Burt County

General

Population: 6,722
Land area (sq. mi.): 491.59
Population per square mile: 13.7

Race & Age

Race 2020

White: 92.2%
African American: 0.3%
American Indian: 1.1%
Asian: 0.5%
Hispanic: 2.6%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 0.3%
Two or More Races: 3.0%

Age 2020

0-17: 23.3%
18-64: 51.9%
65+: 24.8%

Households

Total households:  2,851  2020
With one child:  270  2022
With 2+ children:  500  2022
With seniors (65+):  870  2022

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita:  $54,582  2021
% of population in poverty:  11.5%  2022
# of housing units:  3,324  2020
2023 housing unit building permits: 8
Owner-occupied rate:  76.7%  2020
Median home price:  $156,080  Q1 2024

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable model):  76.0%  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 (building permits), U.S. Census Bureau (demographics), U.S. Census Bureau (municipalities)

Employment, Schools, and Child Care

Unemployment rate:  2.3% Sept. 2024

County Employment Website:  https://nebraskacounties.org/nebraska-counties/county-employment-opportunities.html

High school graduate or higher:  90.9%  2020

School Districts:  Bancroft-Rosalie Community Schools, Logan View Public Schools, Lyons-Decatur Northeast Schools, Oakland Craig Public Schools, Tekamah-Herman Community Schools

Bachelor's degree or higher:  22.3%  2020

Community College Service Area:  Northeast Community College

Countywide child care capacity:  10 providers; 114 children  2024

Find child care:  For a list of child care providers by zip code, visit Nebraska DHHS or the Nebraska Resource and Referral System.

Burt County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP):  $397,602,000  2022

Nonfarm Small Business Receipts:  $56,856,167  2021

Nonfarm Wage Income:  $126,736,000  2022

• Nonfarm small business receipts are reported by partnerships & sole proprietorships and do not include receipts reported by cooperative associations. Nonfarm wage income may include wages earned from Burt County businesses by commuters or teleworkers residing outside of Nebraska.

Farm & Ranch Commodity Sales Receipts:  $300,389,000  2022

Farm & Ranch Operations (Non-Sales) Receipts:  $10,613,000  2022

• Farm & ranch receipt totals for commodity sales and operations are reported by producers operating principally in Burt County and include those producers' receipts from production in other counties. The totals do not include receipts from sales and operations in Burt County reported by producers operating principally in other counties.

Cattle Producers:  107

• Pastureland Cash Rent (avg.):  $72/acre/yr  2024

Crop Producers:  112

• Dryland Cash Rent (avg.):  $252/acre/yr  2024
• Irrigated Land Cash Rent (avg.):  $294/acre/yr  2024

Grain Elevators by Location (bushel capacity):

• Lyons: Lorenson Lumber and Grain (432,940)
• Oakland: CVA (9,503,000)
• Tekamah: Prinz Grain & Feed (607,822)
• (1 bushel = 56 lbs. corn/sorghum, 60 lbs. soybeans/wheat; % max. moisture = 18% beans, 15.5% corn, 14% sorghum/soybeans, 13.5% wheat)

Railroad Miles: 19.38 main, 2.64 side

• Places with Railroad Service:  Lyons, Oakland

Local Grain Market:  Click for today's grain prices in Burt County

Farmers Markets:

• Chatter Box Farmers Market in Tekamah (Thursdays 4-7 p.m.)
• Lyons Main Street Farmers Market (June - September, Wednesdays 4 - 7 p.m. and Fridays 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.)

Electricity Providers:  Burt County PPD, City of Lyons, Cuming County PPD, Nebraska PPD, Omaha PPD, Village of Decatur

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

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells:  585  2024

Agricultural Wells per Square Mile:  1.19  2024

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation):  96  2024

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:  $0.2156 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied:  $4,691,268

Total local government property taxes levied:  $30,771,353

Total countywide taxable valuation:  $1,878,649,374

Federal PILT payment to Burt County (FY2024):  $7,014 regarding 2,095 federally-owned acres

Click here for all levy rates in Burt County

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) (Valuation of agricultural land and horticultural land): "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: Ben Hansen (District 16)

Standing Committees (click for scheduled committee hearings): 

• Health and Human Services
• Agriculture
• Business and Labor

Select Committees:

• Rules

Map and statistics for Legislative District 16

Map of all districts in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Burt County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 14

Year Authorized: 1854

Year Organized: 1854

Etymology: Francis Burt (1st Territorial Governor)     

     Burt County was originally home to several Native American tribes, including the Pawnee, Omaha, and Winnebago, who lived and hunted in the region for centuries before the arrival of European settlers. The presence of these tribes has had a lasting influence on the county, and their cultural heritage is still evident today in the local museums, historical sites, and Native American ceremonies that take place in the area.

     In the early 1800s, European settlers began to arrive in Burt County, drawn by the fertile soil and abundant wildlife. The area was soon transformed by the arrival of the homesteaders, who cleared the land, built homes and farms, and established new communities. Burt County quickly became an important center of agriculture, with crops such as corn, wheat, and soybeans being grown in large quantities. In addition, the county was home to a thriving livestock industry, with cattle, pigs, and sheep being raised on the rolling prairies.

     After the Civil War, the county experienced a period of rapid growth and development, as the population increased and new businesses were established. The arrival of the railroad in the 1870s was another important event in the history of Burt County. The railroad completely transformed the county, making it easier for goods and people to be transported, opening up an array of new markets. The railroad also helped to spur the growth of the county's agriculture and livestock industries, as crops and livestock could now be easily transported to previously unreachable markets.

     Burt County boasts a wide variety of flora and fauna, including prairie grasses, wildflowers, and deciduous trees. The county is also home to a large number of wetlands and waterways, which provide habitat for a diverse range of wildlife, including waterfowl, fish, and mammals. Uniquely, a popular hunting and fishing area called Tieville Bend is in a portion of Burt County on the eastern side of the Missouri River.

     The county has a rich cultural heritage, with a number of historic sites and landmarks that tell the story of the area's past. One of the most important of these is the Burt County Courthouse, which was built in 1884 and is one of the oldest courthouses in the state of Nebraska. Other important landmarks in the county include the Burt County Historical Society Museum, which contains a large collection of local artifacts and memorabilia, and the former Burt County Jail, which was built in 1873 and is now a museum dedicated to the history of the county.

     In recent years, Burt County has continued to evolve and grow, with new industries and businesses being established in the area. Today, the county is a thriving and vibrant community, with a strong economy and a high quality of life. Despite its rapid growth, Burt County has remained true to its roots, and its residents are proud of their rich cultural heritage and the important role that the county has played in the history of the state of Nebraska.

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

luke.bonkiewicz@nebraskacounties.org

Local Highlights

License Plate Number:  31

Time Zone:  Central

Number of Veterans:  477  2024

Zoned County:  Yes

Number of County-Owned Bridges:  141

Number of County-Owned Dams:  1

Election Data

General Election Turnout:  76.34%  2024

Total Registered Voters:  4,885  2024

Number of Precincts:  11  2022

Number of Election Day Polling Places:  5  2022

Land Area per Polling Place (avg.):  98.32 sq. miles

Intergovernmental Data

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

Natural Resource Districts: Lower Elkhorn NRD, Papio-Missouri River NRD

State Lands (acres): Pelican Point SRA (36.41), Summit Lake SRA (535)

Federal Lands (acres): Little Sioux Bend (190), Middle Decatur Bend - north (690), Middle Decatur Bend - south (187), Tieville Bend (1,013)

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)