Cedar County, Nebraska

Cedar County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 8,380.^[1] The county seat is Hartington.^[2] The county was formed in 1857, and was named for the Cedar tree groves in the area.^[3][4][5] In the Nebraska license plate system, Cedar County is represented by the prefix 13 (it had the 13th-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Cedar County
County
Cedar County Courthouse in Hartington
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°36′N 97°15′W
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1857
Seat	Hartington
Largest city	Hartington
Area
• Total	746 sq mi (1,930 km2)
• Land	740 sq mi (1,900 km2)
• Water	5.5 sq mi (14 km2)  0.7%
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,380
• Estimate  (2023)	8,371
• Density	11/sq mi (4.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.co.cedar.ne.us

Geography

Gavins Point Dam, impounding Lewis and Clark Lake on the Missouri River in the northwestern part of Cedar County

Cedar County is on the northern edge of Nebraska. Its north boundary abuts the south boundary line of the state of South Dakota, across the Missouri River. According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 746 square miles (1,930 km²), of which 740 square miles (1,900 km²) is land and 5.5 square miles (14 km²) (0.7%) is water.^[6]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 20
• U.S. Highway 81
• Nebraska Highway 12
• Nebraska Highway 15
• Nebraska Highway 57
• Nebraska Highway 59
• Nebraska Highway 84
• Nebraska Highway 121

Adjacent counties

• Clay County, South Dakota - northeast
• Dixon County - east
• Wayne County - southeast
• Pierce County - southwest
• Knox County - west
• Yankton County, South Dakota - northwest

Protected areas

• Audubon Bend Wildlife Area^[7]
• Calumet Bluff
• Chalkrock State Wildlife Management Area^[8]
• Cottonwood Recreation Area
• Missouri National Recreational River (part)
  • Bow Creek Recreation Area^[9]
  • Meridian Bridge
• Nebraska Tailwaters Recreation Area
• Tatanka State Wildlife Management Area (part)^[10]
• Training Dike Recreation Area
• Wiseman State Wildlife Management Area^[11]

Lakes

• Chalkrock Lake
• Lewis and Clark Lake (part)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	246		—
1870	1,032		319.5%
1880	2,899		180.9%
1890	7,028		142.4%
1900	12,467		77.4%
1910	15,191		21.8%
1920	16,225		6.8%
1930	16,427		1.2%
1940	15,126		−7.9%
1950	13,843		−8.5%
1960	13,368		−3.4%
1970	12,192		−8.8%
1980	11,375		−6.7%
1990	10,131		−10.9%
2000	9,615		−5.1%
2010	8,852		−7.9%
2020	8,380		−5.3%
2022 (est.)	8,371		−0.1%
US Decennial Census[12] 1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14] 1990-2000[15] 2010[16] 2020[17]

As of the 2000 United States Census^[18] there were 9,615 people, 3,623 households, and 2,565 families in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile (5.0 people/km²). There were 4,200 housing units at an average density of 6 units per square mile (2.3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 99.07% White, 0.10% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.04% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 0.40% from two or more races. 0.43% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 69.8% were of German and 5.1% American ancestry.

There were 3,623 households, out of which 34.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.60% were married couples living together, 4.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.20.

The county population contained 29.40% under the age of 18, 6.00% from 18 to 24, 24.20% from 25 to 44, 20.30% from 45 to 64, and 20.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 100.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,435, and the median income for a family was $39,422. Males had a median income of $26,707 versus $18,370 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,514. About 6.30% of families and 9.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.70% of those under age 18 and 9.70% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Hartington (county seat)
• Laurel
• Randolph

Villages

• Belden
• Coleridge
• Fordyce
• Magnet
• Obert
• St. Helena
• Wynot

Census-designated places

• Aten
• Bow Valley

Unincorporated communities

• Constance
• Menominee
• St. James
• South Yankton

Politics

Cedar County voters are strongly Republican. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).

United States presidential election results for Cedar County, Nebraska^[19]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	4,141	83.86%	702	14.22%	95	1.92%
2020	4,174	83.23%	725	14.46%	116	2.31%
2016	3,532	79.91%	571	12.92%	317	7.17%
2012	3,278	75.63%	958	22.10%	98	2.26%
2008	2,912	69.77%	1,190	28.51%	72	1.72%
2004	3,387	74.67%	1,083	23.88%	66	1.46%
2000	2,989	70.02%	1,062	24.88%	218	5.11%
1996	2,171	52.20%	1,218	29.29%	770	18.51%
1992	1,981	43.85%	1,007	22.29%	1,530	33.86%
1988	2,462	58.09%	1,759	41.51%	17	0.40%
1984	3,298	72.71%	1,201	26.48%	37	0.82%
1980	3,259	67.09%	1,265	26.04%	334	6.88%
1976	2,415	50.74%	2,225	46.74%	120	2.52%
1972	2,995	62.37%	1,807	37.63%	0	0.00%
1968	2,853	61.53%	1,444	31.14%	340	7.33%
1964	2,299	42.55%	3,104	57.45%	0	0.00%
1960	3,060	51.01%	2,939	48.99%	0	0.00%
1956	3,809	64.70%	2,078	35.30%	0	0.00%
1952	4,753	77.03%	1,417	22.97%	0	0.00%
1948	2,616	50.37%	2,578	49.63%	0	0.00%
1944	3,616	66.29%	1,839	33.71%	0	0.00%
1940	4,397	62.67%	2,619	37.33%	0	0.00%
1936	2,394	35.24%	3,781	55.66%	618	9.10%
1932	1,696	25.19%	4,981	73.99%	55	0.82%
1928	3,206	49.57%	3,241	50.12%	20	0.31%
1924	2,441	39.92%	1,747	28.57%	1,927	31.51%
1920	3,906	74.50%	1,279	24.39%	58	1.11%
1916	1,727	49.47%	1,715	49.13%	49	1.40%
1912	716	21.74%	1,511	45.87%	1,067	32.39%
1908	1,627	47.81%	1,732	50.90%	44	1.29%
1904	1,797	59.37%	1,023	33.80%	207	6.84%
1900	1,441	47.35%	1,565	51.43%	37	1.22%

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Cedar County, Nebraska

External links

• Cedar County, Nebraska - Official Site