Jefferson County, Nebraska
In the Nebraska license plate system, Jefferson County is represented by the prefix 33 (it had the thirty-third-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).
History
Jefferson County was founded on January 26, 1856, and its governing structure was organized in 1864. It was named for Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States.
In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed south out of Jefferson County.
Geography
Jefferson County lies on the south line of Nebraska. Its south boundary line abuts the north boundary line of the state of Kansas. The terrain of Jefferson County consists of low rolling hills, whose leveled tops are largely used for agriculture. The Little Blue River flows southeastward through the southwestern-middle of the county. The county has a total area of 576 square miles (1,490 km), of which 570 square miles (1,500 km) is land and 5.5 square miles (14 km) (1.0%) is water.
Major highways
Protected areas
- Alexandria State Recreation Area
- Buckley State Recreation Area
- Rock Creek Station State Historical Park
- Rock Glen State Wildlife Management Area
Adjacent counties
- Saline County - north
- Gage County - east
- Washington County, Kansas - south
- Republic County, Kansas - southwest
- Thayer County - west
- Fillmore County - northwest
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 2,440 | — | |
| 1880 | 8,096 | 231.8% | |
| 1890 | 14,850 | 83.4% | |
| 1900 | 15,196 | 2.3% | |
| 1910 | 16,852 | 10.9% | |
| 1920 | 16,140 | −4.2% | |
| 1930 | 16,409 | 1.7% | |
| 1940 | 15,532 | −5.3% | |
| 1950 | 13,623 | −12.3% | |
| 1960 | 11,620 | −14.7% | |
| 1970 | 10,436 | −10.2% | |
| 1980 | 9,817 | −5.9% | |
| 1990 | 8,759 | −10.8% | |
| 2000 | 8,333 | −4.9% | |
| 2010 | 7,547 | −9.4% | |
| 2020 | 7,240 | −4.1% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 7,176 | −0.9% | |
| US Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 | |||
As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 8,333 people, 3,527 households, and 2,352 families in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (5.4 people/km). There were 3,942 housing units at an average density of 7 units per square mile (2.7/km). The racial makeup of the county was 98.42% White, 0.07% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. 1.31% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 3,527 households, out of which 28.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 5.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 29.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.85.
The county population contained 23.30% under the age of 18, 6.10% from 18 to 24, 23.70% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 22.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,629, and the median income for a family was $40,747. Males had a median income of $26,929 versus $18,594 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,380. About 8.00% of families and 8.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.20% of those under age 18 and 8.70% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
City
- Fairbury (county seat)
Villages
Unincorporated communities
Politics
Jefferson County is strongly Republican, having only backed the Democratic Party presidential candidate four times since 1900, all in years which the party won nationally by a landslide.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 2,616 | 70.13% | 1,016 | 27.24% | 98 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | 2,399 | 68.66% | 837 | 23.96% | 258 | 7.38% |
| 2012 | 2,166 | 62.86% | 1,195 | 34.68% | 85 | 2.47% |
| 2008 | 2,103 | 56.88% | 1,520 | 41.11% | 74 | 2.00% |
| 2004 | 2,600 | 64.82% | 1,352 | 33.71% | 59 | 1.47% |
| 2000 | 2,351 | 61.11% | 1,361 | 35.38% | 135 | 3.51% |
| 1996 | 1,979 | 49.17% | 1,520 | 37.76% | 526 | 13.07% |
| 1992 | 1,783 | 39.70% | 1,506 | 33.53% | 1,202 | 26.76% |
| 1988 | 2,471 | 57.16% | 1,819 | 42.08% | 33 | 0.76% |
| 1984 | 3,116 | 68.89% | 1,367 | 30.22% | 40 | 0.88% |
| 1980 | 3,090 | 67.59% | 1,125 | 24.61% | 357 | 7.81% |
| 1976 | 2,628 | 54.88% | 2,068 | 43.18% | 93 | 1.94% |
| 1972 | 3,008 | 67.08% | 1,476 | 32.92% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 2,793 | 60.23% | 1,572 | 33.90% | 272 | 5.87% |
| 1964 | 2,275 | 44.79% | 2,804 | 55.21% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 4,047 | 68.11% | 1,895 | 31.89% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 4,267 | 71.25% | 1,722 | 28.75% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 4,941 | 76.12% | 1,550 | 23.88% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 3,352 | 60.29% | 2,208 | 39.71% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 4,257 | 66.06% | 2,187 | 33.94% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 4,980 | 64.35% | 2,759 | 35.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 3,048 | 39.98% | 4,526 | 59.37% | 50 | 0.66% |
| 1932 | 2,453 | 33.14% | 4,819 | 65.10% | 130 | 1.76% |
| 1928 | 4,359 | 65.96% | 2,193 | 33.18% | 57 | 0.86% |
| 1924 | 2,752 | 48.12% | 1,824 | 31.89% | 1,143 | 19.99% |
| 1920 | 3,488 | 67.94% | 1,408 | 27.43% | 238 | 4.64% |
| 1916 | 1,813 | 46.85% | 1,841 | 47.57% | 216 | 5.58% |
| 1912 | 655 | 18.58% | 1,396 | 39.60% | 1,474 | 41.82% |
| 1908 | 1,941 | 50.49% | 1,787 | 46.49% | 116 | 3.02% |
| 1904 | 2,067 | 66.63% | 659 | 21.24% | 376 | 12.12% |
| 1900 | 1,862 | 53.09% | 1,587 | 45.25% | 58 | 1.65% |