Frontier County

General

Population: 2,519
Land area (sq. mi.): 974.63
Population per square mile: 2.6

Race & Age

Race  2020

White: 92.8%
African American: 0.7%
American Indian: 0.2%
Asian: 0.0%
Hispanic: 3.2%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 0.1%
Two or More Races: 2.8%

Age  2020

0-17: 19.8%
18-64: 55.5%
65+: 24.7%

Households

Total households:  1,048  2020
With one child:  90  2022
With 2+ children:  180  2022
With seniors (65+):  320  2022

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita:  $53,520  2021
% of Population in Poverty:  15.3%  2022
# of Housing Units:  1,395  2020
2023 housing unit building permits:  4
Owner-occupied rate:  71.9%  2020
Median home price:  $151,950  Q1 2024

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem):  29.6%  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:  1.6%  Sept. 2024

County Employment Website:  https://www.adamscounty.org/employment

High school graduate or higher:  94.9%  2020

School Districts:  Arapahoe Public Schools, Cambridge Public Schools, Elwood Public Schools, Eustis-Farnam Public Schools, Hayes Center Public Schools, Maywood Public Schools, McCook Public Schools, Medicine Valley Public Schools

Bachelor's degree or higher:  23.0%  2020

Community College Service Area:  Central Community College

County child care capacity:  4 providers; 75 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.

Frontier County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP):  $101,570,000  2022

Nonfarm Small Business Receipts:  $30,581,266  2021

• 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 a Frontier County business by commuters or teleworkers residing outside of Nebraska.

Nonfarm Wage Income:  $40,258,000  2022

Farm & Ranch Commodity Sales Receipts:  $180,689,000  2022

Farm & Ranch Operations (Non-Sales) Receipts:  $12,617,000  2022

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

Cattle Producers:  222

• Dryland Cash Rent (avg.):  $30/acre/yr  2024

Crop Producers:  116

• Dryland Cash Rent (avg.):  $60/acre/yr  2024
• Irrigated Land Cash Rent (avg.):  $207/acre/yr  2024

Grain Elevators by Location (bushels capacity):

• Eustis: Ag Valley (3,068,357)
• Maywood: Ag Valley (4,842,826)
• (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:  32.09 main, 3.66 side

• Places with Railroad Service:  Curtis, Eustis, Maywood, Moorefield

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

Oil Wells Producing (barrels of oil/yr.):  9 wells (14,681 barrels)  

Electricity Providers:  City of Curtis, Dawson PPD, McCook PPD, Southwest PPD, Twin Valleys PPD

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

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells:  958  2024

Irrigation/Livestock Wells per Square Mile:  0.98  2024

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation):  51  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 Valuation

County levy rate: $0.2264 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied: $2,265,499

Total local government property taxes levied: $12,891,593

Total countywide taxable valuation: $1,000,732,098

Federal PILT payment to Frontier County (FY2022): $46,833 regarding 13,989 federally-owned acres

Click here for all levy rates in Frontier 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)

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: Teresa J. Ibach (District 44)

Standing Committees (click for scheduled committee hearings): 

• Agriculture (vice chairperson)
• Business and Labor (vice chairperson)
• Nebraska Retirement Systems (vice chairperson)
• Judiciary

Select Committees:

• Rules

Special Committees: 

• Building Maintenance
• Legislature's Planning

Map and statistics for Legislative District 44

Map of all districts in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Frontier County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 2

Year Authorized: 1872

Year Organized: 1872

Etymology: Reference to its location as unorganized territory in Nebraska's southwest frontier.

     Frontier County may not have been Nebraska’s final frontier, but upon its founding in 1872, it represented some of the furthest western organized territory in the state. Many of the settlements in Frontier County drew their names from local settlers or the ranching livelihood of early residents. The city of Curtis, for example, takes its name from a local trapper, while the name of Stockville reflects the numerous livestock owned by the first ranchers.

     Like many Nebraska counties, the history of Frontier County featured confrontations between Native American tribes and European settlers moving west. In Frontier County, a band of Oglala were occupying territory near present-day Stockville when their chief and two other Oglala tribesman were killed; their murders were never solved. Soon after, the Oglala departed for a reservation and ranchers spread livestock over the abundant ranchland. The railroad soon followed.

     Frequently, the community that experiences a population boom due to the railroad often claims the county seat, but not so in Frontier County. Despite being founded over a decade after Stockville, Curtis grew much more rapidly due to its status a railroad town. Within three decades, Curtis had tripled in size while Stockville lost more than ten percent of its residents. Yet Stockville remained the county seat, surviving multiple calls over subsequent decades to move the seat to Curtis. Today, Stockville retains both the proud seat of Frontier County and the courthouse built in 1888.

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

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Local Highlights

License Plate Number:  60

Time Zone:  Central

Number of Veterans:  132  2023

Zoned County:  Yes

Number of County-Owned Bridges:  71

Number of County-Owned Dams:  8

Election Data

Voter Turnout:  76.24%  2024

Number of Registered Voters:  1,856  2024

Number of Precincts:  5  2022

Number of Election Day Polling Places:  5  2022

Land Area per Polling Place (avg.):  194.93 sq. miles

Intergovernmental Data

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

Natural Resource Districts: Middle Republican NRD, Central Platte NRD

State Lands (acres): Medicine Creek SRA (1,007), Medicine Creek WMA (7,487), Red Willow Reservoir SRA (1,358 Frontier & Red Willow), Red Willow Reservoir WMA (4,591 Frontier & Red Willow)

Federal Lands (acres): Medicine Creek Operations (449), Red Willow Reservoir Operations (141)

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)