Polk County, Nebraska

Polk County
County
County of Polk
Polk County Courthouse in Osceola
Interactive map of Polk County
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Established	January 26, 1856
Organized	August 6, 1870
Named for	James K. Polk
County seat	Osceola
Largest city	Stromsburg
Area
• Total	441 sq mi (1,140 km2)
• Land	438 sq mi (1,130 km2)
• Water	2.3 sq mi (6 km2)  0.5%
Highest elevation	1,739 ft (530 m)
Lowest elevation	1,089 ft (332 m)
Population
• Total	5,214
• Estimate  (2021)	5,174
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	402/531
FIPS code	31143
GNIS feature ID	835893
Website	www.polkcounty.ne.gov

Polk County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 5,214. ^[1] Its county seat is Osceola. ^[2] The county was formed in 1856, and was organized in 1870. ^{[3] [4] [5]} It was named for President James K. Polk. ^[6] In the Nebraska license plate system, Polk County is represented by the prefix 41 (it had the 41st-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Geography

The Platte River flows northeastward along the northwest boundary of Polk County. The lower portion of the county is drained by a local drainage, flowing east and east-northeastward into Butler County. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, dropping off to the river valley in the northern portion, and sloped to the east-southeast in the lower portion of the county. The county terrain is largely devoted to agriculture. ^{[7] [8]}

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 441 square miles (1,140 km²), of which 438 square miles (1,130 km²) is land and 2.3 square miles (6.0 km²) (0.5%) is water. ^[9]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 81
• Nebraska Highway 39
• Nebraska Highway 66
• Nebraska Highway 69
• Nebraska Highway 92

Adjacent counties

• Butler County – east
• Seward County – southeast
• York County – south
• Hamilton County – southwest
• Merrick County – west
• Platte County – north

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	19		—
1870	136		615.8%
1880	6,846		4,933.8%
1890	10,817		58.0%
1900	10,542		−2.5%
1910	10,521		−0.2%
1920	10,714		1.8%
1930	10,092		−5.8%
1940	8,748		−13.3%
1950	8,044		−8.0%
1960	7,210		−10.4%
1970	6,468		−10.3%
1980	6,320		−2.3%
1990	5,668		−10.3%
2000	5,639		−0.5%
2010	5,406		−4.1%
2020	5,214		−3.6%
2021 (est.)	5,174	[1]	−0.8%
US Decennial Census [10] 1790-1960 [11] 1900-1990 [12] 1990-2000 [13] 2010-2013 [14]

As of the 2000 United States Census, ^[15] there were 5,639 people, 2,259 households, and 1,570 families in the county. The population density was 5 people/km² (13 people/sq mi). There were 2,717 housing units at an average density of 2 units/km² (5.2 units/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 98.92% White, 0.02% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.28% from other races, and 0.41% from two or more races. 1.08% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,259 households, out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.90% were married couples living together, 4.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.97.

The county population contained 25.10% under the age of 18, 6.00% from 18 to 24, 24.40% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 21.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 100.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,819, and the median income for a family was $45,081. Males had a median income of $30,286 versus $19,595 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,934. About 4.40% of families and 5.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.20% of those under age 18 and 4.70% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Osceola (county seat)
• Stromsburg

Villages

• Polk
• Shelby

Unincorporated communities

• Durant
• Swedehome or Swede Home

Townships

• Canada
• Clear Creek
• Hackberry
• Island
• Osceola
• Platte
• Pleasant Home
• Stromsburg
• Valley

Politics

Polk County voters have been reliably Republican for several decades. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).

United States presidential election results for Polk County, Nebraska ^{[16] [17]}

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	2,296	81.16%	501	17.71%	32	1.13%
2020	2,291	79.36%	530	18.36%	66	2.29%
2016	2,028	78.54%	413	16.00%	141	5.46%
2012	1,890	76.92%	528	21.49%	39	1.59%
2008	1,822	71.65%	668	26.27%	53	2.08%
2004	2,146	78.69%	549	20.13%	32	1.17%
2000	1,925	73.67%	610	23.34%	78	2.99%
1996	1,504	58.84%	750	29.34%	302	11.82%
1992	1,437	49.25%	661	22.65%	820	28.10%
1988	1,769	64.94%	944	34.65%	11	0.40%
1984	2,149	77.41%	610	21.97%	17	0.61%
1980	2,206	75.14%	538	18.32%	192	6.54%
1976	1,797	58.86%	1,190	38.98%	66	2.16%
1972	2,050	71.25%	827	28.75%	0	0.00%
1968	1,795	66.83%	690	25.69%	201	7.48%
1964	1,607	48.16%	1,730	51.84%	0	0.00%
1960	2,397	66.94%	1,184	33.06%	0	0.00%
1956	2,482	68.62%	1,135	31.38%	0	0.00%
1952	3,008	76.66%	916	23.34%	0	0.00%
1948	2,026	59.21%	1,396	40.79%	0	0.00%
1944	2,357	60.84%	1,517	39.16%	0	0.00%
1940	2,653	61.87%	1,635	38.13%	0	0.00%
1936	2,256	46.78%	2,519	52.23%	48	1.00%
1932	1,636	35.35%	2,939	63.50%	53	1.15%
1928	3,096	67.17%	1,494	32.41%	19	0.41%
1924	2,354	56.49%	1,229	29.49%	584	14.01%
1920	2,393	63.80%	1,236	32.95%	122	3.25%
1916	1,060	38.29%	1,600	57.80%	108	3.90%
1912	485	19.43%	996	39.90%	1,015	40.67%
1908	1,171	44.31%	1,264	47.82%	208	7.87%
1904	1,235	51.91%	239	10.05%	905	38.04%
1900	1,023	41.25%	1,376	55.48%	81	3.27%

See also

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

References

1. "County Population Totals: 2020-2021". Census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
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. 116. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
4. "Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey Reconnaissance Survey Final Report of Polk County, Nebraska". Nebraska State Historical Society. August 1, 1992. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
5. "Polk County". Nebraska Association of County Officials. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
6. "Polk County". Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved March 7, 2010. Retrieved on March 15, 2008.
7. Polk County NE Google Maps (accessed 27 January 2019)
8. ""Find Altitude" Google Maps (accessed 27 January 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
9. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
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. "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
15. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
16. Election Results
17. The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 784 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 142 votes and Prohibition Eugene Chafin received 89 votes.

41°11′N97°34′W / 41.19°N 97.57°W / 41.19; -97.57