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Seward County, Nebraska

Coordinates: 40°52′N 97°08′W / 40.87°N 97.14°W / 40.87; -97.14
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Seward County
County
County of Seward
Seward County Courthouse in Seward
Seward County Courthouse in Seward
Map
Interactive map of Seward County
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Country United States
State Nebraska
EstablishedMarch 16, 1855
OrganizedOctober 1865
Named forWilliam H. Seward
County seatSeward
Largest citySeward
Area
 • Total
576 sq mi (1,490 km2)
 • Land571 sq mi (1,480 km2)
 • Water4.5 sq mi (12 km2)  0.8%
Highest elevation
1,598 ft (487 m)
Lowest elevation
938 ft (286 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
17,609
 • Density31/sq mi (12/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code402/531
FIPS code31159
GNIS feature ID835901
Websitecountyofsewardne.com

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

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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 576 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 571 square miles (1,480 km2) is land and 4.5 square miles (12 km2) (0.8%) is water.[7]

Protected areas

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  • Bur Oak State Wildlife Management Area[8]
  • Freeman Lakes Waterfowl Production Area[9]
  • North Lake Basin State Wildlife Management Area[10]
  • Oak Glen State Wildlife Management Area[11]
  • Tamora Waterfowl Production Area[12]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18702,953—
188011,147277.5%
189016,14044.8%
190015,690−2.8%
191015,8951.3%
192015,867−0.2%
193015,9380.4%
194014,167−11.1%
195013,155−7.1%
196013,5813.2%
197014,4606.5%
198015,7899.2%
199015,450−2.1%
200016,4966.8%
201016,7501.5%
202017,6095.1%
2023 (est.)17,6710.4%
US Decennial Census[13]
1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15]
1990-2000[16] 2010[17]

As of the 2000 United States Census,[18] there were 16,496 people, 6,013 households, and 4,215 families in the county. The population density was 29 inhabitants per square mile (11/km2). There were 6,428 housing units at an average density of 11 units per square mile (4.2/km2). 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

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The county engages in extensive civil asset forfeiture. Having less than 18,000 people, it accounted for at least 90 cases in the last decade, one-third of all civil forfeiture cases in the state during that period and double that of any other Nebraska county. 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 their cash with an "abandonment form" or refuse and be subject to felony charges; the routine seizures never result in convictions of drivers, raising questions about the intent of the forfeitures.[19] This practice continues despite 2016 state law LB 1106, meant to stop it by first requiring a criminal conviction for illegal drugs, child pornography, or illegal gambling, and establishing new reporting requirements and transfer regulations for seizures or forfeitures. However, loopholes in the law still allow seizure during a traffic stop if police believe the cash is connected to drugs, even if no drugs are found in the vehicle, a tactic that is used routinely by Seward County police.[19][20] A bill introduced in February 2024 by Nebraska legislator Tom Brewer, LB 916, intends to ban civil forfeiture in the state entirely, requiring in all cases that prosecutors use the criminal justice process, rather than civil courts, to seize property.[21]

Communities

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Cities

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Villages

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Census-designated place

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Unincorporated communities

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Ghost town

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Adjacent counties

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Politics

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Seward County voters are reliably Republican. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).

United States presidential election results for Seward County, Nebraska[22]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 6,667 72.15% 2,388 25.84% 185 2.00%
2020 6,490 70.55% 2,438 26.50% 271 2.95%
2016 5,454 68.85% 1,875 23.67% 593 7.49%
2012 5,003 66.06% 2,386 31.51% 184 2.43%
2008 4,647 61.72% 2,703 35.90% 179 2.38%
2004 5,353 70.76% 2,114 27.94% 98 1.30%
2000 4,457 63.53% 2,250 32.07% 309 4.40%
1996 3,479 51.86% 2,432 36.25% 798 11.89%
1992 3,060 44.12% 2,121 30.58% 1,755 25.30%
1988 3,472 55.89% 2,690 43.30% 50 0.80%
1984 3,983 67.09% 1,911 32.19% 43 0.72%
1980 3,527 59.13% 1,803 30.23% 635 10.65%
1976 3,220 54.12% 2,610 43.87% 120 2.02%
1972 3,707 63.98% 2,087 36.02% 0 0.00%
1968 2,939 60.59% 1,658 34.18% 254 5.24%
1964 2,221 39.89% 3,347 60.11% 0 0.00%
1960 3,588 63.14% 2,095 36.86% 0 0.00%
1956 3,688 65.88% 1,910 34.12% 0 0.00%
1952 4,257 71.64% 1,685 28.36% 0 0.00%
1948 2,916 56.18% 2,274 43.82% 0 0.00%
1944 3,721 64.11% 2,083 35.89% 0 0.00%
1940 4,117 61.95% 2,529 38.05% 0 0.00%
1936 3,123 44.37% 3,866 54.92% 50 0.71%
1932 2,298 34.97% 4,208 64.04% 65 0.99%
1928 3,539 59.68% 2,367 39.92% 24 0.40%
1924 2,797 49.21% 1,848 32.51% 1,039 18.28%
1920 3,690 69.98% 1,497 28.39% 86 1.63%
1916 1,855 50.11% 1,797 48.54% 50 1.35%
1912 788 23.29% 1,573 46.48% 1,023 30.23%
1908 1,930 48.21% 2,029 50.69% 44 1.10%
1904 2,243 61.64% 1,027 28.22% 369 10.14%
1900 1,937 50.30% 1,865 48.43% 49 1.27%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Seward County, Nebraska". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (1925). Nebraska Place-Names. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Studies in Language, Literature, and Criticism. p. 131. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  4. ^ "Seward County Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey" (PDF). Nebraska State Historical Society. August 2007. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  5. ^ Andreas, A. T. (1882). "Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska". The Kansas Collection. Archived from the original on July 29, 2003. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  6. ^ Seward County NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  8. ^ Bur Oak State Wildlife Management Area, Seward NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
  9. ^ Freeman Lakes Waterfowl Production Area, Waco NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
  10. ^ North Lake Basin State Wildlife Management Area, Utica NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
  11. ^ Oak Glen State Wildlife Management Area, Garland NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
  12. ^ Tamora Waterfowl Production Area, Alvo Rd, Seward NE Google Maps (accessed 26 January 2019)
  13. ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  14. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  15. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  16. ^ "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 11, 2014.
  17. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 22, 2013.
  18. ^ "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  19. ^ a b Alamdari, Natalia (June 16, 2023). "Using loophole, Seward County seizes millions from motorists without convicting them of crimes". Nebraska Public Media. Flatwater Free Press. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  20. ^ "Policing for Profit".
  21. ^ Alamdari, Natalia (February 2, 2024). "Lawmakers seek to ban practice allowing Seward County to seize millions from motorists". Flatwater Free Press. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  22. ^ Election Results
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40°52′N 97°08′W / 40.87°N 97.14°W / 40.87; -97.14

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