Harlan County | |
|---|---|
_5.jpg) Harlan County Courthouse in Alma | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofNebraska | |
 Nebraska's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:40°10′N99°24′W / 40.17°N 99.4°W /40.17; -99.4 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Nebraska |
| Founded | 1871 |
| Seat | Alma |
| Largest city | Alma |
| Area | |
• Total | 574 sq mi (1,490 km2) |
| • Land | 553 sq mi (1,430 km2) |
| • Water | 21 sq mi (50 km2) 3.6% |
| Population | |
• Estimate (2021) | 3,073 |
| • Density | 6.2/sq mi (2.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www |
Harlan County is acounty in theU.S. state ofNebraska. As of the2020 United States census, the population was 3,073.[1] Itscounty seat isAlma.[2] The county is home to theHarlan County Reservoir.
In theNebraska license plate system, Harlan County is represented by the prefix 51 (it had the 51st-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).
Prior to 1870, the portion of the Republican valley that now includes Harlan County was a prized hunting ground for indigenous peoples, and their efforts to keep intruders away deterred white settlement in the area. The defeat of the Sioux at theBattle of Summit Springs in 1869 largely eliminated this threat, and several parties were organized to explore the agricultural possibilities of the area.[3]
A party of forty men from eastern Nebraska settled near the site of present-dayOrleans in August 1870. In 1871, a party from theWyoming Territory, led by Thomas Harlan, settled near present-day Alma,[4] which was named after a settler's daughter.[5] In that year, Harlan County was separated fromLincoln County by the Nebraska state legislature. Accounts differ as to the county's namesake: either Thomas Harlan,[6] orJames Harlan, who wasU.S. Secretary of the Interior between 1865 and 1866.[5][7]
TheRepublican River flows southeastward across the lower part of Harlan County, being impounded by the Harlan County Lake at the SE corner of the county. The terrain consists of gently rolling low hills, with the majority of flat areas being used forcenter pivot irrigation.[8]
The county has a total area of 574 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 553 square miles (1,430 km2) is land and 21 square miles (54 km2) (3.6%) is water.[9]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 6,086 | — | |
| 1890 | 8,158 | 34.0% | |
| 1900 | 9,370 | 14.9% | |
| 1910 | 9,578 | 2.2% | |
| 1920 | 9,220 | −3.7% | |
| 1930 | 8,951 | −2.9% | |
| 1940 | 7,130 | −20.3% | |
| 1950 | 7,189 | 0.8% | |
| 1960 | 5,081 | −29.3% | |
| 1970 | 4,357 | −14.2% | |
| 1980 | 4,292 | −1.5% | |
| 1990 | 3,810 | −11.2% | |
| 2000 | 3,786 | −0.6% | |
| 2010 | 3,423 | −9.6% | |
| 2020 | 3,073 | −10.2% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 3,091 | [1] | 0.6% |
| US Decennial Census[12] 1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14] 1990-2000[15] 2010-2013[16] | |||
As of the2000 United States Census,[17] there were 3,786 people, 1,597 households, and 1,049 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 7 people per square mile (2.7 people/km2). There were 2,327 housing units at an average density of 4 units per square mile (1.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.86%White, 0.13%Black orAfrican American, 0.11%Native American, 0.08%Asian, 0.03%Pacific Islander, 0.16% fromother races, and 0.63% from two or more races. 0.77% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 1,597 households, out of which 25.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.00% weremarried couples living together, 4.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.30% were non-families. 30.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.93.
The county population contained 24.20% under the age of 18, 5.00% from 18 to 24, 21.60% from 25 to 44, 26.20% from 45 to 64, and 23.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,679, and the median income for a family was $36,875. Males had a median income of $27,580 versus $18,411 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $15,618. About 7.00% of families and 10.10% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 14.40% of those under age 18 and 9.10% of those age 65 or over.
Harlan County voters are reliably Republican. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 1,506 | 83.43% | 280 | 15.51% | 19 | 1.05% |
| 2020 | 1,615 | 83.51% | 282 | 14.58% | 37 | 1.91% |
| 2016 | 1,496 | 81.66% | 254 | 13.86% | 82 | 4.48% |
| 2012 | 1,395 | 78.46% | 354 | 19.91% | 29 | 1.63% |
| 2008 | 1,329 | 75.25% | 402 | 22.76% | 35 | 1.98% |
| 2004 | 1,467 | 77.33% | 398 | 20.98% | 32 | 1.69% |
| 2000 | 1,358 | 73.33% | 438 | 23.65% | 56 | 3.02% |
| 1996 | 1,120 | 60.28% | 520 | 27.99% | 218 | 11.73% |
| 1992 | 992 | 46.88% | 488 | 23.06% | 636 | 30.06% |
| 1988 | 1,403 | 65.13% | 725 | 33.66% | 26 | 1.21% |
| 1984 | 1,692 | 76.80% | 493 | 22.38% | 18 | 0.82% |
| 1980 | 1,690 | 72.94% | 486 | 20.98% | 141 | 6.09% |
| 1976 | 1,325 | 58.76% | 879 | 38.98% | 51 | 2.26% |
| 1972 | 1,549 | 74.19% | 539 | 25.81% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,392 | 64.03% | 579 | 26.63% | 203 | 9.34% |
| 1964 | 1,283 | 51.78% | 1,195 | 48.22% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 1,766 | 66.42% | 893 | 33.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,850 | 68.57% | 848 | 31.43% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 2,300 | 75.91% | 730 | 24.09% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 1,490 | 54.98% | 1,220 | 45.02% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 1,991 | 66.43% | 1,006 | 33.57% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 2,182 | 61.73% | 1,353 | 38.27% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 1,692 | 44.36% | 2,084 | 54.64% | 38 | 1.00% |
| 1932 | 1,272 | 32.79% | 2,486 | 64.09% | 121 | 3.12% |
| 1928 | 2,702 | 69.98% | 1,055 | 27.32% | 104 | 2.69% |
| 1924 | 1,845 | 50.01% | 1,216 | 32.96% | 628 | 17.02% |
| 1920 | 1,756 | 59.59% | 974 | 33.05% | 217 | 7.36% |
| 1916 | 834 | 37.48% | 1,267 | 56.94% | 124 | 5.57% |
| 1912 | 325 | 15.78% | 918 | 44.58% | 816 | 39.63% |
| 1908 | 1,081 | 44.99% | 1,158 | 48.19% | 164 | 6.82% |
| 1904 | 1,178 | 57.77% | 299 | 14.66% | 562 | 27.56% |
| 1900 | 880 | 44.74% | 977 | 49.67% | 110 | 5.59% |
Places adjacent to Harlan County, Nebraska | |
|---|---|
Municipalities and communities ofHarlan County, Nebraska,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| City |  | |
| Villages | ||
| Townships | ||
| Unincorporated community | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
40°10′N99°24′W / 40.17°N 99.40°W /40.17; -99.40
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
