Pierce County, Nebraska | |
|---|---|
_from_SW.JPG) Pierce County Courthouse in Pierce | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofNebraska | |
| Coordinates:42°16′N97°37′W / 42.27°N 97.61°W /42.27; -97.61 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Nebraska |
| Founded | 1859 |
| Named after | 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 (3.4 km2) 0.2% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 7,317 |
• Estimate (2022) | 7,332 |
| • Density | 12.8/sq mi (4.93/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www |
Pierce County is acounty in theU.S. state ofNebraska. As of the2020 United States census, the population was 7,317.[1] Itscounty seat isPierce.[2] The county was formed in 1859, and was named for US PresidentFranklin Pierce.[3][4] Pierce County is part of theNorfolk, NEMicropolitan Statistical Area. In theNebraska 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).
Some of Pierce County's earliest settlers were GermanLutheran colonists who had traveled fromIxonia, Wisconsin, and had founded the nearby town of Norfolk.[5]
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 undercentral 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]
| 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 the2020 census, the county had a population of 7,317. The median age was 41.0 years. 25.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.0 males age 18 and over.[17][18]
The racial makeup of the county was 95.6% White, 0.4%Black or African American, 0.3%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Asian, 0.0%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 0.7% from some other race, and 2.7% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.9% of the population.[18]
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[19]
There were 2,887 households in the county, of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 18.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[17]
There were 3,118 housing units, of which 7.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 80.7% were owner-occupied and 19.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.5%.[17]
As of the2000 United States census,[20] there were 7,857 people, 2,979 households, and 2,141 families in the county. Thepopulation 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 orAfrican American, 0.36%Native American, 0.20%Asian, 0.03%Pacific Islander, 0.23% fromother races, and 0.46% from two or more races. 0.71% of the population wereHispanic orLatino 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% weremarried 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. Theper capita income for the county was $15,980. About 8.80% of families and 11.80% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 14.20% of those under age 18 and 12.90% of those age 65 or over.
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).
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1900 | 919 | 49.54% | 913 | 49.22% | 23 | 1.24% |
| 1904 | 1,122 | 58.65% | 616 | 32.20% | 175 | 9.15% |
| 1908 | 1,067 | 48.54% | 1,095 | 49.82% | 36 | 1.64% |
| 1912 | 694 | 32.52% | 948 | 44.42% | 492 | 23.06% |
| 1916 | 1,228 | 53.60% | 1,030 | 44.96% | 33 | 1.44% |
| 1920 | 2,478 | 75.11% | 743 | 22.52% | 78 | 2.36% |
| 1924 | 1,570 | 42.36% | 760 | 20.51% | 1,376 | 37.13% |
| 1928 | 2,542 | 61.45% | 1,586 | 38.34% | 9 | 0.22% |
| 1932 | 1,128 | 27.23% | 2,980 | 71.93% | 35 | 0.84% |
| 1936 | 2,016 | 44.85% | 2,357 | 52.44% | 122 | 2.71% |
| 1940 | 3,271 | 69.30% | 1,449 | 30.70% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 2,956 | 71.06% | 1,204 | 28.94% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 1,866 | 57.43% | 1,383 | 42.57% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 3,234 | 78.06% | 909 | 21.94% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 2,800 | 70.85% | 1,152 | 29.15% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 2,963 | 72.80% | 1,107 | 27.20% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 1,965 | 54.64% | 1,631 | 45.36% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 2,408 | 73.44% | 674 | 20.56% | 197 | 6.01% |
| 1972 | 2,451 | 78.96% | 653 | 21.04% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 2,172 | 66.95% | 1,004 | 30.95% | 68 | 2.10% |
| 1980 | 2,938 | 80.74% | 517 | 14.21% | 184 | 5.06% |
| 1984 | 3,017 | 84.06% | 545 | 15.19% | 27 | 0.75% |
| 1988 | 2,474 | 72.79% | 914 | 26.89% | 11 | 0.32% |
| 1992 | 1,853 | 52.02% | 611 | 17.15% | 1,098 | 30.83% |
| 1996 | 1,923 | 62.39% | 697 | 22.62% | 462 | 14.99% |
| 2000 | 2,534 | 78.99% | 570 | 17.77% | 104 | 3.24% |
| 2004 | 2,824 | 83.11% | 546 | 16.07% | 28 | 0.82% |
| 2008 | 2,385 | 73.93% | 783 | 24.27% | 58 | 1.80% |
| 2012 | 2,707 | 78.90% | 637 | 18.57% | 87 | 2.54% |
| 2016 | 3,052 | 84.08% | 382 | 10.52% | 196 | 5.40% |
| 2020 | 3,462 | 86.29% | 480 | 11.96% | 70 | 1.74% |
| 2024 | 3,420 | 87.47% | 446 | 11.41% | 44 | 1.13% |
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)Places adjacent to Pierce County, Nebraska | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofPierce County, Nebraska,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
42°16′N97°37′W / 42.27°N 97.61°W /42.27; -97.61
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