Cheyenne County

General

Population: 9,468
Land area (sq. mi.): 1,196.01
Population per square mile: 7.9

Race & Age

Race

White: 87%
African American: 0.5%
American Indian: 0.3%
Asian: 0.8%
Hispanic: 7.9%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 0.0%
Two or More Races: 3.0%

Age

0-17: 23.4%
18-64: 54.7%
65+: 21.8%

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita: $52,730
% of Population in Poverty: 10.0%
# of Housing Units: 4,891
Owner-occupied rate: 69.4%
Median home price: $116,580

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem): 62.6%

Sources: National Association of Realtors, Nebraska Library Commission, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Census Bureau

Employment, Schools, and Child Care

Unemployment rate: 2.2% (as of September 2022)

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

High school graduate or higher: 94.6%

School Districts: Creek Valley Schools, Leyton Public Schools, Potter-Dix Public Schools, Sidney Public Schools

Bachelor's degree or higher: 25.5%

Community College Service Area: Western Community College

Countywide child care capacity: 8 providers; 617 children

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

Cheyenne County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (2020): $528,092,000

Cattle Producers: 127

Crop Producers: 106

• Dryland Cash Rent (avg.): $35/acre/yr

Grain Co-ops and Purchasers: Crossroads Cooperative, FVC, Panhandle Coop System

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

Farmers Markets: Sidney Farmers Market (June - September, Saturdays 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.)

Oil & Gas Wells Producing (barrels of oil & thousand cubic ft. of gas/yr.): 109 wells (120,993 barrels; 2,552 MCF Casinghead Gas; 283,101 MCF Dry Gas)

Electricity Providers: City of Lodgepole, City of Sidney, High West Energy, Western Area Power Administration, Wheat Belt PPD

Rail-served Communities: Dalton, Gurley, Lodgepole, Lorenzo, Potter, Sidney, Sunal

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

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells: 734

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation): 31

Click for real time:

Groundwater level data four miles north of Sidney

Sources: National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA), Nebraska Cooperative Council, Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, Nebraska Department of Transportation, Nebraska Office of the CIO, Nebraska Power Review Board, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau

2022 Levies and Valuations

County levy rate: $0.4227 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied: $6,138,883

Total local government property taxes levied: $27,091,069

Total countywide taxable valuation: $1,452,186,414

Click here for all levy rates in Cheyenne 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: Steve Erdman (District 47)

Standing Committees (click for scheduled committee hearings): 

• Appropriations

Select Committees:

• Rules (chairperson)
• Committee on Committees

Map and statistics for Legislative District 47

Map of all districts in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Cheyenne County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 12

Year Authorized: 1871

Year Organized: 1871

Etymology: Cheyenne Native American tribe

     The development of Cheyenne County can be traced to the Oregon and Mormon Trails, which brought settlers to and through the area in the 1840’s. The proliferation of settlers and subsequent displacement of Native American tribes accelerated as the Union Pacific Railroad continued its expansion through western Nebraska. The county draws its name from the Cheyenne tribe who inhabited the land prior to arrival of settlers. In 1867, as the railroad moved into Wyoming, the southern half of Cheyenne County witnessed rapid development. Cheyenne County was formally established in June of 1871, comprising the southern half of the Panhandle. Later, Kimball, Banner, Deuel, Morrill, and Scotts Bluff County were carved from Cheyenne.

     The railroad encampment (called “Sidney” after the Union Pacific Railroad president Sidney Dillion) gave rise to a town that quickly developed a wild and untamed reputation. Though earnest citizens worked hard to develop Sidney, the town’s population and raucous activities were dominated by railroad workers, cowboys fresh off the cattle drives, freight workers, soldiers, horse thieves, and outlaws (Sidney claims Calamity Jane as a former resident). Though Sidney would eventually become the county seat, it was initially known as “Sinful Sidney” and the “Wickedest Town in the West.”

     However, like many frontier counties, law and order gradually found its way to Cheyenne County, and its towns soon boasted schools, newspapers, and bustling business districts. Originally created to establish a military presence on the western plains, Fort Sidney eventually gave way to the Sioux Ordnance Depot in World War II. The Depot was a 19,000-acre munitions storage facility, the construction of which prompted an economic boom in the 1940’s. The county’s economic fortunes also rose as oil companies began sinking wells amid the ranchland. Later, the construction of Interstate 80 brought traffic directly through the heart of the county and further bolstered development.

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

luke.bonkiewicz@nebraskacounties.org

Local Highlights

License Plate Number: 39

Time Zone: Mountain

Number of Veterans: 709

Zoned County: Yes

County Hospital: Cheyenne County Hospital Association (Sidney Regional Medical Center)

Number of County-Owned Bridges: 83

Election Data

General Election Turnout % (2022): 53.72%

Total Registered Voters (2020): 6,417

Number of Precincts (2020): 9

Number of Election Day Polling Places (2020): 5

Land Area per Polling Place (avg.) (2020): 239.20 sq. miles

Intergovernmental Data

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

Natural Resource District: South Platte NRD

State Lands (acres): High Plains Ag Lab (799), Sidney Rest Area EB (14.6), Sidney Rest Area WB (20.6)

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. National Archives and Records Administration (eCFR)