Platte County | |
|---|---|
| County of Platte | |
_2.jpg) | |
 Interactive map of Platte County | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Nebraska |
| Established | January 26, 1856 |
| Named after | Platte River |
| County seat | Columbus |
| Largest city | Columbus |
| Area | |
• Total | 685 sq mi (1,770 km2) |
| • Land | 674 sq mi (1,750 km2) |
| • Water | 11 sq mi (28 km2) 1.5% |
| Highest elevation | 1,657 ft (505 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 1,112 ft (339 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 34,296 |
| • Density | 50.9/sq mi (19.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 402/531 |
| FIPS code | 31141 |
| GNIS feature ID | 835892 |
| Website | www.plattecounty.net |
Platte County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofNebraska. As of the2020 United States census, the population was 34,296.[1] Itscounty seat isColumbus.[2] The county was created in 1855.[3][4]
Platte County comprises the Columbus, NEMicropolitan Statistical Area.
In theNebraska license plate system, Platte County is represented by the prefix 10 (it had the 10th-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).
Platte County was officially established in 1856 and theboard of commissioners had its first meeting the following year.[5]
Platte County had its first presumptive case ofCOVID-19 in late March 2020.[6] As of Oct. 3, 2021, one in seven residents of the county have tested positive for COVID-19[7] and 40% of all residents arevaccinated.[8]
ThePlatte River flows eastward along the south line of Platte County. The Loup River also flows eastward and east-southeastward through the lower section of the county, discharging into the Platte River nearColumbus. The Platte County terrain consists of low rolling hills, largely devoted to agriculture, sloping to the east-southeast.[9]
The county has an area of 685 square miles (1,770 km2), of which 674 square miles (1,750 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (1.5%) is water.[10]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 782 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,899 | 142.8% | |
| 1880 | 9,511 | 400.8% | |
| 1890 | 15,437 | 62.3% | |
| 1900 | 17,747 | 15.0% | |
| 1910 | 19,006 | 7.1% | |
| 1920 | 19,464 | 2.4% | |
| 1930 | 21,181 | 8.8% | |
| 1940 | 20,191 | −4.7% | |
| 1950 | 19,910 | −1.4% | |
| 1960 | 23,992 | 20.5% | |
| 1970 | 26,508 | 10.5% | |
| 1980 | 28,852 | 8.8% | |
| 1990 | 29,820 | 3.4% | |
| 2000 | 31,662 | 6.2% | |
| 2010 | 32,236 | 1.8% | |
| 2020 | 34,296 | 6.4% | |
| US Decennial Census[12] 1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14] 1990-2000[15] 2010[16] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 34,296. The median age was 38.3 years. 26.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.5 males age 18 and over.[17][18]
The racial makeup of the county was 78.5% White, 1.1%Black or African American, 0.9%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Asian, 0.0%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 10.7% from some other race, and 8.1% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 21.1% of the population.[18]
72.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 27.6% lived in rural areas.[19]
There were 13,313 households in the county, of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 22.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[17]
There were 14,094 housing units, of which 5.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.0% were owner-occupied and 28.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%.[17]
As of the2000 United States census,[20] there were 31,662 people, 12,076 households, and 8,465 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 47 people per square mile (18 people/km2). There were 12,916 housing units at an average density of 19 units per square mile (7.3 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.29%White, 0.35%Black orAfrican American, 0.28%Native American, 0.40%Asian, 0.03%Pacific Islander, 3.49% fromother races, and 1.15% from two or more races. 6.54% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 12,076 households, out of which 36.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% weremarried couples living together, 7.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 25.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.14.
The county population contained 29.00% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,359, and the median income for a family was $47,776. Males had a median income of $30,672 versus $21,842 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $18,064. About 5.40% of families and 7.70% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 9.00% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over.
Platte County voters have been reliably Republican for decades. In only one election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1900 | 1,608 | 42.56% | 2,117 | 56.03% | 53 | 1.40% |
| 1904 | 1,947 | 52.64% | 1,511 | 40.85% | 241 | 6.52% |
| 1908 | 1,584 | 38.21% | 2,487 | 59.99% | 75 | 1.81% |
| 1912 | 589 | 15.18% | 2,015 | 51.93% | 1,276 | 32.89% |
| 1916 | 1,918 | 43.54% | 2,412 | 54.76% | 75 | 1.70% |
| 1920 | 4,058 | 73.88% | 1,367 | 24.89% | 68 | 1.24% |
| 1924 | 2,108 | 30.70% | 2,173 | 31.64% | 2,586 | 37.66% |
| 1928 | 3,435 | 41.84% | 4,748 | 57.83% | 27 | 0.33% |
| 1932 | 1,864 | 21.61% | 6,691 | 77.56% | 72 | 0.83% |
| 1936 | 2,850 | 29.96% | 6,249 | 65.70% | 413 | 4.34% |
| 1940 | 4,929 | 56.07% | 3,862 | 43.93% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 4,509 | 56.67% | 3,448 | 43.33% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 3,812 | 53.47% | 3,317 | 46.53% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 6,695 | 71.68% | 2,645 | 28.32% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 6,574 | 69.23% | 2,922 | 30.77% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 6,129 | 58.28% | 4,387 | 41.72% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 4,705 | 47.69% | 5,160 | 52.31% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 5,817 | 60.69% | 2,999 | 31.29% | 768 | 8.01% |
| 1972 | 7,871 | 73.38% | 2,855 | 26.62% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 7,217 | 64.56% | 3,693 | 33.04% | 269 | 2.41% |
| 1980 | 8,803 | 73.51% | 2,389 | 19.95% | 783 | 6.54% |
| 1984 | 10,069 | 82.38% | 2,061 | 16.86% | 92 | 0.75% |
| 1988 | 9,040 | 72.93% | 3,285 | 26.50% | 71 | 0.57% |
| 1992 | 7,736 | 55.75% | 2,424 | 17.47% | 3,717 | 26.79% |
| 1996 | 7,948 | 64.11% | 3,010 | 24.28% | 1,440 | 11.61% |
| 2000 | 9,861 | 76.69% | 2,612 | 20.31% | 386 | 3.00% |
| 2004 | 11,130 | 79.57% | 2,657 | 19.00% | 200 | 1.43% |
| 2008 | 9,373 | 69.84% | 3,796 | 28.29% | 251 | 1.87% |
| 2012 | 10,061 | 74.68% | 3,148 | 23.37% | 264 | 1.96% |
| 2016 | 10,965 | 75.97% | 2,646 | 18.33% | 822 | 5.70% |
| 2020 | 12,186 | 77.51% | 3,260 | 20.74% | 275 | 1.75% |
| 2024 | 12,326 | 78.33% | 3,191 | 20.28% | 219 | 1.39% |
41°34′N97°32′W / 41.57°N 97.53°W /41.57; -97.53
Places adjacent to Platte County, Nebraska | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
Municipalities and communities ofPlatte County, Nebraska,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Villages | ||
| Townships | ||
| CDP | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
