Cuming County was formed in 1855 and organized in 1857.[3][4] It was named forThomas B. Cuming, the first secretary (and twice Acting Governor) of the newly created Nebraska Territory (1854–1858).[5]
On August 26, 2019, theDHHS announced thatWest Point's water was unsafe to drink after a year of complaints from citizens of the town. The maximum safe level ofmanganese for infants had been exceeded by over 700 micrograms per mL.[7]
According to theUS Census Bureau, the county has an area of 575 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 571 square miles (1,480 km2) is land and 4.0 square miles (10 km2) (0.7%) is water.[8]
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 9,013. The median age was 41.7 years. 24.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.7 males age 18 and over.[14][15]
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[16]
There were 3,668 households in the county, of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 19.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]
There were 4,123 housing units, of which 11.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.3% were owner-occupied and 28.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.7%.[14]
As of the2000 United States census,[17] there were 10,203 people, 3,945 households, and 2,757 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 18 people per square mile (6.9 people/km2). There were 4,283 housing units at an average density of 8 units per square mile (3.1/km2).
There were 3,945 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.70% weremarried couples living together, 5.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.90% 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 3.08.
The county population contained 27.20% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 20.90% from 45 to 64, and 20.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 102.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,186, and the median income for a family was $38,369. Males had a median income of $26,577 versus $19,246 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,443. About 7.00% of families and 9.00% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 9.80% of those under age 18 and 7.80% of those age 65 or over.
^"Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived fromthe original on May 31, 2011. RetrievedJune 7, 2011.
^Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (1925).Nebraska Place-Names. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Studies in Language, Literature, and Criticism. p. 44. RetrievedDecember 18, 2014.