Banner County

General

Population:  674
Land area (sq. mi.):  746.04
Population per square mile:  0.9

Race & Age

Race  2020

White:  89.0%
African American:  0.0%
American Indian:  0.7%
Asian:  0.3%
Hispanic:  7.6%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander:  0.0%
Two or More Races:  2.4%

Age  2020

0-17:  24.7%
18-64:  51.4%
65+:  23.8%

Households

Total households:  267  2020
With one child:  40  2022
With 2+ children:  50  2022
With seniors (65+):  80  2022

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita:  $61,055  2021
% of population in poverty:  11.7%  2022
# of housing units:  327  2020
2023 housing unit building permits:  Data unavailable
Owner-occupied rate:  73.0%  2020
Median home price:  $245,550  Q1 2024

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable model):  0%  2021

Sources: National Association of Realtors, Nebraska Department of Revenue, Nebraska Legislature, Nebraska Library Commission, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Census Bureau (demographics), U.S. Census Bureau (municipalities)

Employment and Schools

Unemployment rate:  2.4%  Sept. 2024

County Employment Website: https://bannercountyne.gov/job-openings

High school graduate or higher:  97.2%  2020

Bachelor's degree or higher:  26.7%  2020

School Districts:  Banner County Public Schools, Bayard Public Schools, Potter-Dix Public Schools

Community College Service Area:  Western Community College

Banner County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP):  $50,534,000  2022

Nonfarm Small Business Receipts:  $1,818,517  2021

Nonfarm Wage Income:  $10,154,000  2021

Farm & Ranch Commodity Sales Receipts:  $106,968,000  2022

Farm & Ranch Operations (Non-Sales) Receipts:  $6,519,000  2021

• For components of nonfarm small business receipts, nonfarm wage income, and farm & ranch commodity sales and operations receipts, see "Notes" below.

Cattle Producers:  100

Crop Producers:  59

Oil & Gas Wells Producing (barrels of oil & thousand cubic ft of gas/yr):  92 wells (84,326 barrels; 960 MCF)  2023

Electricity Providers:  Chimney Rock PPD, High West Energy, Roosevelt PPD, Wheat Belt PPD, Wyrulec Company

Notes

• Nonfarm small business receipts are reported by partnerships and sole proprietorships. They do not include receipts reported by cooperative associations.
• Nonfarm wage income is reported based upon the wage earner's residential address; therefore, it also includes wages earned by Banner County residents in other counties or states, but it excludes wages earned in Banner County by residents of other counties or states.
• Nonfarm wage income excludes wages earned by anyone claimed as a dependent.
• Farm and ranch commodity sales receipts and operations receipts are reported based upon the farm or ranch owner's principal county of operations; therefore, those figures also include receipts reported by producers operating principally in Banner County for their production in other counties or states, but the figures exclude receipts reported for production in Banner County by producers operating principally in other counties or states.

Well Locations (Irrigation/Livestock), Soils, Groundwater & Surface Water

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells:  505  2024

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation):  36  2024

Agricultural Wells per Square Mile:  0.68  2024

Click for real time:

Groundwater level data near NE Hwy 88 at Nebraska/Wyoming border 

Click the section numbers in the grid below the map for annual groundwater levels.

Note: Geocodes in the map's squares are in the grid next to Township & Range (T&R).

Sources: National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA), Nebraska Cooperative Council, Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Nebraska Department of Revenue, Nebraska Department of Transportation, Nebraska Office of the CIO, Nebraska Power Review Board, Nebraska Public Service Commission, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of the Treasury (IRS), Warehouse and Commodity Management Division (USDA)

2023 Levies and Valuations

County levy rate:  $0.4263 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied:  $1,277,040

Total local government property taxes levied:  $4,357,506

Total countywide taxable valuation:  $299,552,877

Click here for all levy rates in Banner County

Agricultural Land Valuation Market Areas

Commercial Land Valuation Groups

Residential Land Valuation Groups

County Levy and Taxation Laws

Levy limits

Since 1996, counties and other political subdivisions have been subject to the levy limits listed in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-3442 and Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-3443.

Statutes and regulations

Nebraska Revised Statutes (Chapter 77)

Nebraska Administrative Code (Title 350)

Local tax reductions, exemptions, and credits:

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-902(5)(a) (Deed "stamp tax" exemption): "The [stamp tax] shall not apply to: ... (5)(a) Deeds between spouses, between ex-spouses for the purpose of conveying any rights to property acquired or held during the marriage, or between parent and child, without actual consideration therefor."

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-201(2) (Agricultural land horticultural assessment): "Agricultural land and horticultural land as defined in section 77-1359 shall constitute a separate and distinct class of property for purposes of property taxation, shall be subject to taxation, unless expressly exempt from taxation, and shall be valued at seventy-five percent of its actual value, except that for school district taxes levied to pay the principal and interest on bonds that are approved by a vote of the people on or after January 1, 2022, such land shall be valued at fifty percent of its actual value."

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-6703(1) (Tax credit for school district taxes paid): "(1) For taxable years beginning or deemed to begin on or after January 1, 2020, under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, there shall be allowed to each eligible taxpayer a refundable credit against the income tax imposed by the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967 or against the franchise tax imposed by sections 77-3801 to 77-3807. The credit shall be equal to the credit percentage for the taxable year, as set by the department under subsection (2) of this section, multiplied by the amount of school district taxes paid by the eligible taxpayer during such taxable year."

Sources: Nebraska Department of Revenue

State Senator: Brian Hardin (District 48)

Standing Committees (click for scheduled committee hearings): 

• Health and Human Services (vice chairperson)
• General Affairs
• Nebraska Retirement Systems
• Urban Affairs

Map and statistics for Legislative District 48

Map of all districts in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Banner County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 1

Year Authorized: 1888

Year Organized: 1888

Etymology: Aspiration to become the “banner county” of Nebraska

     According to tradition, Banner County derives its name from the aspirations of the inhabitants to become the "banner county" of Nebraska. The area that today makes up Banner County was originally part of Cheyenne County, then much larger. In 1888, Banner, Kimball, and Scotts Bluff Counties were carved out of the western third of Cheyenne County. The county seal features a banner bearing a pumpkin, named for Pumpkin Creek which crosses the county west to east. Banner County was officially organized in 1889, and residents designated Ashford the temporary county seat. A month later, a special election was held in which Harrisburg was chosen as the county seat over Ashford, Banner, and Freeport. 

     Banner County is home to the C.C. Hampton Homestead (also known as Warner Ranch), listed on the National Register of Historical Places. Hampton was a farmer who advocated for water conservation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; he also promoted windmills and farming in a predominantly ranching county.

     More recently, Banner County played a unique role in the constitutional history of local government in the state. In a 1987 case before the Nebraska Supreme Court, Banner County successfully argued that real property valuation must be performed uniformly within each property classification, as established by the Nebraska Constitution.

Highlight an important program in your county in this space! Send an email to:

luke.bonkiewicz@nebraskacounties.org

Local Highlights

License Plate Number:  85

Time Zone:  Mountain

Number of Veterans:  38  2023

Zoned County:  No

Number of County-Owned Bridges:  12

Election Data

General Election Turnout:  74.86%  2024

Total Registered Voters:  521  2024

Number of Precincts:  1  2022

Number of Election Day Polling Places:  1  2022

Land Area per Polling Place:  746.04 sq. miles

Intergovernmental Data

Emergency Mgt. Planning, Exercise and Training (PET) Region: Panhandle

Natural Resource Districts: North Platte NRD

State Lands (acres): Buffalo Creek WMA (4,141.32 Banner & Scotts Bluff), Williams Gap WMA (1,829)

Sources: Nebraska Department of Transportation, Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, Nebraska Legislature, Nebraska Office of the CIO, Nebraska Secretary of State, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Election Assistance Commission, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (eCFR)