# Kearney County, Nebraska

Kearney County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 6,688. Its county seat is Minden. The county was formed in 1860. It was named for Fort Kearny, which in turn was named for Brigade General Stephen W. Kearny.
Kearney County is part of the Kearney Micropolitan Statistical Area.
In the Nebraska license plate system, Kearney County is represented by the prefix 52 (it had the 52nd-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

## Geography

The terrain of Kearney County consists of gently rolling low hills, mostly devoted to agriculture. The Platte River flows eastward along the north county boundary. The county has a total area of 516 square miles (1,340 km$^2$), of which 516 square miles (1,340 km$^2$) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km$^2$) (0.2%) is water.

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 6
* U.S. Highway 34
* Nebraska Highway 10
* Nebraska Highway 44
* Nebraska Highway 74

### Adjacent counties

* Buffalo County - north
* Adams County - east
* Webster County - southeast
* Franklin County - south
* Harlan County - southwest
* Phelps County - west

### Protected areas

* Clark Federal Waterfowl Production Area
* Fort Kearny State Historical Park
* Fort Kearny State Recreation Area (partial)
* Jensen Lagoon National Wildlife Management Area
* Prairie Dog Federal Waterfowl Production Area
* Youngson Lagoon Natural Wildlife Production Area

## Demographics

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 6,882 people, 2,643 households, and 1,902 families in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile (5.0 people/km$^2$). There were 2,846 housing units at an average density of 6 units per square mile (2.3/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 97.82% White, 0.16% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.99% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 2.34% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 2,643 households, out of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.90% were married couples living together, 6.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.90% 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 2.98.
The county population contained 80% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,247, and the median income for a family was $44,877. Males had a median income of $29,987 versus $20,081 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,118. About 5.50% of families and 8.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.00% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### City

* Minden (county seat)

### Villages

* Axtell
* Heartwell
* Norman
* Wilcox

### Unincorporated communities

* Keene
* Lowell
* Newark

### Ghost town

* Dobytown

### Townships

* Blaine
* Cosmo
* Eaton
* Grant
* Hayes
* Liberty
* Lincoln
* Logan
* Lowell
* May
* Mirage
* Newark
* Oneida
* Sherman

## Notable people

* Carl Curtis, Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate

## Politics

Kearney County voters are strongly Republican. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.
United States presidential election results for Kearney County, Nebraska :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 2,828 | 78.23% | 736 | 20.36% | 51 | 1.41% |
| 2020 | 2,822 | 78.02% | 701 | 19.38% | 94 | 2.60% |
| 2016 | 2,531 | 76.79% | 550 | 16.69% | 215 | 6.52% |
| 2012 | 2,349 | 73.87% | 773 | 24.31% | 58 | 1.82% |
| 2008 | 2,224 | 70.60% | 876 | 27.81% | 50 | 1.59% |
| 2004 | 2,621 | 77.57% | 707 | 20.92% | 51 | 1.51% |
| 2000 | 2,333 | 74.73% | 680 | 21.78% | 109 | 3.49% |
| 1996 | 1,953 | 64.07% | 782 | 25.66% | 313 | 10.27% |
| 1992 | 1,756 | 53.72% | 645 | 19.73% | 868 | 26.55% |
| 1988 | 2,121 | 65.99% | 1,056 | 32.86% | 37 | 1.15% |
| 1984 | 2,508 | 76.89% | 726 | 22.26% | 28 | 0.86% |
| 1980 | 2,512 | 71.16% | 726 | 20.57% | 292 | 8.27% |
| 1976 | 1,830 | 58.58% | 1,219 | 39.02% | 75 | 2.40% |
| 1972 | 2,203 | 74.38% | 759 | 25.62% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,806 | 64.00% | 825 | 29.23% | 191 | 6.77% |
| 1964 | 1,352 | 43.35% | 1,767 | 56.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 2,065 | 62.05% | 1,263 | 37.95% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 2,158 | 64.80% | 1,172 | 35.20% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 2,422 | 72.26% | 930 | 27.74% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 1,440 | 50.70% | 1,400 | 49.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 1,782 | 58.45% | 1,267 | 41.55% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 1,792 | 53.44% | 1,561 | 46.56% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 1,214 | 32.71% | 2,445 | 65.89% | 52 | 1.40% |
| 1932 | 1,129 | 31.63% | 2,367 | 66.32% | 73 | 2.05% |
| 1928 | 2,426 | 68.28% | 1,093 | 30.76% | 34 | 0.96% |
| 1924 | 1,453 | 45.04% | 1,243 | 38.53% | 530 | 16.43% |
| 1920 | 1,683 | 55.31% | 1,273 | 41.83% | 87 | 2.86% |
| 1916 | 760 | 34.20% | 1,396 | 62.83% | 66 | 2.97% |
| 1912 | 336 | 16.15% | 1,012 | 48.65% | 732 | 35.19% |
| 1908 | 993 | 42.88% | 1,174 | 50.69% | 149 | 6.43% |
| 1904 | 1,235 | 57.98% | 396 | 18.59% | 499 | 23.43% |
| 1900 | 1,055 | 47.20% | 1,109 | 49.62% | 71 | 3.18% |