Sarpy County, Nebraska | |
|---|---|
 Sarpy County Courthouse in Papillion | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofNebraska | |
| Coordinates:41°07′N96°07′W / 41.11°N 96.11°W /41.11; -96.11 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Nebraska |
| Founded | February 1, 1857 |
| Named after | Peter A. Sarpy |
| Seat | Papillion |
| Largest city | Bellevue |
| Area | |
• Total | 248 sq mi (640 km2) |
| • Land | 239 sq mi (620 km2) |
| • Water | 8.5 sq mi (22 km2) 3.4% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 190,604 |
• Estimate (2022) | 196,553 |
| • Density | 798/sq mi (308/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional districts | 1st,2nd |
| Website | www |
Sarpy County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofNebraska. As of the2020 census, the population was 190,604,[1] making it the third-most populous county in Nebraska. Itscounty seat isPapillion.[2]
Sarpy County is part of theOmaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IAMetropolitan Statistical Area.[3]
This was part of the territory of theOmaha people. Explored in 1805 by theLewis and Clark expedition following theLouisiana Purchase of 1803 by the United States, this area was settled by European-American fur traders, adventurers, farmers, and finally, entrepreneurs. All initially depended on theMissouri River as a main transportation corridor and source of water. Sarpy County has served as the springboard for Nebraska's settlement and expansion. The county is named forPeter Sarpy,[4] an early fur trader atFontenelle's Post in theBellevue area in the 1840s. He also had Sarpy's post in what becameDecatur; Sarpy died inPlattsmouth in 1865.
The area of present Sarpy County was a part ofDouglas County until February 1, 1857, when the Territorial Legislature partitioned off that county's southern half and proclaimed it a separate organization.[5]
The Omaha people were forced onto a reservation in the 19th century, losing most of their land to the United States who then opened it for settlement by non-Native Americans who were U.S. citizens or immigrants from certain (mostly European) countries.
Fort Crook, theU.S. Army post south ofBellevue, was established in the 1890s and added Offutt Field in the 1920s. ItsGlenn L. Martin Bomber Plant produced over two thousand aircraft duringWorld War II, including the notableB-29'sEnola Gay andBockscar.Offutt Air Force Base was the headquarters of theStrategic Air Command (SAC) during theCold War and continues as the home ofU.S. Strategic Command.
In theNebraska license plate system, Sarpy County was represented by theprefix "59" (it had the 59th largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922). Many license plates issued in Sarpy County featured the stacked format of the 59 code. The county, just south ofOmaha, had grown significantly in population in the decades following 1922 and therefore required five characters rather than the four allowed by a standard double-digit county code. In 2002, the state discontinued the 1922 system in Sarpy as well asDouglas andLancaster counties.
Sarpy County is bounded on the east by theMissouri River; on the south and west by thePlatte River. The county's terrain consists of low rolling hills, cut by several small gullies and drainages that move groundwater to one of these rivers.[6] The county has a total area of 248 square miles (640 km2), of which 239 square miles (620 km2) is land and 8.5 square miles (22 km2) (3.4%) is water.[7] Sarpy is the smallest of Nebraska's 93 counties.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 1,201 | — | |
| 1870 | 2,913 | 142.5% | |
| 1880 | 4,481 | 53.8% | |
| 1890 | 6,875 | 53.4% | |
| 1900 | 9,080 | 32.1% | |
| 1910 | 9,274 | 2.1% | |
| 1920 | 9,370 | 1.0% | |
| 1930 | 10,402 | 11.0% | |
| 1940 | 10,835 | 4.2% | |
| 1950 | 15,693 | 44.8% | |
| 1960 | 31,281 | 99.3% | |
| 1970 | 63,696 | 103.6% | |
| 1980 | 86,015 | 35.0% | |
| 1990 | 102,583 | 19.3% | |
| 2000 | 122,595 | 19.5% | |
| 2010 | 158,840 | 29.6% | |
| 2020 | 190,604 | 20.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 199,886 | [12] | 4.9% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[13] 1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15] 1990-2000[16] 2010–2020[1] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 190,604. Thepopulation density was 768 people per square mile (297 people/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 80.0%White, 3.9%Black or African American, 0.5%American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5%Asian, 0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 3.7% from some other race, and 9.2% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 10.5% of the population.[17]
The median age was 35.4 years. 27.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 12.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.5 males age 18 and over.[18]
94.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 5.2% lived in rural areas.[19]
There were 70,173 households in the county, of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 21.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 73,081 housing units, of which 4.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 69.6% were owner-occupied and 30.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.2%.[18]
As of the2010 census, there were 158,835 people and 69,851 households. Thepopulation density was 664 people per square mile (256 people/km2). There were 69,023 housing units at an average density of 289 units per square mile (112/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.0%White, 4.4% Black orBlack orAfrican American, 0.7%Native American, 2.60%Asian, 0.1%Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and 3.20% fromtwo or more races . 9.4% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
As of the2000 census, there were 122,595 people, 43,426 households, and 33,220 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 510 people per square mile (200 people/km2). There were 44,981 housing units at an average density of 187 units per square mile (72/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.18%White, 4.36%Black orAfrican American, 0.42%Native American, 1.90%Asian, 0.09%Pacific Islander, 1.86% fromother races, and 2.20% from two or more races. 4.37% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 43,426 households, out of which 43.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.80% weremarried couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.50% were non-families. 18.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.21.
The county population contained 30.50% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 33.80% from 25 to 44, 19.70% from 45 to 64, and 6.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 98.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $53,804, and the median income for a family was $59,723. Males had a median income of $37,230 versus $26,816 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $21,985. About 3.10% of families and 4.20% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 5.30% of those under age 18 and 3.30% of those age 65 or over.
TheSarpy County Sheriff's Department is responsible for enforcing the law within the unincorporated areas of the county. By contract, the department is also responsible for enforcing the law within the city limits of Gretna and Springfield. The cities ofBellevue,La Vista, andPapillion have their own cityPolice Departments which are primarily responsible for law enforcement within their respective city limits. The Sheriff's Department has secondary responsibility for law enforcement within these three cities, providing essentials such as backup support.
The Sarpy County Law Enforcement Center, built in 1989, is located within the campus of the Sarpy CountyCourthouse in Papillion. It houses the county's jail facility and the Sarpy County Public Defender's Office. The Bellevue and LaVista City Police Departments also have their own holding cells. The county jail was designed to hold 148 people, but the facility frequently holds more than that number.[20]Fire protection and emergency medical services are provided by a mix of seven full-career, part-time paid, military, and all-volunteer fire departments, representing various municipalities within the county, plusOffutt Air Force Base.
Sarpy County voters have generally voted Republican in national politics. In only one national election since 1948 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020). Since 1964, only three Democrats -Barack Obama in 2008,Joe Biden in 2020, andKamala Harris in 2024 have received at least 40 percent of the county's vote. From 1968 to 2016, Republicans always carried Sarpy County by at least 21 points with the exception of a slight drop to 16 points in 2008. However, in 2020, Republican candidateDonald Trump beat Biden only by 11 points, a 92-year low for a winning Republican candidate. In 2024, Sarpy County very narrowly voted forDan Osborn, an Independent, over incumbent Republican Senator Deb Fischer in the 2024 Senate race; no Democrat filed for this race.[21] Kamala Harris also garnered the highest share of the vote for a Democratic Presidential candidate since the county voted forLyndon B. Johnson in 1964.
This county was the only one in Nebraska to vote for bothInitiative 434 andInitiative 439 in 2024. Those two initiatives dealt with abortion and were contradictory to each other, with the former restricting abortion after the first trimester and the latter intending to protect abortion access through fetal viability.[22]
As of July 2025, Republicans hold a plurality in the county voter registration.[23]
| Democratic | Republican | Libertarian | Non-Partisan | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33,172 (27.14%) | 54,133 (44.3%) | 2,217 (1.81%) | 32,687 (26.75%) | 122,209 (100%) |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1880 | 491 | 47.86% | 516 | 50.29% | 19 | 1.85% |
| 1884 | 616 | 49.32% | 610 | 48.84% | 23 | 1.84% |
| 1888 | 658 | 41.00% | 875 | 54.52% | 72 | 4.49% |
| 1892 | 582 | 39.17% | 351 | 23.62% | 553 | 37.21% |
| 1896 | 674 | 35.18% | 1,183 | 61.74% | 59 | 3.08% |
| 1900 | 792 | 41.08% | 1,090 | 56.54% | 46 | 2.39% |
| 1904 | 998 | 53.68% | 675 | 36.31% | 186 | 10.01% |
| 1908 | 912 | 44.08% | 1,090 | 52.68% | 67 | 3.24% |
| 1912 | 404 | 22.53% | 857 | 47.80% | 532 | 29.67% |
| 1916 | 885 | 39.19% | 1,320 | 58.46% | 53 | 2.35% |
| 1920 | 1,662 | 59.78% | 1,027 | 36.94% | 91 | 3.27% |
| 1924 | 1,411 | 38.86% | 1,247 | 34.34% | 973 | 26.80% |
| 1928 | 2,011 | 51.04% | 1,900 | 48.22% | 29 | 0.74% |
| 1932 | 1,148 | 26.52% | 3,112 | 71.89% | 69 | 1.59% |
| 1936 | 1,569 | 33.75% | 3,030 | 65.18% | 50 | 1.08% |
| 1940 | 2,165 | 46.04% | 2,537 | 53.96% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 2,641 | 49.88% | 2,654 | 50.12% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 2,367 | 47.32% | 2,635 | 52.68% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 3,649 | 59.06% | 2,529 | 40.94% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 3,826 | 60.47% | 2,501 | 39.53% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 4,672 | 55.30% | 3,777 | 44.70% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 4,418 | 44.18% | 5,581 | 55.82% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 6,019 | 52.48% | 3,506 | 30.57% | 1,945 | 16.96% |
| 1972 | 11,514 | 74.68% | 3,904 | 25.32% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 11,917 | 60.44% | 7,385 | 37.46% | 414 | 2.10% |
| 1980 | 15,552 | 67.03% | 5,689 | 24.52% | 1,961 | 8.45% |
| 1984 | 20,192 | 74.34% | 6,838 | 25.18% | 130 | 0.48% |
| 1988 | 20,192 | 64.54% | 10,947 | 34.99% | 146 | 0.47% |
| 1992 | 20,516 | 50.44% | 10,741 | 26.41% | 9,416 | 23.15% |
| 1996 | 23,023 | 57.74% | 12,806 | 32.11% | 4,048 | 10.15% |
| 2000 | 28,979 | 64.00% | 14,637 | 32.33% | 1,662 | 3.67% |
| 2004 | 40,163 | 68.85% | 17,455 | 29.92% | 716 | 1.23% |
| 2008 | 38,816 | 57.06% | 28,010 | 41.18% | 1,196 | 1.76% |
| 2012 | 43,213 | 60.45% | 26,671 | 37.31% | 1,606 | 2.25% |
| 2016 | 45,143 | 56.02% | 28,033 | 34.79% | 7,404 | 9.19% |
| 2020 | 51,979 | 54.04% | 41,206 | 42.84% | 3,008 | 3.13% |
| 2024 | 55,567 | 54.85% | 43,825 | 43.26% | 1,907 | 1.88% |
Sarpy County is divided into the following divisions, called precincts, except for the City of Bellevue.
The population ranking of the following table is based on the2020 census of Sarpy County.
†county seat
| Rank | Municipality | Municipal type | Population (2022 Estimate) | Population (2020 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bellevue | City | 63,015 | 64,176 |
| 2 | †Papillion | City | 23,794 | 24,159 |
| 3 | La Vista | City | 16,379 | 16,746 |
| 4 | Chalco | CDP | — | 11,064 |
| 5 | Gretna | City | 9,071 | 5,083 |
| 6 | Offutt AFB | CDP | — | 5,363 |
| 7 | Springfield | City | 1,503 | 1,501 |
| 8 | Melia | CDP | — | 98 |
| 9 | Beacon View | CDP | — | 55 |
| 10 | La Platte | CDP | — | 50 |
| 11 | Linoma Beach | CDP | — | 43 |
| 12 | Richfield | CDP | — | 42 |
41°07′N96°07′W / 41.11°N 96.11°W /41.11; -96.11
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