Box Butte County, Nebraska

Box Butte County
County
Box Butte County Courthouse in Alliance
Box Butte County Courthouse in Alliance
Map of Nebraska highlighting Box Butte County
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Map of the United States highlighting Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°13′N 103°05′W / 42.21°N 103.08°W / 42.21; -103.08
Country United States
State Nebraska
Founded1886
SeatAlliance
Largest cityAlliance
Area
 • Total
1,078 sq mi (2,790 km2)
 • Land1,075 sq mi (2,780 km2)
 • Water2.5 sq mi (6 km2)  0.2%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2021)
10,604
 • Density10.1/sq mi (3.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websiteboxbuttecounty.us
Box Butte County

Box Butte County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 10,842.[1] Its county seat is Alliance.[2] The county was formed in 1886; it took its name from a large box-shaped butte north of Alliance.

In the Nebraska license plate system, Box Butte County is represented by the prefix 65 (it had the sixty–fifth largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

History

Box Butte County was formed as part of a series of partitionings of the Nebraska Panhandle. In 1883, the Nebraska legislature divided the Panhandle into two counties, Sioux and Cheyenne. In 1885 the original Sioux County was divided into three counties: Sioux, Dawes, and Sheridan. Because of the distance to the county seat of Chadron, residents of southern Dawes County asked that it be split off; in 1886, the legislature created Box Butte County. The new county was named after a butte in the northern part of the county; before the county's formation, its name had been used in advertisements by railroad companies seeking to entice settlers to the area.[3][4]

In the Nebraska license plate system, Box Butte County is represented by the prefix 65 (it had the 65th-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 1,078 square miles (2,790 km2) of which 1,075 square miles (2,780 km2) is land and 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2) (11%) is water.[5]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18905,494—
19005,5721.4%
19106,13110.0%
19208,40737.1%
193011,86141.1%
194010,736−9.5%
195012,27914.4%
196011,688−4.8%
197010,094−13.6%
198013,69635.7%
199013,130−4.1%
200012,158−7.4%
201011,308−7.0%
202010,842−4.1%
2022 (est.)10,672[1]−1.6%
US Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2022[1]

As of the 2000 United States Census,[10] there were 12,158 people, 4,780 households, and 3,298 families in the county. The population density was 11 people per square mile (4.2 people/km2). There were 5,488 housing units at an average density of 5 units per square mile (1.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.84% White, 0.37% Black or African American, 2.74% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.55% from other races, and 1.96% from two or more races. 7.65% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 36.4% were of German, 8.4% English, 8.1% Irish and 5.3% American ancestry.

There were 4,780 households, out of which 35.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.00% were non-families. 27.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% 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 3.05.

The county population contained 28.10% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,366 and the median income for a family was $46,670. Males had a median income of $36,966 versus $21,762 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,407. About 9.70% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.70% of those under age 18 and 11.00% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

Village

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated places

Politics

Box Butte County voters have been reliably Republican for decades; since 1940, the county has selected the Republican Party presidential candidate in every national election (as of 2024).

United States presidential election results for Box Butte County, Nebraska[11][12]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 3,827 77.52% 1,043 21.13% 67 1.36%
2020 4,002 76.96% 1,051 20.21% 147 2.83%
2016 3,617 73.46% 965 19.60% 342 6.95%
2012 2,869 60.98% 1,692 35.96% 144 3.06%
2008 2,932 58.89% 1,886 37.88% 161 3.23%
2004 3,396 65.92% 1,657 32.16% 99 1.92%
2000 3,208 63.04% 1,614 31.72% 267 5.25%
1996 2,458 49.41% 1,782 35.82% 735 14.77%
1992 2,203 38.74% 1,942 34.15% 1,542 27.11%
1988 3,253 56.42% 2,468 42.80% 45 0.78%
1984 4,011 72.60% 1,471 26.62% 43 0.78%
1980 3,912 70.72% 1,208 21.84% 412 7.45%
1976 2,956 64.56% 1,516 33.11% 107 2.34%
1972 3,431 78.14% 960 21.86% 0 0.00%
1968 2,728 67.47% 1,052 26.02% 263 6.51%
1964 2,725 58.07% 1,968 41.93% 0 0.00%
1960 3,157 62.60% 1,886 37.40% 0 0.00%
1956 2,991 68.71% 1,362 31.29% 0 0.00%
1952 4,426 78.13% 1,239 21.87% 0 0.00%
1948 2,351 53.75% 2,023 46.25% 0 0.00%
1944 2,994 63.30% 1,736 36.70% 0 0.00%
1940 2,942 57.27% 2,195 42.73% 0 0.00%
1936 1,711 36.69% 2,900 62.19% 52 1.12%
1932 1,772 39.16% 2,688 59.40% 65 1.44%
1928 3,028 70.71% 1,238 28.91% 16 0.37%
1924 1,506 42.48% 814 22.96% 1,225 34.56%
1920 1,630 65.12% 756 30.20% 117 4.67%
1916 591 37.64% 914 58.22% 65 4.14%
1912 227 17.68% 518 40.34% 539 41.98%
1908 600 45.05% 684 51.35% 48 3.60%
1904 668 66.73% 217 21.68% 116 11.59%
1900 707 57.43% 494 40.13% 30 2.44%

Notable people

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c "QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Kooiman and Butterfield (1996), p. 24.
  4. ^ Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (1925). Nebraska Place-Names, p. 20. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  6. ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  7. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  8. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  9. ^ "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 6, 2014.
  10. ^ "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  11. ^ Election Results
  12. ^ The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 423 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 97 votes and Write-in candidate Eugene Chafin received 19 votes.

References

Kooiman, Barbara A., and Elizabeth A. Butterfield (1996). "Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey: Reconnaissance Survey Final Report of Box Butte County, Nebraska"[usurped]. Nebraska State Historical Society.[usurped] Retrieved December 11, 2017.

42°13′N 103°05′W / 42.21°N 103.08°W / 42.21; -103.08