# Saline County, Nebraska

Saline County (/sə.ˈliːn/ suh-LEAN) is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 14,292. Its county seat is Wilber.
In the Nebraska license plate system, Saline County is represented by the prefix 22 (it had the twenty-second-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).

## History

Saline County was formed in 1855 and organized in 1867. The first permanent settler arrived in 1858.

## Geography

The terrain of Saline County is composed of low rolling hills, sloping to the east-southeast. Most of the county's area is devoted to agriculture. The Big Blue River flows southward in the eastern part of the county. The middle and southern parts of the county are drained by Swan Creek and Turkey Creek, which combine and discharge into Big Blue River at the county's east boundary line close to its SE corner. The county has an area of 576 square miles (1,490 km$^2$), of which 574 square miles (1,490 km$^2$) is land and 2.3 square miles (6.0 km$^2$) (0.4%) is water.

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 6
* Nebraska Highway 15
* Nebraska Highway 33
* Nebraska Highway 41
* Nebraska Highway 74
* Nebraska Highway 103

### Adjacent counties

* Lancaster County – northeast
* Gage County – southeast
* Jefferson County – south
* Thayer County – southwest
* Fillmore County – west
* York County – northwest
* Seward County – north

### Protected areas

* Willard Meyer Natural Resource District - Swan Lake

## Demographics

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 13,843 people, 5,188 households, and 3,507 families in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile (9.3 people/km$^2$). There were 5,611 housing units at an average density of 10 units per square mile (3.9 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 92.99% White, 0.36% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 1.70% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.40% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. 6.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 5,188 households, out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.50% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 27.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.04.
The county population contained 25.10% under the age of 18, 12.30% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 20.30% from 45 to 64, and 17.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,914, and the median income for a family was $44,199. Males had a median income of $30,467 versus $22,690 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,287. About 6.40% of families and 9.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.90% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Cities

* Crete
* Friend
* Wilber (county seat)

### Villages

* De Witt
* Dorchester
* Swanton
* Tobias
* Western

### Unincorporated communities

* Berks
* Pleasant Hill
* Shestak

## Politics

Saline County was formerly strongly Democratic, voting Republican only four times between 1900 and 1968. From 1972 to 2008, it was considered a swing county in presidential elections, supporting the national winner in every election except 1988 and consistently voting similarly to the national popular vote. However, in 2016, the county swung to the right, and since that election has weighed in as more than 20 percentage points more Republican than the nation.
United States presidential election results for Saline County, Nebraska :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 3,734 | 65.84% | 1,855 | 32.71% | 82 | 1.45% |
| 2020 | 3,631 | 62.82% | 1,986 | 34.36% | 163 | 2.82% |
| 2016 | 3,004 | 58.49% | 1,733 | 33.74% | 399 | 7.77% |
| 2012 | 2,557 | 51.57% | 2,289 | 46.17% | 112 | 2.26% |
| 2008 | 2,434 | 46.35% | 2,674 | 50.92% | 143 | 2.72% |
| 2004 | 3,071 | 55.17% | 2,420 | 43.48% | 75 | 1.35% |
| 2000 | 2,581 | 50.17% | 2,321 | 45.11% | 243 | 4.72% |
| 1996 | 1,945 | 37.58% | 2,523 | 48.75% | 707 | 13.66% |
| 1992 | 1,740 | 30.18% | 2,425 | 42.06% | 1,600 | 27.75% |
| 1988 | 2,355 | 42.75% | 3,125 | 56.73% | 29 | 0.53% |
| 1984 | 2,942 | 54.54% | 2,385 | 44.22% | 67 | 1.24% |
| 1980 | 2,934 | 54.17% | 1,908 | 35.23% | 574 | 10.60% |
| 1976 | 2,330 | 41.15% | 3,205 | 56.61% | 127 | 2.24% |
| 1972 | 2,828 | 51.59% | 2,654 | 48.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 2,341 | 44.73% | 2,543 | 48.59% | 350 | 6.69% |
| 1964 | 1,780 | 30.14% | 4,125 | 69.86% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 2,881 | 44.99% | 3,523 | 55.01% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 3,248 | 48.89% | 3,395 | 51.11% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 4,221 | 60.19% | 2,792 | 39.81% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 2,641 | 42.33% | 3,598 | 57.67% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 3,255 | 45.50% | 3,899 | 54.50% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 3,673 | 46.48% | 4,229 | 53.52% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 2,637 | 32.14% | 5,480 | 66.78% | 89 | 1.08% |
| 1932 | 1,993 | 25.24% | 5,831 | 73.85% | 72 | 0.91% |
| 1928 | 3,347 | 45.67% | 3,955 | 53.97% | 26 | 0.35% |
| 1924 | 2,834 | 43.10% | 3,123 | 47.49% | 619 | 9.41% |
| 1920 | 3,197 | 58.67% | 2,172 | 39.86% | 80 | 1.47% |
| 1916 | 1,469 | 35.10% | 2,646 | 63.23% | 70 | 1.67% |
| 1912 | 1,185 | 29.74% | 1,942 | 48.73% | 858 | 21.53% |
| 1908 | 2,048 | 46.48% | 2,249 | 51.04% | 109 | 2.47% |
| 1904 | 2,390 | 61.38% | 1,108 | 28.45% | 396 | 10.17% |
| 1900 | 2,238 | 51.31% | 2,018 | 46.26% | 106 | 2.43% |

## Education

School districts include:
* Crete Public Schools
* Exeter-Milligan Public Schools
* Dorchester Public Schools
* Friend Public Schools
* Meridian Public Schools
* Milford Public Schools
* Tri County Public Schools
* Wilber-Clatonia Public Schools