Pawnee County, Nebraska | |
|---|---|
 Pawnee County Courthouse in Pawnee City | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofNebraska | |
 Nebraska's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:40°08′N96°14′W / 40.13°N 96.24°W /40.13; -96.24 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Nebraska |
| Founded | 1854 |
| Named after | Pawnee people |
| Seat | Pawnee City |
| Largest city | Pawnee City |
| Area | |
• Total | 433 sq mi (1,120 km2) |
| • Land | 431 sq mi (1,120 km2) |
| • Water | 1.9 sq mi (4.9 km2) 0.4% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 2,544 |
• Estimate (2023)[1] | 2,521 |
| • Density | 5.8/sq mi (2.2/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
Pawnee County is acounty in theU.S. state ofNebraska. As of the2020 United States census, the population was 2,544.[2] Itscounty seat isPawnee City.[3]
In theNebraska license plate system, Pawnee County is represented by the prefix 54 (it had the fifty-fourth-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).
Pawnee County was formed in 1854.[4] It was named for thePawnee Native American tribe.[5]
On May 30, 1879, the "Irving, Kansas Tornado" passed through Pawnee County. Thistornado measured F4 on theFujita scale, and had a damage path 800 yards wide and 100 miles.[6]
Pawnee County lies on the south line of Nebraska. Its south boundary line abuts the north boundary line of the state ofKansas. TheBig Nemaha River flows southeastward through the NE corner of the county, and smaller local drainages flow upward through the county to discharge into the Big Nemaha. The county's terrain consists of rolling hills, with its planar areas largely devoted to agriculture.[7] The county has an area of 433 square miles (1,120 km2), of which 431 square miles (1,120 km2) is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2) (0.4%) is water.[8]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 882 | — | |
| 1870 | 4,171 | 372.9% | |
| 1880 | 6,920 | 65.9% | |
| 1890 | 10,340 | 49.4% | |
| 1900 | 11,770 | 13.8% | |
| 1910 | 10,582 | −10.1% | |
| 1920 | 9,578 | −9.5% | |
| 1930 | 9,423 | −1.6% | |
| 1940 | 8,514 | −9.6% | |
| 1950 | 6,744 | −20.8% | |
| 1960 | 5,356 | −20.6% | |
| 1970 | 4,473 | −16.5% | |
| 1980 | 3,937 | −12.0% | |
| 1990 | 3,317 | −15.7% | |
| 2000 | 3,087 | −6.9% | |
| 2010 | 2,773 | −10.2% | |
| 2020 | 2,544 | −8.3% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 2,521 | −0.9% | |
| US Decennial Census[15] 1790-1960[16] 1900-1990[17] 1990-2000[18] 2010[19] 2020[2] 2024[1] | |||
As of the2000 United States census,[20] there were 3,087 people, 1,339 households, and 850 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 7 people per square mile (2.7 people/km2). There were 1,587 housing units at an average density of 4 units per square mile (1.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.87%White, 0.19%Native American, 0.26%Asian, 0.03% fromother races, and 0.65% from two or more races. 0.68% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 1,339 households, out of which 24.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.80% weremarried couples living together, 5.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.50% were non-families. 32.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.86.
The county population contained 22.70% under the age of 18, 5.10% from 18 to 24, 21.00% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 27.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 92.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,000, and the median income for a family was $36,326. Males had a median income of $24,770 versus $17,976 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,687. About 6.80% of families and 11.00% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 13.60% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.
Pawnee County voters have been Republican-leaning for decades. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected a Democratic Party candidate.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1900 | 1,632 | 56.90% | 1,121 | 39.09% | 115 | 4.01% |
| 1904 | 1,739 | 68.38% | 562 | 22.10% | 242 | 9.52% |
| 1908 | 1,468 | 54.94% | 1,115 | 41.73% | 89 | 3.33% |
| 1912 | 593 | 25.06% | 958 | 40.49% | 815 | 34.45% |
| 1916 | 1,228 | 49.66% | 1,171 | 47.35% | 74 | 2.99% |
| 1920 | 2,510 | 69.88% | 972 | 27.06% | 110 | 3.06% |
| 1924 | 2,147 | 55.85% | 1,365 | 35.51% | 332 | 8.64% |
| 1928 | 2,825 | 64.29% | 1,547 | 35.21% | 22 | 0.50% |
| 1932 | 1,568 | 36.90% | 2,641 | 62.16% | 40 | 0.94% |
| 1936 | 2,074 | 47.09% | 2,297 | 52.16% | 33 | 0.75% |
| 1940 | 2,643 | 62.35% | 1,596 | 37.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 2,254 | 63.87% | 1,275 | 36.13% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 1,725 | 57.58% | 1,271 | 42.42% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 2,432 | 75.02% | 810 | 24.98% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,830 | 64.17% | 1,022 | 35.83% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 1,728 | 63.13% | 1,009 | 36.87% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 1,166 | 51.21% | 1,111 | 48.79% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,209 | 60.30% | 583 | 29.08% | 213 | 10.62% |
| 1972 | 1,299 | 71.26% | 524 | 28.74% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 990 | 52.86% | 845 | 45.11% | 38 | 2.03% |
| 1980 | 1,418 | 71.15% | 431 | 21.63% | 144 | 7.23% |
| 1984 | 1,306 | 69.32% | 552 | 29.30% | 26 | 1.38% |
| 1988 | 975 | 55.46% | 767 | 43.63% | 16 | 0.91% |
| 1992 | 670 | 37.06% | 566 | 31.31% | 572 | 31.64% |
| 1996 | 766 | 48.82% | 580 | 36.97% | 223 | 14.21% |
| 2000 | 937 | 61.69% | 522 | 34.36% | 60 | 3.95% |
| 2004 | 986 | 66.49% | 481 | 32.43% | 16 | 1.08% |
| 2008 | 859 | 62.07% | 483 | 34.90% | 42 | 3.03% |
| 2012 | 899 | 67.04% | 400 | 29.83% | 42 | 3.13% |
| 2016 | 974 | 73.40% | 279 | 21.02% | 74 | 5.58% |
| 2020 | 1,071 | 74.95% | 322 | 22.53% | 36 | 2.52% |
| 2024 | 1,085 | 78.34% | 284 | 20.51% | 16 | 1.16% |
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
Places adjacent to Pawnee County, Nebraska | |
|---|---|
Municipalities and communities ofPawnee County, Nebraska,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| City |  | |
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
