Seward County, Nebraska

Seward County
County
County of Seward
Seward County Courthouse in Seward
Interactive map of Seward County
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Established	March 16, 1855
Organized	October 1865
Named for	William H. Seward
County seat	Seward
Largest city	Seward
Area
• Total	576 sq mi (1,490 km2)
• Land	571 sq mi (1,480 km2)
• Water	4.5 sq mi (12 km2)  0.8%
Highest elevation	1,598 ft (487 m)
Lowest elevation	938 ft (286 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	17,609
• Density	31/sq mi (12/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	402/531
FIPS code	31159
GNIS feature ID	835901
Website	countyofsewardne.com

Seward County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 17,609. ^[1] Its county seat is Seward. ^[2] The county was formed in 1855, ^[3] and was organized in 1867. ^{[4] [5]} It was originally called Greene County, and in 1862 it was renamed for William H. Seward, Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. Seward County is part of the Lincoln, NE Metropolitan Statistical Area.

In the Nebraska license plate system, Seward County is represented by the prefix 16 (it had the sixteenth-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Geography

The Seward County terrain consists of low rolling hills, largely dedicated to agriculture including center pivot irrigation. The Big Blue River flows south-southeasterly through the central part of the county. ^[6] The county has a total area of 576 square miles (1,490 km²), of which 571 square miles (1,480 km²) is land and 4.5 square miles (12 km²) (0.8%) is water. ^[7]

Protected areas

• Bur Oak State Wildlife Management Area ^[8]
• Freeman Lakes Waterfowl Production Area ^[9]
• North Lake Basin State Wildlife Management Area ^[10]
• Oak Glen State Wildlife Management Area ^[11]
• Tamora Waterfowl Production Area ^[12]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	2,953		—
1880	11,147		277.5%
1890	16,140		44.8%
1900	15,690		−2.8%
1910	15,895		1.3%
1920	15,867		−0.2%
1930	15,938		0.4%
1940	14,167		−11.1%
1950	13,155		−7.1%
1960	13,581		3.2%
1970	14,460		6.5%
1980	15,789		9.2%
1990	15,450		−2.1%
2000	16,496		6.8%
2010	16,750		1.5%
2020	17,609		5.1%
2023 (est.)	17,671		0.4%
US Decennial Census [13] 1790-1960 [14] 1900-1990 [15] 1990-2000 [16] 2010 [17]

As of the 2000 United States Census, ^[18] there were 16,496 people, 6,013 households, and 4,215 families in the county. The population density was 29 inhabitants per square mile (11/km²). There were 6,428 housing units at an average density of 11 units per square mile (4.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.05% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. 1.09% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,013 households, out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.50% were married couples living together, 5.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.04.

The county population contained 24.70% under the age of 18, 14.30% from 18 to 24, 24.60% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,700, and the median income for a family was $51,813. Males had a median income of $32,218 versus $22,329 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,379. About 4.10% of families and 7.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.20% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over.

Civil asset forfeiture

The county engages in extensive civil asset forfeiture. Having less than 18,000 people, it accounted for at least 90 cases in the last decade, one-third of all civil forfeiture cases in the state during that period and double that of any other Nebraska county. From 2018 to 2023, the county obtained $7.5 million in forfeited cash. Nearly all of the civil forfeitures stem from traffic stops of out-of-state drivers on Interstate 80 where Seward County police give stopped drivers a choice to give up their cash with an "abandonment form" or refuse and be subject to felony charges; the routine seizures never result in convictions of drivers, raising questions about the intent of the forfeitures. ^[19] This practice continues despite 2016 state law LB 1106, meant to stop it by first requiring a criminal conviction for illegal drugs, child pornography, or illegal gambling, and establishing new reporting requirements and transfer regulations for seizures or forfeitures. However, loopholes in the law still allow seizure during a traffic stop if police believe the cash is connected to drugs, even if no drugs are found in the vehicle, a tactic that is used routinely by Seward County police. ^{[19] [20]} A bill introduced in February 2024 by Nebraska legislator Tom Brewer, LB 916, intends to ban civil forfeiture in the state entirely, requiring in all cases that prosecutors use the criminal justice process, rather than civil courts, to seize property. ^[21]

Communities

Cities

• Milford
• Seward (county seat)

Villages

• Beaver Crossing
• Bee
• Cordova
• Garland
• Goehner
• Pleasant Dale
• Staplehurst
• Utica

Census-designated place

• Tamora

Unincorporated communities

• Grover
• Ruby

Ghost town

• Pittsburg

Adjacent counties

• Butler County – north
• Lancaster County – east
• Saline County – south
• Fillmore County – southwest
• York County – west
• Polk County – northwest

Politics

Seward County voters are reliably Republican. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).

United States presidential election results for Seward County, Nebraska ^[22]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	6,667	72.15%	2,388	25.84%	185	2.00%
2020	6,490	70.55%	2,438	26.50%	271	2.95%
2016	5,454	68.85%	1,875	23.67%	593	7.49%
2012	5,003	66.06%	2,386	31.51%	184	2.43%
2008	4,647	61.72%	2,703	35.90%	179	2.38%
2004	5,353	70.76%	2,114	27.94%	98	1.30%
2000	4,457	63.53%	2,250	32.07%	309	4.40%
1996	3,479	51.86%	2,432	36.25%	798	11.89%
1992	3,060	44.12%	2,121	30.58%	1,755	25.30%
1988	3,472	55.89%	2,690	43.30%	50	0.80%
1984	3,983	67.09%	1,911	32.19%	43	0.72%
1980	3,527	59.13%	1,803	30.23%	635	10.65%
1976	3,220	54.12%	2,610	43.87%	120	2.02%
1972	3,707	63.98%	2,087	36.02%	0	0.00%
1968	2,939	60.59%	1,658	34.18%	254	5.24%
1964	2,221	39.89%	3,347	60.11%	0	0.00%
1960	3,588	63.14%	2,095	36.86%	0	0.00%
1956	3,688	65.88%	1,910	34.12%	0	0.00%
1952	4,257	71.64%	1,685	28.36%	0	0.00%
1948	2,916	56.18%	2,274	43.82%	0	0.00%
1944	3,721	64.11%	2,083	35.89%	0	0.00%
1940	4,117	61.95%	2,529	38.05%	0	0.00%
1936	3,123	44.37%	3,866	54.92%	50	0.71%
1932	2,298	34.97%	4,208	64.04%	65	0.99%
1928	3,539	59.68%	2,367	39.92%	24	0.40%
1924	2,797	49.21%	1,848	32.51%	1,039	18.28%
1920	3,690	69.98%	1,497	28.39%	86	1.63%
1916	1,855	50.11%	1,797	48.54%	50	1.35%
1912	788	23.29%	1,573	46.48%	1,023	30.23%
1908	1,930	48.21%	2,029	50.69%	44	1.10%
1904	2,243	61.64%	1,027	28.22%	369	10.14%
1900	1,937	50.30%	1,865	48.43%	49	1.27%

See also

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

References

1. "Seward County, Nebraska". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved June 24, 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. 131. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
4. "Seward County Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey" (PDF). Nebraska State Historical Society. August 2007. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
5. Andreas, A. T. (1882). "Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska". The Kansas Collection. Archived from the original on July 29, 2003. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
6. Seward County NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
7. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
8. Bur Oak State Wildlife Management Area, Seward NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
9. Freeman Lakes Waterfowl Production Area, Waco NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
10. North Lake Basin State Wildlife Management Area, Utica NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
11. Oak Glen State Wildlife Management Area, Garland NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
12. Tamora Waterfowl Production Area, Alvo Rd, Seward NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
13. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
14. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
15. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
16. "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.
17. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved September 22, 2013.
18. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
19. Alamdari, Natalia (June 16, 2023). "Using loophole, Seward County seizes millions from motorists without convicting them of crimes". Nebraska Public Media. Flatwater Free Press. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
20. "Policing for Profit".
21. Alamdari, Natalia (February 2, 2024). "Lawmakers seek to ban practice allowing Seward County to seize millions from motorists". Flatwater Free Press. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
22. Election Results

External links

• Connect Seward County

40°52′N97°08′W / 40.87°N 97.14°W / 40.87; -97.14