Red Willow County, Nebraska | |
|---|---|
 Red Willow County Courthouse in McCook | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofNebraska | |
| Coordinates:40°11′N100°29′W / 40.18°N 100.48°W /40.18; -100.48 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Nebraska |
| Founded | 1873 |
| Named after | Red Willow Creek |
| Seat | McCook |
| Largest city | McCook |
| Area | |
• Total | 718 sq mi (1,860 km2) |
| • Land | 717 sq mi (1,860 km2) |
| • Water | 1.0 sq mi (2.6 km2) 0.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 10,702 |
• Estimate (2021) | 10,623 |
| • Density | 14.9/sq mi (5.76/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www |
Red Willow County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofNebraska. As of the2020 United States census, the population was 10,702.[1] Itscounty seat isMcCook.[2] In theNebraska license plate system, Red Willow County is represented by the prefix 48 (it had the forty-eighth-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).
Red Willow County was formed in 1873. It was named for theRed Willow Creek. The name is reported to be a mistranslation of theDakota Indian nameChanshasha Wakpala, which literally means Red Dogwood Creek. The Dakota referred to the creek thus due to red dogwood shrubs that grew along the creek banks. Its stem and branches are deep red in color, and it is favored in basket making.[3]
Red Willow County lies on the south line of Nebraska. The south boundary line of Red Willow County abuts the north boundary line of the state ofKansas. TheRepublican River runs easterly through the north-central part of the county. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, sloping to the east. The portions of the terrain in thedrainage basins are used for agriculture.[4] The county has a total area of 718 square miles (1,860 km2), of which 717 square miles (1,860 km2) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2) (0.1%) is water.[5]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 3,044 | — | |
| 1890 | 8,837 | 190.3% | |
| 1900 | 9,604 | 8.7% | |
| 1910 | 11,056 | 15.1% | |
| 1920 | 11,434 | 3.4% | |
| 1930 | 13,859 | 21.2% | |
| 1940 | 11,951 | −13.8% | |
| 1950 | 12,977 | 8.6% | |
| 1960 | 12,940 | −0.3% | |
| 1970 | 12,191 | −5.8% | |
| 1980 | 12,615 | 3.5% | |
| 1990 | 11,705 | −7.2% | |
| 2000 | 11,448 | −2.2% | |
| 2010 | 11,055 | −3.4% | |
| 2020 | 10,702 | −3.2% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 10,623 | [7] | −0.7% |
| US Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2013[1] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 10,702. The median age was 41.2 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 102.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.9 males age 18 and over.[12][13]
The racial makeup of the county was 91.0% White, 1.1%Black or African American, 0.5%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Asian, 0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 3.0% from some other race, and 4.1% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.4% of the population.[13]
69.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 30.9% lived in rural areas.[14]
There were 4,532 households in the county, of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[12]
There were 5,157 housing units, of which 12.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.8% were owner-occupied and 28.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.3%.[12]
As of the2000 United States census,[15] there were 11,448 people, 4,710 households, and 3,188 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 16 people per square mile (6.2 people/km2). There were 5,278 housing units at an average density of 7 units per square mile (2.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.55%White, 0.16%Black orAfrican American, 0.38%Native American, 0.17%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.93% fromother races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 2.45% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 4,710 households, out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.50% weremarried couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 28.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.90% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 24.60% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,293, and the median income for a family was $40,279. Males had a median income of $27,768 versus $18,768 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,303. About 7.60% of families and 9.60% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 11.40% of those under age 18 and 7.60% of those age 65 or over.
Red Willow County voters have been reliably Republican for several decades. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024), and only five total from 1900 to the present.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1900 | 1,192 | 55.26% | 905 | 41.96% | 60 | 2.78% |
| 1904 | 1,373 | 66.30% | 306 | 14.78% | 392 | 18.93% |
| 1908 | 1,242 | 46.17% | 1,317 | 48.96% | 131 | 4.87% |
| 1912 | 256 | 11.76% | 923 | 42.40% | 998 | 45.84% |
| 1916 | 977 | 38.03% | 1,418 | 55.20% | 174 | 6.77% |
| 1920 | 1,993 | 58.88% | 1,133 | 33.47% | 259 | 7.65% |
| 1924 | 1,931 | 44.61% | 1,122 | 25.92% | 1,276 | 29.48% |
| 1928 | 3,559 | 66.10% | 1,770 | 32.88% | 55 | 1.02% |
| 1932 | 1,972 | 35.26% | 3,479 | 62.21% | 141 | 2.52% |
| 1936 | 2,078 | 36.51% | 3,445 | 60.52% | 169 | 2.97% |
| 1940 | 3,119 | 55.70% | 2,481 | 44.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 3,107 | 59.31% | 2,132 | 40.69% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 2,610 | 53.84% | 2,238 | 46.16% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 4,433 | 73.10% | 1,631 | 26.90% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 3,806 | 70.08% | 1,625 | 29.92% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 3,890 | 66.93% | 1,922 | 33.07% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 2,740 | 53.14% | 2,416 | 46.86% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 3,066 | 67.02% | 1,145 | 25.03% | 364 | 7.96% |
| 1972 | 3,701 | 79.90% | 931 | 20.10% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 2,978 | 61.91% | 1,722 | 35.80% | 110 | 2.29% |
| 1980 | 4,050 | 76.73% | 899 | 17.03% | 329 | 6.23% |
| 1984 | 4,131 | 79.69% | 1,026 | 19.79% | 27 | 0.52% |
| 1988 | 3,331 | 68.19% | 1,511 | 30.93% | 43 | 0.88% |
| 1992 | 2,500 | 46.80% | 1,166 | 21.83% | 1,676 | 31.37% |
| 1996 | 3,112 | 62.10% | 1,365 | 27.24% | 534 | 10.66% |
| 2000 | 3,680 | 73.23% | 1,188 | 23.64% | 157 | 3.12% |
| 2004 | 4,129 | 78.53% | 1,055 | 20.06% | 74 | 1.41% |
| 2008 | 3,735 | 74.05% | 1,216 | 24.11% | 93 | 1.84% |
| 2012 | 3,891 | 78.83% | 952 | 19.29% | 93 | 1.88% |
| 2016 | 4,258 | 82.28% | 645 | 12.46% | 272 | 5.26% |
| 2020 | 4,525 | 82.72% | 811 | 14.83% | 134 | 2.45% |
| 2024 | 4,457 | 83.48% | 815 | 15.27% | 67 | 1.25% |
Places adjacent to Red Willow County, Nebraska | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
Municipalities and communities ofRed Willow County, Nebraska,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
