Otoe County, Nebraska

Otoe County
County
Otoe County Courthouse in Nebraska City
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°39′N96°08′W / 40.65°N 96.14°W / 40.65; -96.14
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1855
Named for	Otoe tribe
Seat	Nebraska City
Largest city	Nebraska City
Area
• Total	619 sq mi (1,600 km2)
• Land	616 sq mi (1,600 km2)
• Water	3.4 sq mi (9 km2)  0.5%
Population  (2020)
• Total	15,912
• Density	26/sq mi (9.9/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.co.otoe.ne.us

Otoe County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 15,912. ^[1] Its county seat is Nebraska City. ^[2] The county was formed in 1854 and was named in reference to the Otoe Indian tribe. ^[3]

In the Nebraska license plate system, Otoe County is represented by the prefix 11 (it had the 11th-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Geography

Otoe County lies on the east side of Nebraska. Its east boundary line abuts the west boundary lines of the states of Iowa and Missouri (across the Missouri River). The terrain of Otoe County consists of rolling hills which drop down to the river basin, and rich soil. The area is largely devoted to agriculture (corn, soybeans, milo, wheat, and fruit orchards). The county has a total area of 619 square miles (1,600 km²), of which 616 square miles (1,600 km²) is land and 3.4 square miles (8.8 km²) (0.5%) is water. ^[4]

Otoe County derives its name from the Otoe Indians, who lived in the area. ^[5]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 75
• Nebraska Highway 2
• Nebraska Highway 43
• Nebraska Highway 50
• Nebraska Highway 67
• Nebraska Highway 128

Adjacent counties

• Cass County - north
• Fremont County, Iowa - northeast
• Atchison County, Missouri - east
• Nemaha County - southeast
• Johnson County - south
• Gage County - southwest
• Lancaster County - west

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	4,211		—
1870	12,345		193.2%
1880	15,727		27.4%
1890	25,403		61.5%
1900	22,288		−12.3%
1910	19,323		−13.3%
1920	19,494		0.9%
1930	19,901		2.1%
1940	18,994		−4.6%
1950	17,056		−10.2%
1960	16,503		−3.2%
1970	15,576		−5.6%
1980	15,183		−2.5%
1990	14,252		−6.1%
2000	15,396		8.0%
2010	15,740		2.2%
2020	15,912		1.1%
2023 (est.)	16,335		2.7%
US Decennial Census [6] 1790-1960 [7] 1900-1990 [8] 1990-2000 [9] 2010 [10]

As of the 2000 United States Census ^[11] there were 15,396 people, 6,060 households, and 4,229 families in the county. The population density was 25 people per square mile (9.7 people/km²). There were 6,567 housing units at an average density of 11 units per square mile (4.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.42% White, 0.29% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.14% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. 2.45% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,060 households, out of which 32.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.70% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.20% were non-families. 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.01.

The county population contained 26.30% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 18.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,302, and the median income for a family was $45,295. Males had a median income of $30,682 versus $21,520 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,752. About 5.90% of families and 8.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.30% of those under age 18 and 7.70% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

• Nebraska City (county seat)
• Syracuse

Villages

• Burr
• Douglas
• Dunbar
• Lorton
• Otoe
• Palmyra
• Talmage
• Unadilla

Census-designated place

• Woodland Hills

Politics

Otoe County voters have been very Republican since World War II, like most rural Nebraska counties. In no presidential election has the county supported the Democratic nominee since voting in 1932 for Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

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

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	5,651	68.69%	2,463	29.94%	113	1.37%
2020	5,649	67.61%	2,490	29.80%	216	2.59%
2016	4,860	65.17%	2,025	27.16%	572	7.67%
2012	4,258	60.99%	2,561	36.68%	163	2.33%
2008	4,033	56.87%	2,915	41.10%	144	2.03%
2004	5,018	67.94%	2,275	30.80%	93	1.26%
2000	4,178	62.71%	2,208	33.14%	276	4.14%
1996	3,290	50.58%	2,279	35.03%	936	14.39%
1992	2,960	43.29%	2,038	29.80%	1,840	26.91%
1988	3,724	58.50%	2,616	41.09%	26	0.41%
1984	4,679	70.94%	1,869	28.34%	48	0.73%
1980	4,611	70.30%	1,471	22.43%	477	7.27%
1976	3,715	59.56%	2,436	39.06%	86	1.38%
1972	4,815	73.70%	1,718	26.30%	0	0.00%
1968	3,840	65.96%	1,508	25.90%	474	8.14%
1964	3,626	53.36%	3,169	46.64%	0	0.00%
1960	5,057	66.54%	2,543	33.46%	0	0.00%
1956	5,275	69.67%	2,296	30.33%	0	0.00%
1952	6,082	75.83%	1,939	24.17%	0	0.00%
1948	4,060	61.75%	2,515	38.25%	0	0.00%
1944	5,291	66.51%	2,664	33.49%	0	0.00%
1940	5,799	66.46%	2,927	33.54%	0	0.00%
1936	4,399	50.95%	4,173	48.33%	62	0.72%
1932	3,119	39.19%	4,752	59.71%	88	1.11%
1928	5,063	62.68%	2,959	36.63%	55	0.68%
1924	3,245	50.12%	2,208	34.10%	1,022	15.78%
1920	3,869	67.62%	1,671	29.20%	182	3.18%
1916	2,121	46.45%	2,344	51.34%	101	2.21%
1912	922	22.82%	1,945	48.14%	1,173	29.03%
1908	2,243	47.29%	2,411	50.83%	89	1.88%
1904	2,616	58.85%	1,420	31.95%	409	9.20%
1900	2,718	52.74%	2,327	45.15%	109	2.11%

Education

School districts include: ^[13]

• Conestoga Public Schools
• Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools
• Freeman Public Schools
• Johnson-Brock Public Schools
• Johnson County Central Public Schools
• Norris School District 160
• Nebraska City Public Schools
• Palmyra District OR-1
• Sterling Public Schools
• Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Schools
• Waverly School District 145

Nebraska Center for the Education of Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired, a state-operated educational facility, is in the county.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Otoe County, Nebraska
• Nebraska City News-Press

References

1. "Otoe County, Nebraska". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved June 19, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "Otoe County". Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2008.
4. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
5. May, Jon D. (2009). "Otoe-Missouria". Oklahoma Historical Society's Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Archived from the original on July 20, 2010.
6. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
9. "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.
10. "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
11. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
12. Election Results
13. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Otoe County, NE" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 7, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022. - Text list

40°39′N96°08′W / 40.65°N 96.14°W / 40.65; -96.14