Custer County, Nebraska | |
|---|---|
 Custer County Courthouse in Broken Bow | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofNebraska | |
 Nebraska's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:41°23′N99°44′W / 41.39°N 99.73°W /41.39; -99.73 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Nebraska |
| Founded | February 17, 1877 |
| Named after | George Armstrong Custer |
| Seat | Broken Bow |
| Largest city | Broken Bow |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,576 sq mi (6,670 km2) |
| • Land | 2,576 sq mi (6,670 km2) |
| • Water | 0.4 sq mi (1.0 km2) 0.01% |
| Population | |
• Estimate (2021) | 10,460[1] |
| • Density | 4.06/sq mi (1.57/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www |
Custer County is acounty in theU.S. state ofNebraska. As of the2020 United States census, the population was 10,545.[1] Itscounty seat isBroken Bow.[2] The county was formed in 1877[3] and named after GeneralGeorge Armstrong Custer,[4] who was killed at theBattle of Little Bighorn.
In theNebraska license plate system, Custer County is represented by the prefix 4 (it had the fourth-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).
According to theUS Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,576 square miles (6,670 km2), of which 2,576 square miles (6,670 km2) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) (0.01%) is water.[5] In area, it is the second largest county in Nebraska, behind onlyCherry County, slightly more than twice its size.
Custer County, named in honor of General George Armstrong Custer, was officially organized in 1877, although its settlement commenced earlier. The region was once part of the Sioux territory, but following the Indian Wars, particularly after the Battle of the Little Bighorn, the land was opened for homesteading. The first settlers arrived in the early 1870s, inspired by the promise of land through theHomestead Act of 1862. These early pioneers encountered formidable challenges like extreme weather conditions, isolation, and the task of farming in what was considered theGreat American Desert. They constructedsod houses due to the absence of timber, and settlements were strategically placed near water sources.[6]
TheBurlington Railroad's extension through the county in the early 1880s significantly boosted settlement by providing a means for transportation and trade. This led to the establishment of towns like Broken Bow, which was designated as the county seat. The railroad not only facilitated the influx of settlers but also allowed for the export of agricultural products, marking the transition from cattle ranching to more diverse farming practices.[7]
Agriculture shifted from cattle ranching to diversified farming, with wheat and corn becoming prominent crops. By the dawn of the 20th century, the community had established schools, churches, and other civic institutions, marking the transition from a frontier settlement to a more organized community.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 2,211 | — | |
| 1890 | 21,677 | 880.4% | |
| 1900 | 19,758 | −8.9% | |
| 1910 | 25,668 | 29.9% | |
| 1920 | 26,407 | 2.9% | |
| 1930 | 26,189 | −0.8% | |
| 1940 | 22,591 | −13.7% | |
| 1950 | 19,170 | −15.1% | |
| 1960 | 16,517 | −13.8% | |
| 1970 | 14,092 | −14.7% | |
| 1980 | 13,877 | −1.5% | |
| 1990 | 12,270 | −11.6% | |
| 2000 | 11,793 | −3.9% | |
| 2010 | 10,939 | −7.2% | |
| 2020 | 10,545 | −3.6% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 10,460 | [1] | −0.8% |
| US Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2013[12] | |||
As of the2000 United States census,[13] there were 11,793 people, 4,826 households, and 3,320 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 5 people per square mile (1.9 people/km2). There were 5,585 housing units at an average density of 2 units per square mile (0.77/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.63%White, 0.07%Black orAfrican American, 0.41%Native American, 0.15%Asian, 0.20% fromother races, and 0.55% from two or more races. 0.92% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 37.3% were ofGerman, 11.9%English, 10.6%Irish and 8.9%American ancestry.
There were 4,826 households, out of which 30.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.90% weremarried couples living together, 5.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% were non-families. 28.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.
The county population contained 26.30% under the age of 18, 5.50% from 18 to 24, 23.50% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 21.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,677, and the median income for a family was $37,063. Males had a median income of $24,609 versus $19,732 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,171. About 9.10% of families and 12.40% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.20% of those under age 18 and 9.10% of those age 65 or over.
Custer County voters are reliably Republican. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1900 | 2,145 | 47.24% | 2,159 | 47.54% | 237 | 5.22% |
| 1904 | 2,658 | 59.61% | 509 | 11.42% | 1,292 | 28.98% |
| 1908 | 2,788 | 47.01% | 2,898 | 48.86% | 245 | 4.13% |
| 1912 | 1,051 | 18.20% | 2,395 | 41.46% | 2,330 | 40.34% |
| 1916 | 2,047 | 34.24% | 3,609 | 60.37% | 322 | 5.39% |
| 1920 | 4,974 | 59.31% | 2,739 | 32.66% | 674 | 8.04% |
| 1924 | 3,833 | 39.95% | 2,575 | 26.84% | 3,187 | 33.22% |
| 1928 | 8,379 | 76.40% | 2,506 | 22.85% | 82 | 0.75% |
| 1932 | 3,953 | 35.66% | 6,844 | 61.74% | 289 | 2.61% |
| 1936 | 5,250 | 45.67% | 5,907 | 51.39% | 338 | 2.94% |
| 1940 | 6,269 | 59.66% | 4,238 | 40.34% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 5,330 | 61.61% | 3,321 | 38.39% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 4,057 | 54.73% | 3,356 | 45.27% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 7,143 | 77.17% | 2,113 | 22.83% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 5,798 | 70.51% | 2,425 | 29.49% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 5,716 | 70.87% | 2,350 | 29.13% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 3,916 | 52.98% | 3,475 | 47.02% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 4,325 | 70.52% | 1,407 | 22.94% | 401 | 6.54% |
| 1972 | 4,836 | 80.83% | 1,147 | 19.17% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 3,935 | 63.72% | 1,985 | 32.15% | 255 | 4.13% |
| 1980 | 4,563 | 76.90% | 1,011 | 17.04% | 360 | 6.07% |
| 1984 | 4,749 | 80.94% | 1,090 | 18.58% | 28 | 0.48% |
| 1988 | 4,203 | 73.40% | 1,496 | 26.13% | 27 | 0.47% |
| 1992 | 3,180 | 54.64% | 1,126 | 19.35% | 1,514 | 26.01% |
| 1996 | 3,453 | 64.15% | 1,293 | 24.02% | 637 | 11.83% |
| 2000 | 4,245 | 78.41% | 976 | 18.03% | 193 | 3.56% |
| 2004 | 4,518 | 80.51% | 1,040 | 18.53% | 54 | 0.96% |
| 2008 | 4,301 | 77.11% | 1,192 | 21.37% | 85 | 1.52% |
| 2012 | 4,296 | 78.14% | 1,083 | 19.70% | 119 | 2.16% |
| 2016 | 4,695 | 83.07% | 641 | 11.34% | 316 | 5.59% |
| 2020 | 5,090 | 84.69% | 786 | 13.08% | 134 | 2.23% |
| 2024 | 5,042 | 85.33% | 786 | 13.30% | 81 | 1.37% |
Places adjacent to Custer County, Nebraska | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofCuster County, Nebraska,United States | ||
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