Colfax County

General

Population: 10,582
Land area (sq. mi.): 411.65
Population per square mile: 25.7

Race & Age

Race  2020

White: 47.4%
African American: 3.5%
American Indian: 0.2%
Asian: 0.5%
Hispanic: 47.2%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 0.0%
Two or More Races: 1.0%

Age  2020

0-17: 30.4%
18-64: 55.5%
65+: 14.1%

Households

Total households:  3,615  2020
With one child:  590  2022
With 2+ children:  920  2022
With seniors (65+):  910  2022

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita:  $55,867  2021
% of Population in Poverty:  9.2%  2022
# of Housing Units:  3,976  2020
2023 housing unit building permits:  35  
Owner-occupied rate:  72.2%  2020
Median home price:  $123,460  Q1 2024

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem):  65.1%  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:  1.7%  Sept. 2024

County Employment Website:  https://colfaxcountyne.gov/webpages/links/public_notices.html

High school graduate or higher:  70.1%  2020

School Districts:  Clarkson Public Schools, Howells-Dodge Consolidated Schools, Leigh Community Schools, North Bend Central Public Schools, Schuyler Community Schools

Bachelor's degree or higher:  14.9%  2020

Community College Service Area:  Central Community College

Countywide child care capacity:  17 providers; 319 children  2024

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

Colfax County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP):  $964,494,000  2022

Nonfarm Small Business Receipts:  $261,763,607  2021

Nonfarm Wage Income:  $220,041,000  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 Colfax County businesses by commuters or teleworkers residing outside of Nebraska.

Farm & Ranch Commodity Sales Receipts:  $431,408,000  2022

Farm & Ranch Operations (Non-Sales) Receipts:  $9,958,000  2022

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

Cattle Producers:  174

Crop Producers:  184

• Dryland Cash Rent (avg.):  $256/acre/yr  2024
• Irrigated Land Cash Rent (avg.):  $324/acre/yr  2024

Grain Elevators by Location (bushels capacity):

• Clarkson: Farmers Union (1,655,409)
• Howells: CSI (5,356,834), Farmers Union (686,898), Frontier (387,345), Grovijohn Feed & Seed (232,695)
• Leigh: CSI (downtown) (1,652,842), CSI (Hwy 57 & Rd. X) (867,082)
• Richland: CSI (1,645,910)
• Schuyler: Frontier (10,127,788)
• (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:  36.22 main, 5.84 side

• Places with Railroad Service:  Richland, Rogers, Schuyler

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

Farmers Market:  Schuyler Farmers Market (June - October, Thursdays 3:30-5:30 p.m.)

Electricity Providers:  City of Schuyler, Cornhusker PPD, Cuming County PPD, Loup River PPD, Omaha PPD, Stanton County PPD

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

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells:  1,146  2024

Agricultural Wells per Square Mile:  2.78  2024

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation):  45  2024

Click for real time:

Streamflow data on the Platte River near Schuyler

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: $0.2545 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied: $5,841,258

Total local government property taxes levied: $32,921,228

Total countywide taxable valuation: $2,295,629,284

Click here for all levy rates in Colfax 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: Bruce Bostelman (District 23)

Standing Committees (click for scheduled committee hearings): 

• Natural Resources (chairperson)
• Transportation and Telecommunications

Select Committees:

• Committee on Committees

Special Committees: 

• Statewide Tourism and Recreation Water Access and Resource Sustainability

Other Committees:

• Rural Broadband Task Force (selected by the Executive Board of the Legislative Council)

Map and statistics for Legislative District 23

Map of all districts in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Colfax County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 12

Year Authorized: 1869

Year Organized: 1869

Etymology: Schuyler Colfax (U.S. Vice President)

    In 1869, the Nebraska Legislature divided Platte County and created Colfax County, naming the county and the county seat after the U.S. Vice President at the time, Schuyler Colfax. Prior to its organization, Colfax County was inhabited by several Native American tribes (including the Pawnee) and explored by members of the Astor party returning from the Pacific Northwest. Eventually, pioneers seeking land, gold, animal pelts, and trading opportunities began populating the early towns and villages; Colfax County was intersected by several historical transportation routes, including the Mormon Trail, the Oregon Trail, the transcontinental highway, and the first transcontinental highway.

     Like many Nebraska county seats, Schuyler owes its initial population boom to the westward expansion of the railroad. In fact, the railroad originally owned the entire site of the county seat. Schuyler would briefly become the terminus for the famous Texas-Nebraska cattle drives. Upon reaching the Colfax County seat, the cattle were loaded onto trains and shipped east to Chicago; the terminus was moved to Kearney shortly thereafter.

     Colfax County has always enjoyed a diverse population. In its earliest days, several Native American tribes inhabited the county, while in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the county witnessed an influx of Irish, German, Czech, and Polish immigrants. During the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the demographics again began changing as the county seat saw a rise in Hispanic, Somali, and Thai residents.

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

luke.bonkiewicz@nebraskacounties.org

Local Highlights

License Plate Number:  43

Time Zone:  Central

Zoned County:  Yes

Number of Veterans:  361  2023

Number of County-Owned Bridges:  230

Number of County-Owned Dams:  1

Election Data

General Election Turnout:  70.63%  2024

Total Registered Voters:  5,107  2024

Number of Precincts:  5  2022

Number of Election Day Polling Places:  5  2022

Land Area per Polling Place (avg.):  83.30 sq. miles

Intergovernmental Data

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

Natural Resource Districts: Lower Elkhorn NRD, Lower Platte North NRD

State Lands (acres): Whitetail WMA (216)

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)