Gage County, Nebraska
County in Nebraska, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gage County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,704,[3] and was estimated to be 21,687 in 2024.[4] The county seat and the largest city is Beatrice.[5]
United States1857 (organized)
Gage County, Nebraska | |
|---|---|
The Gage County Courthouse in Beatrice in 1976 | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska | |
| Coordinates: 40.255234°N 96.683453°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State |  Nebraska |
| Founded | March 16, 1855 (created) 1857 (organized) |
| Named after | William D. Gage |
| Seat | Beatrice |
| Largest city | Beatrice |
| Area | |
• Total | 859.950 sq mi (2,227.26 km2) |
| • Land | 851.468 sq mi (2,205.29 km2) |
| • Water | 8.492 sq mi (21.99 km2) 0.99% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 21,704 |
• Estimate (2024) | 21,687  |
| • Density | 25.490/sq mi (9.8418/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 402 and 531 |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | gagecountyne.gov |
| • Nebraska county number 34[1] • Nebraska license plate prefix 03[2] | |
Gage County comprises the Beatrice, NE Micropolitan statistical area, which is also in the Lincoln-Beatrice, NE Combined Statistical Area.
In the Nebraska license plate system, Gage County was represented by the prefix "3" (as it had the third-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).
History
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 859.950 square miles (2,227.26 km2), of which 851.468 square miles (2,205.29 km2) is land and 8.492 square miles (21.99 km2) (0.99%) is water.[12] It is the 25th-largest county in Nebraska by total area.[13]
Gage County lies on the southern border of Nebraska, with its southern boundary line abutting the northern border of the state of Kansas. The Big Blue River runs south-southeast through the central part of the county.
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Lancaster County – north
- Otoe County – northeast
- Johnson County – northeast
- Pawnee County – east
- Marshall County, Kansas – southeast
- Washington County, Kansas – southwest
- Jefferson County – west
- Saline County – northwest
Protected areas
- Homestead National Monument
- Rockford Lake State Recreation Area[14]
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 421 | — | |
| 1870 | 3,359 | 697.9% | |
| 1880 | 13,164 | 291.9% | |
| 1890 | 36,344 | 176.1% | |
| 1900 | 30,051 | −17.3% | |
| 1910 | 30,325 | 0.9% | |
| 1920 | 29,721 | −2.0% | |
| 1930 | 30,242 | 1.8% | |
| 1940 | 29,588 | −2.2% | |
| 1950 | 28,052 | −5.2% | |
| 1960 | 26,818 | −4.4% | |
| 1970 | 25,731 | −4.1% | |
| 1980 | 24,456 | −5.0% | |
| 1990 | 22,794 | −6.8% | |
| 2000 | 22,993 | 0.9% | |
| 2010 | 22,311 | −3.0% | |
| 2020 | 21,704 | −2.7% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 21,687 | [15] | −0.1% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[16] 1790–1960[17] 1900–1990[18] 1990–2000[19] 2010–2020[4] | |||
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 21,704. The median age was 44.2 years. 22.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.3 males age 18 and over.[20][21]
The racial makeup of the county was 93.5% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.9% from some other race, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.9% of the population.
55.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 44.1% lived in rural areas.[22]
There were 9,284 households in the county, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 10,327 housing units, of which 10.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 70.3% were owner-occupied and 29.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.6%.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 22,993 people, 9,316 households, and 6,204 families in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile (10 people/km2). There were 10,030 housing units at an average density of 12 units per square mile (4.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.69% White, 0.32% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. 0.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 56.6% were of German, 6.9% Irish, 6.3% English and 6.3% American ancestry.
There were 9,316 households, out of which 30.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 7.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.40% were non-families. 29.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.91.
The county population contained 24.00% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 19.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,908, and the median income for a family was $43,072. Males had a median income of $29,680 versus $21,305 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,190. About 6.60% of families and 8.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.70% of those under age 18 and 8.00% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
- Beatrice (county seat)
- Blue Springs
- Wymore
Villages
Census-designated place
Unincorporated communities
Townships
Politics
Prior to 1940, Gage County was a swing county, backing the national winner in every presidential election from 1900 to 1936. Since then, it has become a Republican stronghold, aside from the 1964 election in which Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson won the county in the midst of his national landslide victory.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1900 | 4,141 | 58.65% | 2,701 | 38.25% | 219 | 3.10% |
| 1904 | 4,304 | 69.87% | 1,330 | 21.59% | 526 | 8.54% |
| 1908 | 3,721 | 52.78% | 3,129 | 44.38% | 200 | 2.84% |
| 1912 | 1,336 | 21.05% | 2,593 | 40.85% | 2,419 | 38.11% |
| 1916 | 3,383 | 48.71% | 3,385 | 48.74% | 177 | 2.55% |
| 1920 | 6,059 | 68.96% | 2,477 | 28.19% | 250 | 2.85% |
| 1924 | 5,331 | 50.70% | 3,330 | 31.67% | 1,853 | 17.62% |
| 1928 | 8,378 | 69.83% | 3,526 | 29.39% | 94 | 0.78% |
| 1932 | 4,315 | 37.25% | 7,036 | 60.73% | 234 | 2.02% |
| 1936 | 5,291 | 41.51% | 7,227 | 56.70% | 227 | 1.78% |
| 1940 | 8,156 | 61.55% | 5,096 | 38.45% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 7,352 | 63.43% | 4,238 | 36.57% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 5,311 | 56.29% | 4,124 | 43.71% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 8,917 | 73.87% | 3,154 | 26.13% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 7,514 | 67.64% | 3,595 | 32.36% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 7,754 | 66.76% | 3,861 | 33.24% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 4,035 | 38.63% | 6,411 | 61.37% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 5,465 | 55.73% | 3,704 | 37.77% | 637 | 6.50% |
| 1972 | 6,298 | 63.71% | 3,588 | 36.29% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 5,199 | 52.54% | 4,506 | 45.54% | 190 | 1.92% |
| 1980 | 6,089 | 66.18% | 2,259 | 24.55% | 853 | 9.27% |
| 1984 | 6,116 | 68.78% | 2,709 | 30.47% | 67 | 0.75% |
| 1988 | 5,115 | 55.68% | 4,008 | 43.63% | 63 | 0.69% |
| 1992 | 4,006 | 39.65% | 3,315 | 32.81% | 2,783 | 27.54% |
| 1996 | 4,413 | 44.83% | 4,008 | 40.72% | 1,422 | 14.45% |
| 2000 | 5,538 | 58.26% | 3,516 | 36.99% | 452 | 4.75% |
| 2004 | 6,575 | 63.32% | 3,655 | 35.20% | 154 | 1.48% |
| 2008 | 5,435 | 53.49% | 4,473 | 44.03% | 252 | 2.48% |
| 2012 | 5,513 | 57.06% | 3,903 | 40.40% | 245 | 2.54% |
| 2016 | 6,380 | 63.50% | 2,935 | 29.21% | 733 | 7.29% |
| 2020 | 7,445 | 66.96% | 3,385 | 30.44% | 289 | 2.60% |
| 2024 | 7,523 | 68.61% | 3,242 | 29.57% | 200 | 1.82% |
