Buffalo County, Nebraska

Buffalo County is a county in the state of Nebraska in the Midwestern United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 46,102,[1] making it Nebraska's fifth-most populous county. Its county seat is Kearney.[2] The county was created in 1855[3] and was organized in 1870.[4][5] It was named after the once-prevalent buffalo herds.[6]

Buffalo County
U.S. county
Buffalo County Courthouse in Kearney
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°52′N 99°04′W
Country United States
State Nebraska
Founded1855 (authorized)
1870 (organized)
Named forAmerican bison
SeatKearney
Largest cityKearney
Area
 • Total975 sq mi (2,530 km2)
 • Land968 sq mi (2,510 km2)
 • Water7.3 sq mi (19 km2)  0.7%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2018)
49,615
 • Density51.4/sq mi (19.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.buffalogov.org

Buffalo County is part of the Kearney, NE Micropolitan Statistical Area.

In the Nebraska license plate system, Buffalo County is represented by the prefix 9; when the license plate system was established in 1922, the county ranked ninth in number of registered vehicles.

History

The Union Pacific Railroad came to the area in 1866;[7] with additional settlers, the need to establish government was realized. Patrick Walsh, Martin Slattery, and a Sergeant Cody petitioned the governor to organize Buffalo County in 1869.[7] Wood River Centre (Shelton) was selected through election as county seat. Within a year, the seat was moved to Gibbon.[8] In 1874, voters selected Kearney as the seat.[9]

During the late 19th century and early 20th century, the Watson Ranch, existed in the county. The 8,000 acre ranch extended from the Platte River Valley on the south, to Nebraska's rolling hills on the north, to a point five miles west of downtown Kearney.[10][11]

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 975 square miles (2,530 km2), of which 968 square miles (2,510 km2) is land and 7.3 square miles (19 km2) (0.7%) is water.[12]

Major highways

Protected area
  • Fort Kearny State Historical Park

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1860114—
187019369.3%
18807,5313,802.1%
189022,162194.3%
190020,254−8.6%
191021,9078.2%
192023,7878.6%
193024,3382.3%
194023,655−2.8%
195025,1346.3%
196026,2364.4%
197031,22219.0%
198034,79711.5%
199037,4477.6%
200042,25912.9%
201046,1029.1%
Est. 201849,615[13]7.6%
US Decennial Census[14]
1790-1960[15] 1900-1990[16]
1990-2000[17] 2010-2013[1]

As of the 2000 United States Census,[18] there were 42,259 people, 15,930 households, and 10,227 families in the county. The population density was 44 people per square mile (17/km²). There were 16,830 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.18% White, 0.55% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.20% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. 4.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 42.5% were of German, 8.1% Irish, 7.8% English, 6.8% American and 5.3% Swedish ancestry.

There were 15,930 households out of which 32.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.90% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.80% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.02.

The county population contained 25.00% under the age of 18, 17.80% from 18 to 24, 26.60% from 25 to 44, 19.00% from 45 to 64, and 11.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,782, and the median income for a family was $46,247. Males had a median income of $30,182 versus $21,977 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,510. About 6.30% of families and 11.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.50% of those under age 18 and 8.50% of those age 65 or over.

Communities
Map of Buffalo County

Cities

Villages

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Politics

Buffalo County voters have been strongly Republican for decades. Only six Democratic Party presidential candidates have won the county from 1900 to the present day, the most recent of which being Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

Presidential election results
Presidential election results[19]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 69.0% 14,569 22.5% 4,763 8.5% 1,797
2012 69.8% 13,570 27.6% 5,365 2.7% 518
2008 67.9% 13,097 30.4% 5,867 1.7% 329
2004 76.4% 14,222 22.0% 4,100 1.5% 286
2000 72.5% 11,931 23.9% 3,927 3.7% 603
1996 63.1% 10,004 27.0% 4,277 9.9% 1,575
1992 55.1% 9,726 21.2% 3,747 23.7% 4,176
1988 67.3% 9,981 31.7% 4,702 1.0% 145
1984 78.1% 11,365 21.2% 3,086 0.7% 99
1980 68.6% 9,769 22.2% 3,167 9.2% 1,307
1976 63.4% 8,095 33.7% 4,308 2.9% 374
1972 74.2% 8,587 25.8% 2,988
1968 65.3% 6,786 27.7% 2,875 7.1% 733
1964 49.9% 5,425 50.1% 5,436
1960 66.1% 7,595 33.9% 3,891
1956 70.3% 7,342 29.7% 3,100
1952 77.2% 8,467 22.8% 2,501
1948 56.7% 4,862 43.3% 3,716
1944 61.2% 6,073 38.8% 3,852
1940 61.1% 6,387 38.9% 4,060
1936 41.9% 4,595 54.7% 6,002 3.4% 375
1932 38.0% 3,773 59.2% 5,872 2.8% 278
1928 72.2% 7,460 27.1% 2,801 0.7% 68
1924 54.1% 4,746 26.6% 2,337 19.3% 1,688
1920 65.6% 4,954 29.9% 2,258 4.6% 345
1916 41.8% 2,216 54.3% 2,877 4.0% 210
1912 22.9% 1,081 43.7% 2,061 33.3% 1,572
1908 48.6% 2,526 48.5% 2,520 2.9% 151
1904 62.1% 2,554 17.8% 731 20.2% 830
1900 46.5% 1,916 49.8% 2,056 3.7% 153
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See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. (March 10, 2009) Buffalo County says 1855 was the date, Kearney Hub, Retrieved November 10, 2010
  4. Andreas, A. T. (1882). "Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska". The Kansas Collection. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  5. "Buffalo County Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey" (PDF). Nebraska State Historical Society. August 1, 1993. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  6. Fitzpatrick, Lillian L. (1960). Nebraska Place-Names. University of Nebraska Press. p. 24.
  7. Bassett, Samuel Clay (1916). Buffalo County, Nebraska, and its people: a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. 1. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co. pp. 145–161. OCLC 3358457.
  8. Duncan, Douglas. "Shelton - Buffalo County". Virtual Nebraska. Consortium for the Application of Space Data to Education (CASDE). Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  9. Bowman, J. R. (1882). Shearer, Frederick E. (ed.). The Pacific tourist. J.R. Bowman's illustrated transcontinental guide of travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. New York: J.R. Bowman. p. 33. OCLC 752667534. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
  10. Holmgren, Philip S. (October 1979). "THE WATSON RANCH - Part I". Buffalo County Historical Society. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  11. "Watson, H. D., and the Watson Ranch". History Nebraska. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  12. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  13. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  14. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  15. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  16. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  17. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  18. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  19. Election Results


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