Kearney County, Nebraska | |
|---|---|
 Kearney County Courthouse in Minden | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofNebraska | |
 Nebraska's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:40°31′N98°57′W / 40.51°N 98.95°W /40.51; -98.95 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Nebraska |
| Founded | 1860 |
| Named after | Fort Kearny |
| Seat | Minden |
| Largest city | Minden |
| Area | |
• Total | 516 sq mi (1,340 km2) |
| • Land | 516 sq mi (1,340 km2) |
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.26 km2) 0.02% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 6,688 |
| • Density | 13.0/sq mi (5.00/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www |
Kearney County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofNebraska. As of the2020 United States census, the population was 6,688.[1] Itscounty seat isMinden.[2] The county was formed in 1860. It was named forFort Kearny, which in turn was named for Brigade GeneralStephen W. Kearny.
Kearney County is part of theKearney Micropolitan Statistical Area.
In theNebraska license plate system, Kearney County is represented by the prefix 52 (it had the 52nd-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).
The terrain of Kearney County consists of gently rolling low hills, mostly devoted to agriculture. ThePlatte River flows eastward along the north county boundary. The county has a total area of 516 square miles (1,340 km2), of which 516 square miles (1,340 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (0.2%) is water.[3]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 474 | — | |
| 1870 | 58 | −87.8% | |
| 1880 | 4,072 | 6,920.7% | |
| 1890 | 9,061 | 122.5% | |
| 1900 | 9,866 | 8.9% | |
| 1910 | 9,106 | −7.7% | |
| 1920 | 8,583 | −5.7% | |
| 1930 | 8,094 | −5.7% | |
| 1940 | 6,854 | −15.3% | |
| 1950 | 6,409 | −6.5% | |
| 1960 | 6,580 | 2.7% | |
| 1970 | 6,707 | 1.9% | |
| 1980 | 7,053 | 5.2% | |
| 1990 | 6,629 | −6.0% | |
| 2000 | 6,882 | 3.8% | |
| 2010 | 6,489 | −5.7% | |
| 2020 | 6,688 | 3.1% | |
| US Decennial Census[10] 1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12] 1990-2000[13] 2010[14] | |||
As of the2000 United States census[15] there were 6,882 people, 2,643 households, and 1,902 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 13 people per square mile (5.0 people/km2). There were 2,846 housing units at an average density of 6 units per square mile (2.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.82%White, 0.16%Black orAfrican American, 0.20%Native American, 0.23%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.99% fromother races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 2.34% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 2,643 households, out of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.90% weremarried couples living together, 6.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.98.
The county population contained 80% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,247, and the median income for a family was $44,877. Males had a median income of $29,987 versus $20,081 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $18,118. About 5.50% of families and 8.50% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 10.00% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over.
Kearney County voters are strongly Republican. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1900 | 1,055 | 47.20% | 1,109 | 49.62% | 71 | 3.18% |
| 1904 | 1,235 | 57.98% | 396 | 18.59% | 499 | 23.43% |
| 1908 | 993 | 42.88% | 1,174 | 50.69% | 149 | 6.43% |
| 1912 | 336 | 16.15% | 1,012 | 48.65% | 732 | 35.19% |
| 1916 | 760 | 34.20% | 1,396 | 62.83% | 66 | 2.97% |
| 1920 | 1,683 | 55.31% | 1,273 | 41.83% | 87 | 2.86% |
| 1924 | 1,453 | 45.04% | 1,243 | 38.53% | 530 | 16.43% |
| 1928 | 2,426 | 68.28% | 1,093 | 30.76% | 34 | 0.96% |
| 1932 | 1,129 | 31.63% | 2,367 | 66.32% | 73 | 2.05% |
| 1936 | 1,214 | 32.71% | 2,445 | 65.89% | 52 | 1.40% |
| 1940 | 1,792 | 53.44% | 1,561 | 46.56% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 1,782 | 58.45% | 1,267 | 41.55% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 1,440 | 50.70% | 1,400 | 49.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 2,422 | 72.26% | 930 | 27.74% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 2,158 | 64.80% | 1,172 | 35.20% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 2,065 | 62.05% | 1,263 | 37.95% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 1,352 | 43.35% | 1,767 | 56.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,806 | 64.00% | 825 | 29.23% | 191 | 6.77% |
| 1972 | 2,203 | 74.38% | 759 | 25.62% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 1,830 | 58.58% | 1,219 | 39.02% | 75 | 2.40% |
| 1980 | 2,512 | 71.16% | 726 | 20.57% | 292 | 8.27% |
| 1984 | 2,508 | 76.89% | 726 | 22.26% | 28 | 0.86% |
| 1988 | 2,121 | 65.99% | 1,056 | 32.86% | 37 | 1.15% |
| 1992 | 1,756 | 53.72% | 645 | 19.73% | 868 | 26.55% |
| 1996 | 1,953 | 64.07% | 782 | 25.66% | 313 | 10.27% |
| 2000 | 2,333 | 74.73% | 680 | 21.78% | 109 | 3.49% |
| 2004 | 2,621 | 77.57% | 707 | 20.92% | 51 | 1.51% |
| 2008 | 2,224 | 70.60% | 876 | 27.81% | 50 | 1.59% |
| 2012 | 2,349 | 73.87% | 773 | 24.31% | 58 | 1.82% |
| 2016 | 2,531 | 76.79% | 550 | 16.69% | 215 | 6.52% |
| 2020 | 2,822 | 78.02% | 701 | 19.38% | 94 | 2.60% |
| 2024 | 2,828 | 78.23% | 736 | 20.36% | 51 | 1.41% |
Places adjacent to Kearney County, Nebraska | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofKearney County, Nebraska,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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