Red Willow County, Nebraska | |
|---|---|
 Red Willow County Courthouse in McCook | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska | |
| Coordinates: 40°11′N 100°29′W / 40.18°N 100.48°W / 40.18; -100.48 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Nebraska |
| Founded | 1873 |
| Named after | Red Willow Creek |
| Seat | McCook |
| Largest city | McCook |
| Area | |
• Total | 718 sq mi (1,860 km2) |
| • Land | 717 sq mi (1,860 km2) |
| • Water | 1.0 sq mi (2.6 km2) 0.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 10,702 |
• Estimate (2021) | 10,623  |
| • Density | 14.9/sq mi (5.76/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www.co.red-willow.ne.us |
Red Willow County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 10,702.[1] Its county seat is McCook.[2] In the Nebraska license plate system, Red Willow County is represented by the prefix 48 (it had the forty-eighth-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).
History
Red Willow County was formed in 1873. It was named for the Red Willow Creek. The name is reported to be a mistranslation of the Dakota Indian name Chanshasha Wakpala, which literally means Red Dogwood Creek. The Dakota referred to the creek thus due to red dogwood shrubs that grew along the creek banks. Its stem and branches are deep red in color, and it is favored in basket making.[3]
Geography
Red Willow County lies on the south line of Nebraska. The south boundary line of Red Willow County abuts the north boundary line of the state of Kansas. The Republican River runs easterly through the north-central part of the county. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, sloping to the east. The portions of the terrain in the drainage basins are used for agriculture.[4] The county has a total area of 718 square miles (1,860 km2), of which 717 square miles (1,860 km2) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2) (0.1%) is water.[5]
Major highways
Transit
Adjacent counties
- Furnas County – east
- Decatur County, Kansas – south
- Rawlins County, Kansas – southwest
- Hitchcock County – west
- Frontier County – north
Protected areas
- Red Willow Reservoir State Wildlife Management Area (part)[6]
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 3,044 | — | |
| 1890 | 8,837 | 190.3% | |
| 1900 | 9,604 | 8.7% | |
| 1910 | 11,056 | 15.1% | |
| 1920 | 11,434 | 3.4% | |
| 1930 | 13,859 | 21.2% | |
| 1940 | 11,951 | −13.8% | |
| 1950 | 12,977 | 8.6% | |
| 1960 | 12,940 | −0.3% | |
| 1970 | 12,191 | −5.8% | |
| 1980 | 12,615 | 3.5% | |
| 1990 | 11,705 | −7.2% | |
| 2000 | 11,448 | −2.2% | |
| 2010 | 11,055 | −3.4% | |
| 2020 | 10,702 | −3.2% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 10,623 | [7] | −0.7% |
| US Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2013[1] | |||
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 10,702. The median age was 41.2 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 102.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.9 males age 18 and over.[12][13]
The racial makeup of the county was 91.0% White, 1.1% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.0% from some other race, and 4.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.4% of the population.[13]
69.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 30.9% lived in rural areas.[14]
There were 4,532 households in the county, of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[12]
There were 5,157 housing units, of which 12.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.8% were owner-occupied and 28.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.3%.[12]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census,[15] there were 11,448 people, 4,710 households, and 3,188 families in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile (6.2 people/km2). There were 5,278 housing units at an average density of 7 units per square mile (2.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.55% White, 0.16% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.93% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 2.45% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,710 households, out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.50% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 28.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.90% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 24.60% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,293, and the median income for a family was $40,279. Males had a median income of $27,768 versus $18,768 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,303. About 7.60% of families and 9.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.40% of those under age 18 and 7.60% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
Villages
Unincorporated communities
Politics
Red Willow County voters have been reliably Republican for several decades. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024), and only five total from 1900 to the present.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| № | % | № | % | № | % | |
| 1900 | 1,192 | 55.26% | 905 | 41.96% | 60 | 2.78% |
| 1904 | 1,373 | 66.30% | 306 | 14.78% | 392 | 18.93% |
| 1908 | 1,242 | 46.17% | 1,317 | 48.96% | 131 | 4.87% |
| 1912 | 256 | 11.76% | 923 | 42.40% | 998 | 45.84% |
| 1916 | 977 | 38.03% | 1,418 | 55.20% | 174 | 6.77% |
| 1920 | 1,993 | 58.88% | 1,133 | 33.47% | 259 | 7.65% |
| 1924 | 1,931 | 44.61% | 1,122 | 25.92% | 1,276 | 29.48% |
| 1928 | 3,559 | 66.10% | 1,770 | 32.88% | 55 | 1.02% |
| 1932 | 1,972 | 35.26% | 3,479 | 62.21% | 141 | 2.52% |
| 1936 | 2,078 | 36.51% | 3,445 | 60.52% | 169 | 2.97% |
| 1940 | 3,119 | 55.70% | 2,481 | 44.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 3,107 | 59.31% | 2,132 | 40.69% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 2,610 | 53.84% | 2,238 | 46.16% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 4,433 | 73.10% | 1,631 | 26.90% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 3,806 | 70.08% | 1,625 | 29.92% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 3,890 | 66.93% | 1,922 | 33.07% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 2,740 | 53.14% | 2,416 | 46.86% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 3,066 | 67.02% | 1,145 | 25.03% | 364 | 7.96% |
| 1972 | 3,701 | 79.90% | 931 | 20.10% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 2,978 | 61.91% | 1,722 | 35.80% | 110 | 2.29% |
| 1980 | 4,050 | 76.73% | 899 | 17.03% | 329 | 6.23% |
| 1984 | 4,131 | 79.69% | 1,026 | 19.79% | 27 | 0.52% |
| 1988 | 3,331 | 68.19% | 1,511 | 30.93% | 43 | 0.88% |
| 1992 | 2,500 | 46.80% | 1,166 | 21.83% | 1,676 | 31.37% |
| 1996 | 3,112 | 62.10% | 1,365 | 27.24% | 534 | 10.66% |
| 2000 | 3,680 | 73.23% | 1,188 | 23.64% | 157 | 3.12% |
| 2004 | 4,129 | 78.53% | 1,055 | 20.06% | 74 | 1.41% |
| 2008 | 3,735 | 74.05% | 1,216 | 24.11% | 93 | 1.84% |
| 2012 | 3,891 | 78.83% | 952 | 19.29% | 93 | 1.88% |
| 2016 | 4,258 | 82.28% | 645 | 12.46% | 272 | 5.26% |
| 2020 | 4,525 | 82.72% | 811 | 14.83% | 134 | 2.45% |
| 2024 | 4,457 | 83.48% | 815 | 15.27% | 67 | 1.25% |
See also
References
- ^ a b "US Census Bureau". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 1, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "History" Archived July 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Nebraska Association of County Officials, Retrieved on March 14, 2008.
- ^ Red Willow County NE Google Maps (accessed 27 January 2019)
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
- ^ Red Willow Reservoir State Wildlife Management Area, McCook NE Google Maps (accessed 27 January 2019)
- ^ "County Population Totals: 2020-2021". Census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
- ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ Election Results
- ^ The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 782 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 190 votes and Prohibition Eugene Chafin received 26 votes.
External links
Official website
40°11′N 100°29′W / 40.18°N 100.48°W / 40.18; -100.48
