List of counties in Nebraska

Last updated

Counties of Nebraska
Location State of Nebraska
Number93
Populations383 (McPherson) – 589,540 (Douglas)
Areas241 square miles (620 km2) (Sarpy) – 5,961 square miles (15,440 km2) (Cherry)
Government
Subdivisions

Nebraska has 93 counties. They are listed below by name, FIPS code and license plate prefix.

Contents

Nebraska's postal abbreviation is NE and its FIPS state code is 31.

When many counties were formed, the bills establishing them did not state the honoree's full name; thus the namesakes of several counties, including Brown, Deuel, Dixon, and possibly Harlan, are known only by their surnames.

County list

County
FIPS code [1] County seat [2] Est. [2] OriginEtymologyLicense plate prefix
[3]
Population [4] Area [2] Map
AdamsCounty 001 Hastings 1867Unorganized territory John Adams, second President of the United States 1430,899563 sq mi
(1,458 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Adams County.svg
AntelopeCounty 003 Neligh 1871Unorganized territory Pronghorn, often called antelope266,302857 sq mi
(2,220 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Antelope County.svg
ArthurCounty 005 Arthur 1913Unorganized territory Chester A. Arthur, twenty-first president of the United States 91412715 sq mi
(1,852 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Arthur County.svg
BannerCounty 007 Harrisburg 1888Formed from Cheyenne CountyEarly settlers' goal of making it the "banner county" of the state85674746 sq mi
(1,932 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Banner County.svg
BlaineCounty 009 Brewster 1885Unorganized territory James G. Blaine, national politician86436711 sq mi
(1,841 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Blaine County.svg
BooneCounty 011 Albion 1871Unorganized territory Daniel Boone, American pioneer and trapper235,310687 sq mi
(1,779 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Boone County.svg
Box ButteCounty 013 Alliance 1887Formed from Dawes CountyA box-shaped butte north of Alliance6510,6921,075 sq mi
(2,784 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Box Butte County.svg
BoydCounty 015 Butte 1891Holt County and unorganized territory (Indian Territory) James E. Boyd, the eighth governor of Nebraska 631,725540 sq mi
(1,399 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Boyd County.svg
BrownCounty 017 Ainsworth 1883Unorganized territoryThe Brown family of early settlers752,8531,221 sq mi
(3,162 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Brown County.svg
BuffaloCounty 019 Kearney 1855Unorganized territoryThe American Bison 950,697968 sq mi
(2,507 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Buffalo County.svg
BurtCounty 021 Tekamah 1854One of nine original counties Francis Burt, the first territorial governor316,727493 sq mi
(1,277 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Burt County.svg
ButlerCounty 023 David City 1856Formed from Greene County William O. Butler, U.S. Congressman and military leader258,459584 sq mi
(1,513 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Butler County.svg
CassCounty 025 Plattsmouth 1854One of nine original counties Lewis Cass, U.S. Senator who supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act 2027,446559 sq mi
(1,448 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Cass County.svg
CedarCounty 027 Hartington 1857Formed from Dixon and Pierce CountiesThe eastern red cedar [5] 138,262740 sq mi
(1,917 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Cedar County.svg
ChaseCounty 029 Imperial 1873Unorganized territory Champion S. Chase, Nebraska's first attorney general723,724894 sq mi
(2,315 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Chase County.svg
CherryCounty 031 Valentine 1883Unorganized territorySamuel A. Cherry, army lieutenant killed in the Indian Wars 665,4925,961 sq mi
(15,439 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Cherry County.svg
CheyenneCounty 033 Sidney 1867Unorganized territoryNamed for the Cheyenne Indian tribe399,5411,196 sq mi
(3,098 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Cheyenne County.svg
ClayCounty 035 Clay Center 1855Formed from unorganized territory Henry Clay, national politician306,116573 sq mi
(1,484 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Clay County.svg
ColfaxCounty 037 Schuyler 1869Formed from Platte County Schuyler Colfax, Vice President of the United States 4310,566413 sq mi
(1,070 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Colfax County.svg
CumingCounty 039 West Point 1855Formed from Burt County Thomas B. Cuming, first territorial secretary248,918572 sq mi
(1,481 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Cuming County.svg
CusterCounty 041 Broken Bow 1877Unorganized territory George Armstrong Custer, U.S. Army general410,5812,576 sq mi
(6,672 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Custer County.svg
DakotaCounty 043 Dakota City 1855Formed from Burt County Dakota branch of the Sioux Indian tribe7021,268264 sq mi
(684 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Dakota County.svg
DawesCounty 045 Chadron 1885Formed from Sioux County James W. Dawes, the sixth governor of Nebraska 698,1331,396 sq mi
(3,616 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Dawes County.svg
DawsonCounty 047 Lexington 1860Unorganized territoryJacob Dawson, first postmaster for Lincoln 1824,0851,013 sq mi
(2,624 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Dawson County.svg
DeuelCounty 049 Chappell 1888Formed from Cheyenne CountyThe Deuel family of early settlers781,871440 sq mi
(1,140 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Deuel County.svg
DixonCounty 051 Ponca 1856Formed from Blackbird County, Izard County, and unorganized territoryThe Dixon family of early settlers355,491476 sq mi
(1,233 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Dixon County.svg
DodgeCounty 053 Fremont 1854One of nine original counties Augustus Caesar Dodge, U.S. Senator who supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act 537,187534 sq mi
(1,383 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Dodge County.svg
DouglasCounty 055 Omaha 1854One of nine original counties Stephen Arnold Douglas, national politician1589,540331 sq mi
(857 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Douglas County.svg
DundyCounty 057 Benkelman 1873Unorganized territory Elmer Scipio Dundy, U.S. Circuit Court judge761,561920 sq mi
(2,383 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Dundy County.svg
FillmoreCounty 059 Geneva 1856Formed from Jackson County and unorganized territory Millard Fillmore, thirteenth president of the United States 345,548576 sq mi
(1,492 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Fillmore County.svg
FranklinCounty 061 Franklin 1867Formed from Kearney County Benjamin Franklin, Founding Father502,825576 sq mi
(1,492 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Franklin County.svg
FrontierCounty 063 Stockville 1872Unorganized territoryIts location602,585975 sq mi
(2,525 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Frontier County.svg
FurnasCounty 065 Beaver City 1873Unorganized territory Robert Wilkinson Furnas, third governor of Nebraska 384,556718 sq mi
(1,860 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Furnas County.svg
GageCounty 067 Beatrice 1855Unorganized territoryWilliam D. Gage, contemporary chaplain of the state legislature321,634855 sq mi
(2,214 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Gage County.svg
GardenCounty 069 Oshkosh 1910Formed from Deuel CountyEarly settlers' hopes for it to become the "garden spot of the west"771,7941,705 sq mi
(4,416 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Garden County.svg
GarfieldCounty 071 Burwell 1884Formed from Wheeler County James Abram Garfield, twentieth president of the United States 831,763570 sq mi
(1,476 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Garfield County.svg
GosperCounty 073 Elwood 1873Unorganized territory John J. Gosper, contemporary Nebraska secretary of state731,847458 sq mi
(1,186 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Gosper County.svg
GrantCounty 075 Hyannis 1887Unorganized territory Ulysses S. Grant, eighteenth president of the United States 92565776 sq mi
(2,010 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Grant County.svg
GreeleyCounty 077 Greeley 1871Unorganized territory Horace Greeley, journalist622,219570 sq mi
(1,476 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Greeley County.svg
HallCounty 079 Grand Island 1858Unorganized territory Augustus Hall, contemporary chief justice of the Territorial Supreme Court862,197546 sq mi
(1,414 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Hall County.svg
HamiltonCounty 081 Aurora 1867Unorganized territory Alexander Hamilton, first United States Secretary of the Treasury 289,537544 sq mi
(1,409 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Hamilton County.svg
HarlanCounty 083 Alma 1871Formed from Kearney CountyDisputed; either James Harlan, national politician, or a local revenue collector513,045553 sq mi
(1,432 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Harlan County.svg
HayesCounty 085 Hayes Center 1877Unorganized territory Rutherford B. Hayes, nineteenth president of the United States 79846713 sq mi
(1,847 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Hayes County.svg
HitchcockCounty 087 Trenton 1873Unorganized territory Phineas Warren Hitchcock, Nebraska U.S. Senator 672,552710 sq mi
(1,839 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Hitchcock County.svg
HoltCounty 089 O'Neill 1860Unorganized territory Joseph Holt, U.S. Postmaster General and Secretary of War 3610,0932,413 sq mi
(6,250 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Holt County.svg
HookerCounty 091 Mullen 1889Unorganized territory Joseph Hooker, U.S. Army general93679721 sq mi
(1,867 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Hooker County.svg
HowardCounty 093 Saint Paul 1871Formed from Hall County Oliver O. Howard, U.S. Army general496,527570 sq mi
(1,476 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Howard County.svg
JeffersonCounty 095 Fairbury 1856Unorganized territory Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States 337,054573 sq mi
(1,484 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Jefferson County.svg
JohnsonCounty 097 Tecumseh 1857Formed from Nemaha and Otoe Counties Richard Mentor Johnson, ninth vice president of the United States 575,198376 sq mi
(974 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Johnson County.svg
KearneyCounty 099 Minden 1860Unorganized territory Fort Kearny, with a misspelling526,770516 sq mi
(1,336 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Kearney County.svg
KeithCounty 101 Ogallala 1873Unorganized territoryM.C. Keith, rancher with wide holdings688,1131,061 sq mi
(2,748 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Keith County.svg
Keya PahaCounty 103 Springview 1884Formed from Brown County and unorganized Indian territory Dakota words Ké-ya Pa-há Wa-kpá (turtle hill river)82805773 sq mi
(2,002 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Keya Paha County.svg
KimballCounty 105 Kimball 1888Formed from Cheyenne CountyThomas L. Kimball, Union Pacific Railroad official713,289952 sq mi
(2,466 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Kimball County.svg
KnoxCounty 107 Center 1857Formed from Pierce County and unorganized territory (Former names-L'Eau Qui Court (1857-1867) and Emmet (1867-1873)) Henry Knox, first U.S. Secretary of War 128,2981,108 sq mi
(2,870 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Knox County.svg
LancasterCounty 109 Lincoln 1855Formed from Cass and Pierce Counties Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Lancaster, England 2326,716839 sq mi
(2,173 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Lancaster County.svg
LincolnCounty 111 North Platte 1860Unorganized territory Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth president of the United States 1533,3652,564 sq mi
(6,641 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Lincoln County.svg
LoganCounty 113 Stapleton 1885Unorganized territory John A. Logan, U.S. Army general87655571 sq mi
(1,479 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Logan County.svg
LoupCounty 115 Taylor 1883Unorganized territory Loup River 88592570 sq mi
(1,476 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Loup County.svg
MadisonCounty 119 Madison 1856Formed from Loup County, and McNeale County, and unorganized territoryEither James Madison, fourth president of the United States, or local settlers' native Madison, Wisconsin 735,627573 sq mi
(1,484 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Madison County.svg
McPhersonCounty 117 Tryon 1887Unorganized territory James B. McPherson, U.S. Army general90383859 sq mi
(2,225 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting McPherson County.svg
MerrickCounty 121 Central City 1858Formed from Polk County and unorganized territoryElvira Merrick, wife of legislator Henry W. DePuy467,755485 sq mi
(1,256 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Merrick County.svg
MorrillCounty 123 Bridgeport 1908Formed from Cheyenne County Charles Henry Morrill, president of the Lincoln Land Company644,5041,424 sq mi
(3,688 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Morrill County.svg
NanceCounty 125 Fullerton 1879Formed from a Pawnee Indian reservation Albinus Nance, fourth governor of Nebraska 583,274441 sq mi
(1,142 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Nance County.svg
NemahaCounty 127 Auburn 1854One of nine original countiesNimaha, the Otoe name meaning miry water for a local stream447,076409 sq mi
(1,059 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Nemaha County.svg
NuckollsCounty 129 Nelson 1860Unorganized territoryLafayette Nuckolls, a member of the first Nebraska territorial legislature; and his brother, Stephen Nuckolls, a pioneering Nebraska settler, businessman and banker424,095575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Nuckolls County.svg
OtoeCounty 131 Nebraska City 1854One of nine original counties Oto (also Otoe) Native American tribe1116,335616 sq mi
(1,595 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Otoe County.svg
PawneeCounty 133 Pawnee City 1855Formed from Richardson County Pawnee Native American tribe542,512432 sq mi
(1,119 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Pawnee County.svg
PerkinsCounty 135 Grant 1887Formed from Keith CountyCharles E. Perkins, a president of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad 742,795883 sq mi
(2,287 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Perkins County.svg
PhelpsCounty 137 Holdrege 1873Formed from Kearney CountyWilliam Phelps, an early settler [5] 379,057540 sq mi
(1,399 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Phelps County.svg
PierceCounty 139 Pierce 1856Formed from Izard County, McNeale County, and unorganized territory Franklin Pierce, the fourteenth president of the United States 407,299574 sq mi
(1,487 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Pierce County.svg
PlatteCounty 141 Columbus 1856Formed from Greene and Loup Counties Platte River which is in turn named for the French word for flat1034,609678 sq mi
(1,756 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Platte County.svg
PolkCounty 143 Osceola 1856Formed from York County and unorganized territory James Knox Polk, the eleventh president of the United States 415,228439 sq mi
(1,137 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Polk County.svg
Red WillowCounty 145 McCook 1873Unorganized territory Red Willow Creek, which runs through the area4810,457717 sq mi
(1,857 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Red Willow County.svg
RichardsonCounty 147 Falls City 1854One of nine original counties William A. Richardson, a governor of the Nebraska Territory 197,689554 sq mi
(1,435 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Richardson County.svg
RockCounty 149 Bassett 1885Formed from Brown CountyEither Rock Creek, which flows in the county; or the rocky condition of the soil in the area811,2711,008 sq mi
(2,611 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Rock County.svg
SalineCounty 151 Wilber 1867Unorganized territoryNamed for a belief held by the early pioneers that great salt springs and deposits could be found in the area, a hope found to be false2214,555575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Saline County.svg
SarpyCounty 153 Papillion 1857Formed from Cass and Douglas Counties Peter A. Sarpy, a commander of a trading post in the future county59199,886241 sq mi
(624 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Sarpy County.svg
SaundersCounty 155 Wahoo 1856Formed from Douglas and Lancaster Counties Alvin Saunders, a governor of the Nebraska Territory 623,463754 sq mi
(1,953 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Saunders County.svg
Scotts BluffCounty 157 Gering 1888Formed from Cheyenne CountyNamed for a towering bluff located in the Scotts Bluff National Monument; the bluffs themselves are named for Hiram Scott, a fur trapper who is alleged to have crawled 75 miles with a broken leg before collapsing and dying at the foot of the formation2135,699739 sq mi
(1,914 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Scotts Bluff County.svg
SewardCounty 159 Seward 1855Formed from Cass and Pierce Counties William Henry Seward, the United States Secretary of State during the 1860s1617,671575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Seward County.svg
SheridanCounty 161 Rushville 1885Formed from Sioux County Philip Henry Sheridan, a general in the American Civil War 614,9282,441 sq mi
(6,322 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Sheridan County.svg
ShermanCounty 163 Loup City 1871Formed from Buffalo County and unorganized territory William Tecumseh Sherman, the American Civil War general562,983566 sq mi
(1,466 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Sherman County.svg
SiouxCounty 165 Harrison 1877Unorganized territory Sioux Native American tribe801,1541,313 sq mi
(3,401 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Sioux County.svg
StantonCounty 167 Stanton 1855Formed from Burt County Edwin M. Stanton, the United States Secretary of War during most of the American Civil War 535,856430 sq mi
(1,114 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Stanton County.svg
ThayerCounty 169 Hebron 1871Formed from Jefferson County John Milton Thayer, the seventh governor of Nebraska 324,829575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Thayer County.svg
ThomasCounty 171 Thedford 1887Unorganized territory George Henry Thomas, a general in the American Civil War 89677713 sq mi
(1,847 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Thomas County.svg
ThurstonCounty 173 Pender 1889Formed from Blackbird County and an Omaha Indian reservation John Mellen Thurston, a U. S. senator from Nebraska 556,557394 sq mi
(1,020 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Thurston County.svg
ValleyCounty 175 Ord 1871Unorganized territoryNamed for the many valleys in the area474,012568 sq mi
(1,471 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Valley County.svg
WashingtonCounty 177 Blair 1854One of nine original counties George Washington, the first president of the United States 2921,152390 sq mi
(1,010 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Washington County.svg
WayneCounty 179 Wayne 1867Unorganized territory Anthony Wayne, the American Revolutionary War general nicknamed "Mad Anthony" by his troops279,874444 sq mi
(1,150 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Wayne County.svg
WebsterCounty 181 Red Cloud 1867Unorganized territory Daniel Webster, the statesman and U.S. Senator from Massachusetts453,351575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Webster County.svg
WheelerCounty 183 Bartlett 1877Unorganized territoryDaniel H. Wheeler, a secretary of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture84775575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting Wheeler County.svg
YorkCounty 185 York 1855Formed from Cass County, Pierce County, and unorganized territoryNamed for either York, England, or York County, Pennsylvania 1714,356576 sq mi
(1,492 km2)
Map of Nebraska highlighting York County.svg

Former counties

Related Research Articles

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Platte County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 34,296. Its county seat is Columbus. The county was created in 1855.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kimball County, Nebraska</span> County in Nebraska, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodge County, Nebraska</span> County in Nebraska, United States

Dodge County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 37,167. Its county seat is Fremont. The county was formed in 1855 and named after Iowa Senator Augustus C. Dodge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuming County, Nebraska</span> County in Nebraska, United States

Cuming County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 9,013. Its county seat is West Point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burt County, Nebraska</span> County in Nebraska, United States

Burt County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska, bordering the west bank of the upper Missouri River. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 6,722. Its county seat is Tekamah. The county was formed in 1854 and named after Francis Burt, the first governor of Nebraska Territory.

A minor civil division (MCD) is a term used by the United States Census Bureau for primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of a county or county-equivalent, typically a municipal government such as a city, town, or civil township. MCDs are used for statistical purposes by the Census Bureau, and do not necessarily represent the primary form of local government. They range from non-governing geographical survey areas to municipalities with weak or strong powers of self-government. Some states with large unincorporated areas give substantial powers to counties; others have smaller or larger incorporated entities with governmental powers that are smaller than the MCD level chosen by the Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Nebraska</span> Overview of and topical guide to Nebraska

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the U.S. state of Nebraska:

References

  1. "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA.gov. Retrieved May 4, 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 National Association of Counties. "NACo County Explorer" . Retrieved October 25, 2015.
  3. The license plate prefix sequence is derived from the number of vehicles registered in each county in 1922.
  4. U.S. Census Bureau. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Nebraska" . Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  5. 1 2 Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (1925). "Nebraska Place-Names". University of Nebraska Department of English. Retrieved September 2, 2010.