Johnson County, Nebraska

Not to be confused with Johnson, Nebraska.

Johnson County
County
Johnson County Courthouse in Tecumseh
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°24′N96°16′W / 40.4°N 96.27°W / 40.4; -96.27
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1855 (founded) 1857 (organized)
Named for	Richard Mentor Johnson
Seat	Tecumseh
Largest city	Tecumseh
Area
• Total	377 sq mi (980 km2)
• Land	376 sq mi (970 km2)
• Water	0.7 sq mi (2 km2)  0.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,290
• Estimate  (2021)	5,316
• Density	14/sq mi (5.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	johnsoncounty.ne.gov

Johnson County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 5,290. ^[1] Its county seat is Tecumseh. ^[2] The county was formed in 1855, and was organized in 1857. ^{[3] [4] [5]} It was named after Richard Mentor Johnson, who was Vice President of the United States from 1837 to 1841. ^[6] In the Nebraska license plate system, Johnson County is represented by the prefix 57 (it had the fifty-seventh-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Geography

The terrain of Johnson County consists of low rolling hills whose flattened tops are mostly used for agriculture. The Big Nemaha River flows southeastward through the central part of the county. ^[7] The county has a total area of 377 square miles (980 km²), of which 376 square miles (970 km²) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) (0.2%) is water. ^[8] It is the fourth-smallest county in Nebraska by area.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 136
• Nebraska Highway 41
• Nebraska Highway 50
• Nebraska Highway 62

Adjacent counties

• Otoe County - north
• Nemaha County - east
• Pawnee County - south
• Gage County - west
• Lancaster County - northwest

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	528		—
1870	3,429		549.4%
1880	7,595		121.5%
1890	10,333		36.1%
1900	11,197		8.4%
1910	10,187		−9.0%
1920	8,940		−12.2%
1930	9,157		2.4%
1940	8,662		−5.4%
1950	7,251		−16.3%
1960	6,281		−13.4%
1970	5,743		−8.6%
1980	5,285		−8.0%
1990	4,673		−11.6%
2000	4,488		−4.0%
2010	5,217		16.2%
2020	5,290		1.4%
2021 (est.)	5,316	[1]	0.5%
US Decennial Census [9] 1790-1960 [10] 1900-1990 [11] 1990-2000 [12] 2010-2013 [13]

As of the 2000 United States Census, ^[14] there were 4,488 people, 1,887 households, and 1,254 families in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile (4.6 people/km²). There were 2,116 housing units at an average density of 6 units per square mile (2.3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.54% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 2.67% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.96% from other races, and 1.29% from two or more races. 2.87% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,887 households, out of which 29.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 5.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.50% were non-families. 29.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.92.

The county population contained 24.20% under the age of 18, 5.70% from 18 to 24, 24.40% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 22.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 91.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,460, and the median income for a family was $41,000. Males had a median income of $26,282 versus $20,799 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,437. About 6.70% of families and 8.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.50% of those under age 18 and 11.10% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

• Tecumseh (county seat)

Villages

• Cook
• Crab Orchard
• Elk Creek
• Sterling

Unincorporated communities

• Saint Mary
• Vesta

Politics

Johnson County voters have been reliably Republican for decades. In no national election since 1964 has the county selected a Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).

United States presidential election results for Johnson County, Nebraska ^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,496	69.16%	625	28.90%	42	1.94%
2020	1,518	67.98%	647	28.97%	68	3.05%
2016	1,355	64.86%	563	26.95%	171	8.19%
2012	1,225	59.38%	790	38.29%	48	2.33%
2008	1,142	54.12%	914	43.32%	54	2.56%
2004	1,470	61.40%	885	36.97%	39	1.63%
2000	1,210	57.29%	794	37.59%	108	5.11%
1996	1,009	47.98%	770	36.61%	324	15.41%
1992	885	37.50%	822	34.83%	653	27.67%
1988	1,182	50.17%	1,164	49.41%	10	0.42%
1984	1,542	64.36%	821	34.27%	33	1.38%
1980	1,719	67.02%	626	24.41%	220	8.58%
1976	1,298	52.87%	1,115	45.42%	42	1.71%
1972	1,637	64.10%	917	35.90%	0	0.00%
1968	1,508	60.76%	759	30.58%	215	8.66%
1964	1,312	45.78%	1,554	54.22%	0	0.00%
1960	2,098	64.57%	1,151	35.43%	0	0.00%
1956	2,160	65.45%	1,140	34.55%	0	0.00%
1952	2,787	74.02%	978	25.98%	0	0.00%
1948	1,817	58.46%	1,291	41.54%	0	0.00%
1944	2,649	72.22%	1,019	27.78%	0	0.00%
1940	2,919	68.26%	1,357	31.74%	0	0.00%
1936	2,126	46.98%	2,359	52.13%	40	0.88%
1932	1,644	39.32%	2,505	59.91%	32	0.77%
1928	2,632	63.67%	1,485	35.92%	17	0.41%
1924	2,075	54.12%	1,285	33.52%	474	12.36%
1920	2,416	71.29%	909	26.82%	64	1.89%
1916	1,373	54.40%	1,117	44.26%	34	1.35%
1912	672	29.77%	890	39.43%	695	30.79%
1908	1,357	53.01%	1,150	44.92%	53	2.07%
1904	1,611	63.45%	642	25.29%	286	11.26%
1900	1,532	54.85%	1,179	42.21%	82	2.94%

See also

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

References

1. "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. 82. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
4. "Reconnaissance Level Survey for: Johnson County Nebraska Historic Building Survey" (PDF). Nebraska State Historical Society. 2010. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
5. "Johnson County". Nebraska Association of County Officials. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
6. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p.  169.
7. "Johnson County". Johnson County.
8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
9. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
11. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
12. "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.
13. "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
14. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
15. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.

40°24′N96°16′W / 40.40°N 96.27°W / 40.40; -96.27