Nance County, Nebraska

Nance County
County
Nance County courthouse in Fullerton
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°23′N97°59′W / 41.39°N 97.99°W / 41.39; -97.99
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1879
Named for	Albinus Nance
Seat	Fullerton
Largest city	Fullerton
Area
• Total	448 sq mi (1,160 km2)
• Land	442 sq mi (1,140 km2)
• Water	6.6 sq mi (17 km2)  1.50%
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,380
• Density	7.5/sq mi (2.9/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.co.nance.ne.us

Nance County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,380. ^[1] Its county seat is Fullerton. ^[2]

In the Nebraska license plate system, Nance County is represented by the prefix 58 (it had the fifty-eighth-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

History

The land that comprises Nance County was originally part of the Pawnee Reservation, created in 1857 when the Pawnee Indians signed a treaty with the United States ceding its lands in exchange for the reservation. ^[3] After Nebraska gained statehood in March 1867, the state government extinguished the tribe's rights to their land, sold the land and used the proceeds to defray expenses to obtain lands elsewhere for the Indians. ^[4] In the mid-1870s the remainder of the reservation was sold, and in 1876 the tribe was relocated to its present-day location in central Oklahoma. ^{[5] [6]} The boundaries for Nance County were approved in 1879. It was named for Governor Albinus Nance. ^[7]

Nearly all the land in Nance County was purchased by settlers or by investors for resale, instead of the homestead provisions common to most of Nebraska. ^[3]

Geography

The terrain of Nance County consists of rolling hills, sloping to the northeast. ^[8] The Loup River flows east-northeastward through the central part of the county. The Cedar River flows southeastward to discharge into the Loup River near Fullerton. ^[9] The county has a total area of 448 square miles (1,160 km²), of which 442 square miles (1,140 km²) is land and 6.6 square miles (17 km²) (1.5%) is water. ^[10]

Major highways

• Nebraska Highway 14
• Nebraska Highway 22
• Nebraska Highway 39
• Nebraska Highway 52

Adjacent counties

• Platte County (northeast)
• Merrick County (south)
• Greeley County (west)
• Boone County (north)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	44		—
1880	1,212		2,654.5%
1890	5,773		376.3%
1900	8,222		42.4%
1910	8,926		8.6%
1920	8,712		−2.4%
1930	8,718		0.1%
1940	7,653		−12.2%
1950	6,512		−14.9%
1960	5,635		−13.5%
1970	5,142		−8.7%
1980	4,740		−7.8%
1990	4,275		−9.8%
2000	4,038		−5.5%
2010	3,735		−7.5%
2020	3,380		−9.5%
2021 (est.)	3,390	[11]	0.3%
US Decennial Census [12] 1790-1960 [13] 1900-1990 [14] 1990-2000 [15] 2010 [16]

As of the 2000 United States Census ^[17] there were 4,038 people, 1,577 households, and 1,107 families in the county. The population density was 9 people per square mile (3.5 people/km²). There were 1,787 housing units at an average density of 4 units per square mile (1.5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.39% White, 0.37% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.45% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. 1.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,577 households, out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were married couples living together, 5.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.05.

The county population contained 27.90% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 23.60% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 19.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 104.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,267, and the median income for a family was $38,717. Males had a median income of $25,349 versus $19,044 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,886. About 10.20% of families and 13.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.20% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Fullerton (county seat)
• Genoa

Village

• Belgrade

Unincorporated communities

• Krakow
• Merchiston

Townships

• Beaver
• Cedar
• Cottonwood
• Council Creek
• East Newman
• Fullerton
• Genoa
• Loup Ferry
• Prairie Creek
• South Branch
• Timber Creek
• West Newman

Politics

Nance County voters are reliably Republican. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.

United States presidential election results for Nance County, Nebraska ^[18]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	1,437	78.44%	359	19.60%	36	1.97%
2016	1,261	77.79%	281	17.33%	79	4.87%
2012	1,106	68.23%	481	29.67%	34	2.10%
2008	1,116	65.38%	549	32.16%	42	2.46%
2004	1,237	71.46%	459	26.52%	35	2.02%
2000	1,105	66.37%	497	29.85%	63	3.78%
1996	892	51.74%	585	33.93%	247	14.33%
1992	851	42.83%	559	28.13%	577	29.04%
1988	1,185	59.55%	794	39.90%	11	0.55%
1984	1,393	72.14%	525	27.19%	13	0.67%
1980	1,442	67.29%	561	26.18%	140	6.53%
1976	1,121	53.05%	936	44.30%	56	2.65%
1972	1,413	68.79%	641	31.21%	0	0.00%
1968	1,316	60.79%	677	31.27%	172	7.94%
1964	1,155	46.61%	1,323	53.39%	0	0.00%
1960	1,699	62.67%	1,012	37.33%	0	0.00%
1956	1,779	69.55%	779	30.45%	0	0.00%
1952	2,112	73.77%	751	26.23%	0	0.00%
1948	1,339	56.79%	1,019	43.21%	0	0.00%
1944	1,697	60.39%	1,113	39.61%	0	0.00%
1940	1,963	57.77%	1,435	42.23%	0	0.00%
1936	1,770	46.20%	2,012	52.52%	49	1.28%
1932	1,156	31.58%	2,479	67.71%	26	0.71%
1928	2,299	63.28%	1,318	36.28%	16	0.44%
1924	1,574	47.42%	1,130	34.05%	615	18.53%
1920	1,877	69.49%	746	27.62%	78	2.89%
1916	930	43.56%	1,165	54.57%	40	1.87%
1912	630	32.69%	716	37.16%	581	30.15%
1908	1,082	52.55%	926	44.97%	51	2.48%
1904	1,198	66.30%	311	17.21%	298	16.49%
1900	1,091	54.77%	853	42.82%	48	2.41%

See also

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

References

1. "Nance County, Nebraska". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved June 19, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "Fullerton--Nance County". Nebraska...Our Towns. Archived November 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved September 5, 2010.
4. (1902) "Kennard v. State of Nebraska, 186 U.S. 304 (1902)", FindLaw.
5. "History-Introduction" Archived August 8, 2014, at the Wayback Machine , Pawnee Nation. Retrieved 11/29/08.
6. Boughter, J.A. (2004) Major Frank North. Scarecrow Press. p. 141.
7. "Nance County". Archived August 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Nebraska Association of County Officials. Archived June 5, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved March 15, 2008.
8. "Nance County NE (Google Maps - find altitude. Referenced 25 January 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
9. "Nance County · Nebraska". Nance County · Nebraska.
10. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
11. Nance County, Nebraska. Quick Facts Retrieved March 13, 2023
12. "U.S. Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
13. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
14. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
15. "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 9, 2014.
16. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
17. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
18. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.

41°23′N97°59′W / 41.39°N 97.99°W / 41.39; -97.99