Lancaster County, Nebraska

Lancaster County, Nebraska
Lancaster County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 322,608, making it the second-most populous county in Nebraska. Its county seat is Lincoln, the state capital. The county was created in 1859.
Lancaster County is part of the Lincoln, NE Metropolitan Statistical Area.
In the Nebraska license plate system, Lancaster County was represented by the prefix 2 (it had the second-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922). In 2002, the state discontinued the 1922 system in Lancaster, Douglas and Sarpy counties.
Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.0%) is water.
Major highways
Interstate 80
Interstate 180
U.S. Highway 6
U.S. Highway 34
U.S. Highway 77
Nebraska Highway 2
Nebraska Highway 33
Nebraska Highway 43
Nebraska Highway 79
Transit
Amtrak California Zephyr (Lincoln station)
Burlington Trailways
Express Arrow
StarTran
Climate
In 2004, Lancaster County was named a StormReady county by the National Weather Service.
Adjacent counties
Saunders County – north
Cass County – northeast
Otoe County – southeast
Johnson County – southeast
Gage County – south
Saline County – southwest
Seward County – northwest
Butler County – northwest
Protected areas
Bluestem Lake State Recreation Area
Branched Oak State Recreation Area
Conestoga Lake State Recreation Area
Frank Shoemaker Marsh (part of Lincoln Parks & Recreation System)
Holmes Lake Recreation Area
Olive Creek Lake State Recreation Area
Pawnee State Recreation Area
Pioneers Park Nature Center
Stagecoach Lake State Recreation Area
Wagon Train Lake State Recreation Area
Wildwood Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Yankee Hill State Wildlife Management Area
Demographics
As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 250,291 people, 99,187 households, and 60,702 families in the county. The population density was . There were 104,217 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 90.07% White, 2.82% Black or African American, 0.64% Native American, 2.86% Asian American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.69% from other races, and 1.87% from two or more races. 3.37% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 39.1% were of German, 7.9% English and 7.8% Irish ancestry.
There were 99,187 households, out of which 30.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.80% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.80% were non-families. 29.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.00.
The county population contained 23.50% under the age of 18, 15.40% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 20.30% from 45 to 64, and 10.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,850, and the median income for a family was $53,676. Males had a median income of $34,720 versus $25,614 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,265. About 5.50% of families and 9.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.90% of those under age 18 and 6.10% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
Hickman
Lincoln (county seat)
Waverly
Villages
Bennet
Davey
Denton
Firth
Hallam
Malcolm
Panama
Raymond
Roca
Sprague
Census-designated places
Agnew
Cheney
Emerald
Kramer
Martell
Prairie Home
Princeton
Walton
Yankee Hill
Other unincorporated communities
Arbor
Berks
Holland
Rokeby
Saltillo
Census divisions
Lancaster County is divided into the following census divisions, called precincts, except for the City of Lincoln.
Buda
Centerville
Denton
Elk
Grant
Highland
Lancaster
City of Lincoln
Lincoln
Little Salt
Middle Creek
Mill
Nemaha
North Bluff
Oak
Olive Branch
Panama
Rock Creek
Saltillo
South Pass
Stevens Creek
Stockton
Waverly
West Oak
Yankee Hill
Politics
Lancaster County has historically been somewhat conservative for an urban county. In the last 30 national elections, Lancaster County selected the Republican Party candidate 78% of the time. However, it has become more competitive in recent years, largely due to the influence of Lincoln and the University of Nebraska. Since 1988, the margin in the county has been 10 points or less all but once. In 2008, Barack Obama won a narrow majority in Lancaster County, becoming the first Democrat to carry the county since 1964, and only the second since 1936. The county gave a narrow plurality to Hillary Clinton in 2016.
As of December 2020, Republicans maintain a small edge in party registration in the county.
Representatives
Roma Amundson, District 4 Commissioner, retired U.S. Brigadier General
Education
School districts include:
Crete Public Schools
Freeman Public Schools
Lincoln Public Schools
Malcolm Public Schools
Milford Public Schools
Norris School District 160
Palmyra District OR-1
Raymond Central Public Schools
Waverly School District 145
Wilber-Clatonia Public Schools
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Lancaster County, Nebraska
Notable native
Leon Riley (1906–1970), American minor league baseball player/manager (born in Princeton, Nebraska).
References
External links
Lancaster County, Nebraska
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Lancaster County
Lincoln, Nebraska metropolitan area
1859 establishments in Nebraska Territory
Populated places established in 1859