- General Info
- Demographics
- Education and Employment
- Valuation and Taxes Levied
- State Senators
- History
- County Programs
- Other Information
Deuel County Seat (pop.): Chappell (844)
Cities, Towns, and Villages (pop.): Big Springs (394)
Courthouse Address and Hours:
718 3rd Street
Chappell, Nebraska 69129
M-F 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
County Board Chairperson: Steven Fischer
Complete list of county board members
County Board Meetings: 1st & 3rd Tuesday
View the County's Government Maps
NACO District: Panhandle
District President: Rich Flores, Kimball County Commissioner
District Vice President: Susanna Batterman, Morrill County Commissioner
District Secretary: Kelly Sides, Scotts Bluff County Clerk
District Treasurer: Beth Fiegenschuh, Cheyenne County Clerk
NACO Board Representatives: Steve Burke, Box Butte County Commissioner
General
Population: 1,865
Land area (sq. mi.): 439.85
Population per square mile: 4.2
Race
White: 89.0%
African American: 0.4%
American Indian: 1.6%
Asian: 0.4%
Hispanic: 8.4%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 0.0%
Age
0-17: 21.8%
18-64: 50.7%
65+: 27.5%
Socioeconomics
Personal income per capita: $46,093
% of Population in Poverty: 10.3%
# of Housing Units: 1,048
Owner-occupied rate: 78.4%
Median home price: $106,070
Technology
Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem): 0.0%
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://co.deuel.ne.us/webpages/links/public_notices.html
High school graduate or higher: 89.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 20.7%
School Districts: Creek Valley Schools, South Platte Public Schools
Countywide child care capacity: 2 providers; 49 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.
Deuel County Economy
Annual Gross Domestic Product (2020): $81,100,000
Ag. Producers (Cattle): 49
Ag. Producers (Crop): 38
Grain Co-ops and Purchasers: Ag Valley, FVC
Local Grain Market: Click for today's grain prices in Deuel County
Electricity Providers: City of Chappell, Highline Electric Association, Nebraska PPD, Wheat Belt PPD
Rail-served Communities: Big Springs, Chappell
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 Valuation
County levy rate: $0.4704 per $100 of taxable valuation
County property taxes levied: $2,008,172
Total local government property taxes levied: $6,410,560
Total countywide taxable valuation: $426,862,014
Click here for all levy rates in Deuel 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)
Committees: Agriculture, Business and Labor, Government, Military and Veterans Affairs
Map and statistics for Legislative District 47
Map of all districts in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Deuel County History
Number of Registered Historic Places: 5
Year Authorized: 1889
Year Organized: 1889
Etymology: Deuel family (early Nebraska settlers)
Prior to the arrival of European settlers, Deuel County was the hunting ground of the Oglala and Brule tribes. As more and more pioneers moved into western Nebraska, frequent battles erupted between the settlers claiming land tracts and Native Americans protecting their ancestral homes.
Originally, Deuel County composed the eastern part of Cheyenne County. At the time of its founding in 1889, Deuel County also included Garden County until 1909. At that time, Garden County split away, leaving the southern settlements to Deuel County.
The county seat, Chappell, was named after Charles Henry Chappell, a key railroad official charged with numerous construction projects in western Nebraska. According to local accounts, shipments would arrive near the end of the line bearing very simple directions: “Send to Chappell.” The moniker stuck, and the settlement forever bore the railroad man’s name. The county itself was also named after a railroad official: Henry Deuel.
However, designation of the county seat was another matter. Following the organization of Deuel County, three towns vied to become the county seat during a special election: Chappell, Big Springs, and Froid. Although Chappell had 275 eligible voters and Big Springs had 200 eligible voters, the special election witnessed remarkable and dubious tallies. Chappell reported over three thousand votes for their town while Big Springs claimed over five thousand votes. Deuel County’s early integrity apparently persisted in Froid though, which reported just under three hundred votes. Due to the obvious deceit in election reporting, a judge ordered a new election. Ultimately, it would take two more elections before Chappell claimed the prize as county seat.
Today, Deuel County is a farming community responsible for growing oats, millet, milo, alfalfa, but most of all, wheat. Deuel County’s prodigious wheat production supports its motto: Deuel County, Where Wheat is King.
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License Plate Number: 78
Time Zone: Mountain
Zoned County: Yes
Number of Veterans: 149
Voter Turnout (2022): 54.54%
Emergency Mgt. Planning, Exercise and Training (PET) Region: Panhandle
Number of County-Owned Bridges: 16
Number of County-Owned Dams: 1
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)