
1940 4,98064.35%2,75935.65%00.00%
1936 3,04839.98%4,52659.37%500.66%
1932 2,45333.14%4,81965.10%1301.76%
1928 4,35965.96%2,19333.18%570.86%
1924 2,75248.12%1,82431.89%1,14319.99%
1920 3,48867.94%1,40827.43%2384.64%
1916 1,81346.85%1,84147.57%2165.58%
1912 65518.58%1,39639.60%1,47441.82%
1908 1,94150.49%1,78746.49%1163.02%
1904 2,06766.63%65921.24%37612.12%
1900 1,86253.09%1,58745.25%581.65%

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "County Population Totals: 2020-2021". Census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (1925). Nebraska Place-Names. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Studies in Language, Literature, and Criticism. p. 81. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  4. Andreas, A. T. (1882). "Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska". The Kansas Collection. Archived from the original on March 24, 2003. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  5. History of Nebraska [usurped]
  6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  7. Alexandria State Recreation Area, Alexandria NE Google Maps (accessed 23 January 2019)
  8. Buckley State Recreation Area Google Maps (accessed 23 January 2019)
  9. Rock Glen SWMA, Jefferson County NE Google Maps (accessed 23 January 2019)
  10. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  13. "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 8, 2014.
  14. "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  15. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  16. Election Results
  17. The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 1,205 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 226 votes and Prohibition Eugene Chafin received 43 votes.

Official website

40°10′N97°09′W / 40.17°N 97.15°W / 40.17; -97.15