Pierce County, Nebraska

Pierce County
County
Pierce County courthouse in Pierce
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°16′N97°37′W / 42.27°N 97.61°W / 42.27; -97.61
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1859
Named for	Franklin Pierce
Seat	Pierce
Largest city	Pierce
Area
• Total	575 sq mi (1,490 km2)
• Land	573 sq mi (1,480 km2)
• Water	1.3 sq mi (3 km2)  0.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,317
• Estimate  (2022)	7,332
• Density	13/sq mi (4.9/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.co.pierce.ne.us

Pierce County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 7,317. ^[1] Its county seat is Pierce. ^[2] The county was formed in 1859, and was named for US President Franklin Pierce. ^{[3] [4]} Pierce County is part of the Norfolk, NE Micropolitan Statistical Area. In the Nebraska license plate system, Pierce County is represented by the prefix 40 (it had the 40th-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

History

Some of Pierce County's earliest settlers were German Lutheran colonists who had traveled from Ixonia, Wisconsin, and had founded the nearby town of Norfolk. ^[5]

Geography

The Pierce County terrain consists of low rolling hills, sloping to the east and southeast. ^[6] The north fork of the Elkhorn River flows southeastward through the central part of the county, while Dry Fork drains the lower western part, then discharges into the north fork of the Elkhorn. Most of the county's area is devoted to agriculture, often under central pivot irrigation. ^[7]

The county has a total area of 575 square miles (1,490 km²), of which 573 square miles (1,480 km²) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) (0.2%) is water. ^[8]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 20
• U.S. Highway 81
• Nebraska Highway 13
• Nebraska Highway 98
• Nebraska Highway 121

Adjacent counties

• Cedar County – northeast
• Wayne County – east
• Stanton County – southeast
• Madison County – south
• Antelope County – west
• Knox County – north

Protected areas

• Willow Creek Recreation Area ^[9]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	152		—
1880	1,202		690.8%
1890	4,864		304.7%
1900	8,445		73.6%
1910	10,122		19.9%
1920	10,681		5.5%
1930	11,080		3.7%
1940	10,211		−7.8%
1950	9,405		−7.9%
1960	8,722		−7.3%
1970	8,493		−2.6%
1980	8,481		−0.1%
1990	7,827		−7.7%
2000	7,857		0.4%
2010	7,266		−7.5%
2020	7,317		0.7%
2022 (est.)	7,332		0.2%
US Decennial Census [10] 1790-1960 [11] 1900-1990 [12] 1990-2000 [13] 2010 [14] 2020 [15] 2022 [16]

As of the 2000 United States Census, ^[17] there were 7,857 people, 2,979 households, and 2,141 families in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (5.4 people/km²). There were 3,247 housing units at an average density of 6 units per square mile (2.3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.65% White, 0.08% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. 0.71% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,979 households, out of which 35.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.40% were married couples living together, 5.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.14.

The county population contained 29.00% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 20.90% from 45 to 64, and 17.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,239, and the median income for a family was $40,500. Males had a median income of $26,563 versus $20,237 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,980. About 8.80% of families and 11.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.20% of those under age 18 and 12.90% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Osmond
• Pierce (county seat)
• Plainview

Villages

• Foster
• Hadar
• McLean

Unincorporated communities

• Breslau
• Wee Town

Politics

Pierce County voters have been reliably Republican for decades. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).

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

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	3,420	87.47%	446	11.41%	44	1.13%
2020	3,462	86.29%	480	11.96%	70	1.74%
2016	3,052	84.08%	382	10.52%	196	5.40%
2012	2,707	78.90%	637	18.57%	87	2.54%
2008	2,385	73.93%	783	24.27%	58	1.80%
2004	2,824	83.11%	546	16.07%	28	0.82%
2000	2,534	78.99%	570	17.77%	104	3.24%
1996	1,923	62.39%	697	22.62%	462	14.99%
1992	1,853	52.02%	611	17.15%	1,098	30.83%
1988	2,474	72.79%	914	26.89%	11	0.32%
1984	3,017	84.06%	545	15.19%	27	0.75%
1980	2,938	80.74%	517	14.21%	184	5.06%
1976	2,172	66.95%	1,004	30.95%	68	2.10%
1972	2,451	78.96%	653	21.04%	0	0.00%
1968	2,408	73.44%	674	20.56%	197	6.01%
1964	1,965	54.64%	1,631	45.36%	0	0.00%
1960	2,963	72.80%	1,107	27.20%	0	0.00%
1956	2,800	70.85%	1,152	29.15%	0	0.00%
1952	3,234	78.06%	909	21.94%	0	0.00%
1948	1,866	57.43%	1,383	42.57%	0	0.00%
1944	2,956	71.06%	1,204	28.94%	0	0.00%
1940	3,271	69.30%	1,449	30.70%	0	0.00%
1936	2,016	44.85%	2,357	52.44%	122	2.71%
1932	1,128	27.23%	2,980	71.93%	35	0.84%
1928	2,542	61.45%	1,586	38.34%	9	0.22%
1924	1,570	42.36%	760	20.51%	1,376	37.13%
1920	2,478	75.11%	743	22.52%	78	2.36%
1916	1,228	53.60%	1,030	44.96%	33	1.44%
1912	694	32.52%	948	44.42%	492	23.06%
1908	1,067	48.54%	1,095	49.82%	36	1.64%
1904	1,122	58.65%	616	32.20%	175	9.15%
1900	919	49.54%	913	49.22%	23	1.24%

See also

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

References

1. "Pierce County, Nebraska". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved June 19, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (1925). Nebraska Place-Names. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Studies in Language, Literature, and Criticism. p. 114. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
4. "Pierce County". Nebraska Association of County Officials. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
5. 1803-- Pioneer history of the Braasch family-- 1956 / compiled by Mrs. Herman Wagner. Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. [S.l. : s.n.], 1956. 1956.
6. ""Find an Altitude" Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
7. Pierce County NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
9. Willow Creek Recreation Area Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
10. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 11, 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 11, 2014.
14. "QuickFacts".
15. "Pierce County, Nebraska". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved June 19, 2023.
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. Election Results

42°16′N97°37′W / 42.27°N 97.61°W / 42.27; -97.61

Pierce County map in Nebraska