List of counties in Nebraska

The following is a list of the 93 counties in the U.S. state of Nebraska, listed by name, FIPS code and license plate prefix.

Counties of Nebraska
LocationState of Nebraska
Number93
Populations458 (Arthur) – 537,256 (Douglas)
Areas241 square miles (620 km2) (Sarpy) – 5,961 square miles (15,440 km2) (Cherry)
GovernmentCounty government
Subdivisionscities, towns, townships, unincorporated communities, Indian reservations, census designated place

Nebraska's postal abbreviation is NE and its FIPS state code is 31.

When many counties were formed, the bills establishing them did not state the honoree's full name; thus the namesakes of several counties, including Brown, Deuel, Dixon, and possibly Harlan, are known only by their surnames.

County list
County
 FIPS code[1] County seat[2] Est.[2] Origin EtymologyLicense plate prefix
[3]		 Population[2] Area[2] Map
Adams County 001 Hastings1867Unorganized territoryJohn Adams, second President of the United States14 31,610 563 sq mi
(1,458 km2)
Antelope County 003 Neligh1871Unorganized territoryPronghorn, often called antelope26 6,456 857 sq mi
(2,220 km2)
Arthur County 005 Arthur1913Unorganized territoryChester A. Arthur, twenty-first president of the United States91 458 715 sq mi
(1,852 km2)
Banner County 007 Harrisburg1888Formed from Cheyenne CountyEarly settlers' goal of making it the "banner county" of the state85 759 746 sq mi
(1,932 km2)
Blaine County 009 Brewster1885Unorganized territoryJames G. Blaine, national politician86 482 711 sq mi
(1,841 km2)
Boone County 011 Albion1871Unorganized territoryDaniel Boone, American pioneer and trapper23 5,388 687 sq mi
(1,779 km2)
Box Butte County 013 Alliance1887Formed from Dawes CountyA box-shaped butte north of Alliance65 11,305 1,075 sq mi
(2,784 km2)
Boyd County 015 Butte1891Holt County and unorganized territory (Indian Territory)James E. Boyd, the eighth governor of Nebraska63 2,032 540 sq mi
(1,399 km2)
Brown County 017 Ainsworth1883Unorganized territoryThe Brown family of early settlers75 2,926 1,221 sq mi
(3,162 km2)
Buffalo County 019 Kearney1855Unorganized territoryThe American Bison9 47,893 968 sq mi
(2,507 km2)
Burt County 021 Tekamah1854One of nine original countiesFrancis Burt, the first territorial governor31 6,574 493 sq mi
(1,277 km2)
Butler County 023 David City1856Formed from Greene CountyWilliam O. Butler, U.S. Congressman and military leader25 8,312 584 sq mi
(1,513 km2)
Cass County 025 Plattsmouth1854One of nine original countiesLewis Cass, the territorial administrator20 25,357 559 sq mi
(1,448 km2)
Cedar County 027 Hartington1857Formed from Dixon and Pierce CountiesThe eastern red cedar[4]13 8,711 740 sq mi
(1,917 km2)
Chase County 029 Imperial1873Unorganized territoryChampion S. Chase, Nebraska's first attorney general72 4,000 894 sq mi
(2,315 km2)
Cherry County 031 Valentine1883Unorganized territorySamuel A. Cherry, army lieutenant killed in the Indian Wars66 5,788 5,961 sq mi
(15,439 km2)
Cheyenne County 033 Sidney1867Unorganized territoryNamed for the Cheyenne Indian tribe39 10,091 1,196 sq mi
(3,098 km2)
Clay County 035 Clay Center1855Formed from unorganized territoryHenry Clay, national politician30 6,392 573 sq mi
(1,484 km2)
Colfax County 037 Schuyler1869Formed from Platte CountySchuyler Colfax, Vice President of the United States43 10,425 413 sq mi
(1,070 km2)
Cuming County 039 West Point1855Formed from Burt CountyThomas B. Cuming, first territorial secretary24 8,996 572 sq mi
(1,481 km2)
Custer County 041 Broken Bow1877Unorganized territoryGeorge Armstrong Custer, U.S. Army general4 10,792 2,576 sq mi
(6,672 km2)
Dakota County 043 Dakota City1855Formed from Burt CountyDakota branch of the Sioux Indian tribe70 20,947 264 sq mi
(684 km2)
Dawes County 045 Chadron1885Formed from Sioux CountyJames W. Dawes, the sixth governor of Nebraska69 9,088 1,396 sq mi
(3,616 km2)
Dawson County 047 Lexington1860Unorganized territoryJacob Dawson, first postmaster for Lincoln18 24,207 1,013 sq mi
(2,624 km2)
Deuel County 049 Chappell1888Formed from Cheyenne CountyThe Deuel family of early settlers78 1,937 440 sq mi
(1,140 km2)
Dixon County 051 Ponca1856Formed from Blackbird County, Izard County, and unorganized territoryThe Dixon family of early settlers35 5,851 476 sq mi
(1,233 km2)
Dodge County 053 Fremont1854One of nine original countiesAugustus Caesar Dodge, U.S. Senator who supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act5 36,515 534 sq mi
(1,383 km2)
Douglas County 055 Omaha1854One of nine original countiesStephen Arnold Douglas, national politician1 537,256 331 sq mi
(857 km2)
Dundy County 057 Benkelman1873Unorganized territoryElmer Scipio Dundy, U.S. Circuit Court judge76 1,981 920 sq mi
(2,383 km2)
Fillmore County 059 Geneva1856Formed from Jackson County and unorganized territoryMillard Fillmore, thirteenth president of the United States34 5,698 576 sq mi
(1,492 km2)
Franklin County 061 Franklin1867Formed from Kearney CountyBenjamin Franklin, Founding Father50 3,085 576 sq mi
(1,492 km2)
Frontier County 063 Stockville1872Unorganized territoryIts location60 2,709 975 sq mi
(2,525 km2)
Furnas County 065 Beaver City1873Unorganized territoryRobert Wilkinson Furnas, third governor of Nebraska38 4,865 718 sq mi
(1,860 km2)
Gage County 067 Beatrice1855Unorganized territoryWilliam D. Gage, contemporary chaplain of the state legislature3 21,864 855 sq mi
(2,214 km2)
Garden County 069 Oshkosh1910Formed from Deuel CountyEarly settlers' hopes for it to become the "garden spot of the west"77 1,902 1,705 sq mi
(4,416 km2)
Garfield County 071 Burwell1884Formed from Wheeler CountyJames Abram Garfield, twentieth president of the United States83 2,035 570 sq mi
(1,476 km2)
Gosper County 073 Elwood1873Unorganized territoryJohn J. Gosper, contemporary Nebraska secretary of state73 1,972 458 sq mi
(1,186 km2)
Grant County 075 Hyannis1887Unorganized territoryUlysses S. Grant, eighteenth president of the United States92 633 776 sq mi
(2,010 km2)
Greeley County 077 Greeley1871Unorganized territoryHorace Greeley, journalist62 2,494 570 sq mi
(1,476 km2)
Hall County 079 Grand Island1858Unorganized territoryAugustus Hall, contemporary chief justice of the Territorial Supreme Court8 60,720 546 sq mi
(1,414 km2)
Hamilton County 081 Aurora1867Unorganized territoryAlexander Hamilton, first United States Secretary of the Treasury28 9,112 544 sq mi
(1,409 km2)
Harlan County 083 Alma1871Formed from Kearney CountyDisputed; either James Harlan, national politician, or a local revenue collector51 3,513 553 sq mi
(1,432 km2)
Hayes County 085 Hayes Center1877Unorganized territoryRutherford B. Hayes, nineteenth president of the United States79 976 713 sq mi
(1,847 km2)
Hitchcock County 087 Trenton1873Unorganized territoryPhineas Warren Hitchcock, Nebraska U.S. Senator67 2,872 710 sq mi
(1,839 km2)
Holt County 089 O'Neill1860Unorganized territoryJoseph Holt, U.S. Postmaster General and Secretary of War36 10,449 2,413 sq mi
(6,250 km2)
Hooker County 091 Mullen1889Unorganized territoryJoseph Hooker, U.S. Army general93 738 721 sq mi
(1,867 km2)
Howard County 093 Saint Paul1871Formed from Hall CountyOliver O. Howard, U.S. Army general49 6,355 570 sq mi
(1,476 km2)
Jefferson County 095 Fairbury1856Unorganized territoryThomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States33 7,560 573 sq mi
(1,484 km2)
Johnson County 097 Tecumseh1857Formed from Nemaha and Otoe CountiesRichard Mentor Johnson, ninth vice president of the United States57 5,144 376 sq mi
(974 km2)
Kearney County 099 Minden1860Unorganized territoryFort Kearny, with a misspelling52 6,548 516 sq mi
(1,336 km2)
Keith County 101 Ogallala1873Unorganized territoryM.C. Keith, rancher with wide holdings68 8,130 1,061 sq mi
(2,748 km2)
Keya Paha County 103 Springview1884Formed from Brown County and unorganized Indian territoryDakota words Ké-ya Pa-há Wa-kpá (turtle hill river)82 790 773 sq mi
(2,002 km2)
Kimball County 105 Kimball1888Formed from Cheyenne CountyThomas L. Kimball, Union Pacific Railroad official71 3,702 952 sq mi
(2,466 km2)
Knox County 107 Center1857Formed from Pierce County and unorganized territory (Former names-L'Eau Qui Court (1857-1867) and Emmet (1867-1873))Henry Knox, first U.S. Secretary of War12 8,565 1,108 sq mi
(2,870 km2)
Lancaster County 109 Lincoln1855Formed from Cass and Pierce CountiesLancaster, Pennsylvania and Lancaster, England2 297,036 839 sq mi
(2,173 km2)
Lincoln County 111 North Platte1860Unorganized territoryAbraham Lincoln, sixteenth president of the United States15 36,051 2,564 sq mi
(6,641 km2)
Logan County 113 Stapleton1885Unorganized territoryJohn A. Logan, U.S. Army general87 763 571 sq mi
(1,479 km2)
Loup County 115 Taylor1883Unorganized territoryLoup River88 576 570 sq mi
(1,476 km2)
Madison County 119 Madison1856Formed from Loup County, and McNeale County, and unorganized territoryEither James Madison, fourth president of the United States, or local settlers' native Madison, Wisconsin7 35,278 573 sq mi
(1,484 km2)
McPherson County 117 Tryon1887Unorganized territoryJames B. McPherson, U.S. Army general90 526 859 sq mi
(2,225 km2)
Merrick County 121 Central City1858Formed from Polk County and unorganized territoryElvira Merrick, wife of legislator Henry W. DePuy46 7,802 485 sq mi
(1,256 km2)
Morrill County 123 Bridgeport1908Formed from Cheyenne CountyCharles Henry Morrill, president of the Lincoln Land Company64 4,908 1,424 sq mi
(3,688 km2)
Nance County 125 Fullerton1879Formed from a Pawnee Indian reservationAlbinus Nance, fourth governor of Nebraska58 3,623 441 sq mi
(1,142 km2)
Nemaha County 127 Auburn1854One of nine original countiesNimaha, the Otoe name meaning miry water for a local stream44 7,157 409 sq mi
(1,059 km2)
Nuckolls County 129 Nelson1860Unorganized territoryLafayette Nuckolls, a member of the first Nebraska territorial legislature; and his brother, Stephen Nuckolls, a pioneering Nebraska settler, businessman and banker42 4,413 575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)
Otoe County 131 Nebraska City1854One of nine original countiesOto (also Otoe) Native American tribe11 15,752 616 sq mi
(1,595 km2)
Pawnee County 133 Pawnee City1855Formed from Richardson CountyPawnee Native American tribe54 2,709 432 sq mi
(1,119 km2)
Perkins County 135 Grant1887Formed from Keith CountyCharles E. Perkins, a president of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad74 2,921 883 sq mi
(2,287 km2)
Phelps County 137 Holdrege1873Formed from Kearney CountyWilliam Phelps, an early settler[4]37 9,213 540 sq mi
(1,399 km2)
Pierce County 139 Pierce1856Formed from Izard County, McNeale County, and unorganized territoryFranklin Pierce, the fourteenth president of the United States40 7,510 574 sq mi
(1,487 km2)
Platte County 141 Columbus1856Formed from Greene and Loup CountiesPlatte River which is in turn named for the French word for flat10 32,505 678 sq mi
(1,756 km2)
Polk County 143 Osceola1856Formed from York County and unorganized territoryJames Knox Polk, the eleventh president of the United States41 5,275 439 sq mi
(1,137 km2)
Red Willow County 145 McCook1873Unorganized territoryRed Willow Creek, which runs through the area48 11,006 717 sq mi
(1,857 km2)
Richardson County 147 Falls City1854One of nine original countiesWilliam A. Richardson, a governor of the Nebraska Territory19 8,125 554 sq mi
(1,435 km2)
Rock County 149 Bassett1885Formed from Brown CountyEither Rock Creek, which flows in the county; or the rocky condition of the soil in the area81 1,411 1,008 sq mi
(2,611 km2)
Saline County 151 Wilber1867Unorganized territoryNamed for a belief held by the early pioneers that great salt springs and deposits could be found in the area, a hope found to be false22 14,416 575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)
Sarpy County 153 Papillion1857Formed from Cass and Douglas CountiesPeter A. Sarpy, a commander of a trading post in the future county59 169,331 241 sq mi
(624 km2)
Saunders County 155 Wahoo1856Formed from Douglas and Lancaster CountiesAlvin Saunders, a governor of the Nebraska Territory6 20,929 754 sq mi
(1,953 km2)
Scotts Bluff County 157 Gering1888Formed from Cheyenne CountyNamed for a towering bluff located in the Scotts Bluff National Monument; the bluffs themselves are named for Hiram Scott, a fur trapper who is alleged to have crawled 75 miles with a broken leg before collapsing and dying at the foot of the formation21 36,848 739 sq mi
(1,914 km2)
Seward County 159 Seward1855Formed from Cass and Pierce CountiesWilliam Henry Seward, the United States Secretary of State during the 1860s16 17,089 575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)
Sheridan County 161 Rushville1885Formed from Sioux CountyPhilip Henry Sheridan, a general in the American Civil War61 5,251 2,441 sq mi
(6,322 km2)
Sherman County 163 Loup City1871Formed from Buffalo County and unorganized territoryWilliam Tecumseh Sherman, the American Civil War general56 3,106 566 sq mi
(1,466 km2)
Sioux County 165 Harrison1877Unorganized territorySioux Native American tribe80 1,475 1,313 sq mi
(3,401 km2)
Stanton County 167 Stanton1855Formed from Burt CountyEdwin M. Stanton, the United States Secretary of War during most of the American Civil War53 6,133 430 sq mi
(1,114 km2)
Thayer County 169 Hebron1871Formed from Jefferson CountyJohn Milton Thayer, the seventh governor of Nebraska32 5,189 575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)
Thomas County 171 Thedford1887Unorganized territoryGeorge Henry Thomas, a general in the American Civil War89 699 713 sq mi
(1,847 km2)
Thurston County 173 Pender1889Formed form Blackbird County and an Omaha Indian reservationJohn Mellen Thurston, a U. S. senator from Nebraska55 6,895 394 sq mi
(1,020 km2)
Valley County 175 Ord1871Unorganized territoryNamed for the many valleys in the area47 4,193 568 sq mi
(1,471 km2)
Washington County 177 Blair1854One of nine original countiesGeorge Washington, the first president of the United States29 20,223 390 sq mi
(1,010 km2)
Wayne County 179 Wayne1867Unorganized territoryAnthony Wayne, the American Revolutionary War general nicknamed "Mad Anthony" by his troops27 9,411 444 sq mi
(1,150 km2)
Webster County 181 Red Cloud1867Unorganized territoryDaniel Webster, the statesman and U.S. Senator from Massachusetts45 3,688 575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)
Wheeler County 183 Bartlett1877Unorganized territoryDaniel H. Wheeler, a secretary of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture84 759 575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)
York County 185 York1855Formed from Cass County, Pierce County, and unorganized territoryNamed for either York, England, or York County, Pennsylvania17 13,883 576 sq mi
(1,492 km2)

Former counties
  • Clay (1855-1864) Formed from unorganized territory and dissolved into Gage and Lancaster County.
  • Jackson (1855-1856) Formed from unorganized territory and dissolved to Fillmore County and unorganized territory
  • Johnson (1855-1856) Formed from unorganized territory and dissolved to unorganized territory
  • Blackbird (1855-1888) Formed from Burt County and dissolved to Thurston County
  • Loup (1855-1856) Formed from Burt and Un-Organized and then dissolved Madison, Monroe and Platte Counties
  • Jones (1856-1866) Formed from unorganized territory and dissolved into Jefferson County.
  • Grant, Harrison, Jackson, Lynn, Monroe and Taylor counties listed in 1870 - see map
  • West (1860-1862) Formed from unorganized territory and dissolved into Holt County

References
  1. "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA.gov. Retrieved 2008-05-04.
  2. National Association of Counties. "NACo County Explorer". Retrieved 2015-10-25.
  3. The license plate prefix sequence is derived from the number of vehicles registered in each county in 1922.
  4. Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (1925). "Nebraska Place-Names". University of Nebraska Department of English. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
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