Seward County, Nebraska Explained

Seward County
Official Name:County of Seward
Settlement Type:County
Image Map1:Map of Nebraska highlighting Seward County.svg
Map Caption1:Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:State
Established Title:Established
Established Date:March 16, 1855
Established Title1:Organized
Established Date1:October 1865
Named For:William H. Seward
Seat Type:County seat
Seat:Seward
Parts Type:Largest city
Parts:Seward
Unit Pref:US
Area Total Sq Mi:576
Area Land Sq Mi:571
Area Water Sq Mi:4.5
Area Water Percent:0.8
Elevation Max Ft:1598
Elevation Min Ft:938
Population Density Sq Mi:auto
Population Total:17609
Population As Of:2020
Area Code:402/531
Area Code Type:Area code
Blank Name Sec1:FIPS code
Blank Info Sec1:31159
Blank1 Name Sec1:GNIS feature ID
Website:countyofsewardne.com
Timezone:Central
Utc Offset:-6
Timezone Dst:CDT
Utc Offset Dst:-5

Seward County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 17,609.[1] Its county seat is Seward.[2] The county was formed in 1855,[3] and was organized in 1867.[4] [5] It was originally called Greene County, and in 1862 it was renamed for William H. Seward, Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. Seward County is part of the Lincoln, NE Metropolitan Statistical Area.

In the Nebraska license plate system, Seward County is represented by the prefix 16 (it had the sixteenth-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Geography

The Seward County terrain consists of low rolling hills, largely dedicated to agriculture including center pivot irrigation. The Big Blue River flows south-southeasterly through the central part of the county.[6] The county has a total area of, of which is land and (0.8%) is water.[7]

Protected areas

Demographics

As of the 2000 United States Census,[13] there were 16,496 people, 6,013 households, and 4,215 families in the county. The population density was 29sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 6,428 housing units at an average density of 11adj=preNaNadj=pre. The racial makeup of the county was 98.05% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. 1.09% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,013 households, out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.50% were married couples living together, 5.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.04.

The county population contained 24.70% under the age of 18, 14.30% from 18 to 24, 24.60% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,700, and the median income for a family was $51,813. Males had a median income of $32,218 versus $22,329 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,379. About 4.10% of families and 7.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.20% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over.

Civil Asset Forfeiture

The county engages in extensive civil asset forfeiture, as the county of less than 18,000 people accounts for a third of all Nebraska civil forfeitures. From 2018 to 2023, the county obtained $7.5 million in forfeited cash. Nearly all of the civil forfeitures stem from traffic stops of out-of-state drivers on Interstate 80 where Seward County police give stopped drivers a choice to give up cash or go to jail. The routine seizures of money never result in convictions of drivers, raising questions about the intent of the forfeitures.[14] This practice continues despite 2016 state law LB 1106[15] meant to stop it.

Communities

Cities

Villages

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Ghost town

Adjacent counties

Politics

Seward County voters are reliably Republican. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020).

See also

External links

40.87°N -97.14°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Seward County, Nebraska. United States Census Bureau. June 24, 2023.
  2. Web site: Find a County. 7 June 2011. National Association of Counties.
  3. Book: Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder. Nebraska Place-Names. University of Nebraska Studies in Language, Literature, and Criticism. Lincoln. 1925. 131. December 19, 2014.
  4. Web site: Seward County Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey. https://web.archive.org/web/20080516234109/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/histpres/reports/seward_county.pdf. usurped. May 16, 2008. Nebraska State Historical Society. August 2007. December 19, 2014.
  5. Web site: Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska. https://web.archive.org/web/20030729034925/http://www.kancoll.org/books/andreas_ne/seward/seward-p2.html. dead. 2003-07-29. Andreas. A. T.. 1882. The Kansas Collection. December 19, 2014.
  6. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Seward+County,+NE/@40.8469176,-97.1859677,11.75z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x8797279393bc32ed:0x440e1b1d21fdd7f5!8m2!3d40.9078649!4d-97.0984646 Seward County NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
  7. Web site: 2010 Census Gazetteer Files. US Census Bureau. December 11, 2014. August 22, 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131113024152/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_31.txt. November 13, 2013.
  8. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bur+Oak+State+Wildlife+Management+Area,+Seward,+NE+68434/@40.8967638,-97.0043355,16z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x8797279393bc32ed:0x440e1b1d21fdd7f5!2sSeward+County,+NE!3b1!8m2!3d40.9078649!4d-97.0984646!3m4!1s0x8796da1b0ca6c3ff:0xb389280485bac828!8m2!3d40.8964149!4d-97.0001223 Bur Oak State Wildlife Management Area, Seward NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
  9. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Freeman+Lakes+Waterfowl+Production+Area,+Waco,+NE+68460/@40.9290572,-97.3680603,16z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x8797279393bc32ed:0x440e1b1d21fdd7f5!2sSeward+County,+NE!3b1!8m2!3d40.9078649!4d-97.0984646!3m4!1s0x879736de2bf81d13:0xfb01897ae8f6fb39!8m2!3d40.9290301!4d-97.3638104 Freeman Lakes Waterfowl Production Area, Waco NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
  10. https://www.google.com/maps/place/North+Lake+Basin+State+Wildlife+Management+Area,+Utica,+NE+68456/@40.8803499,-97.2972566,13.5z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x8797279393bc32ed:0x440e1b1d21fdd7f5!2sSeward+County,+NE!3b1!8m2!3d40.9078649!4d-97.0984646!3m4!1s0x879730cec01dd48f:0x39d463c2816c8133!8m2!3d40.9126369!4d-97.3449183 North Lake Basin State Wildlife Management Area, Utica NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
  11. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Oak+Glen+State+Wildlife+Management+Area,+Garland,+NE+68360/@40.9165914,-97.1939246,12z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x8797279393bc32ed:0x440e1b1d21fdd7f5!2sSeward+County,+NE!3b1!8m2!3d40.9078649!4d-97.0984646!3m4!1s0x8796d15b49d9ffe3:0xa575f4d8de5f3151!8m2!3d40.9836562!4d-96.9907379 Oak Glen State Wildlife Management Area, Garland NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
  12. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tamora+Waterfowl+Production+Area,+Alvo+Rd,+Seward,+NE+68434/@40.8870998,-97.2249378,16z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x8797279393bc32ed:0x440e1b1d21fdd7f5!2sSeward+County,+NE!3b1!8m2!3d40.9078649!4d-97.0984646!3m4!1s0x8797258258981257:0xfb41a9d249829263!8m2!3d40.8866491!4d-97.2194466 Tamora Waterfowl Production Area, Alvo Rd, Seward NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
  13. Web site: U.S. Census website. US Census Bureau. 31 January 2008.
  14. News: Using loophole, Seward County seizes millions from motorists without convicting them of crimes . Alamdari . Natalia . June 16, 2023. 2023-06-17 . Nebraska Public Media . Flatwater Free Press . en.
  15. Web site: Policing for Profit .