Furnas County

General

Population:  4,636
Land area (sq. mi.):  719.13
Population per square mile:  6.4

Race & Age

Race  2020

White:  91.4%
African American:  0.2%
American Indian:  0.4%
Asian:  0.1%
Hispanic:  4.7%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander:  0.0%
Two or More Races:  3.1%

Age  2020

0-17:  23.5%
18-64:  57.7%
65+:  18.8%

Households

Total households:  2,049  2020
With one child:  190  2022
With 2+ children:  310  2022
With seniors (65+):  600  2022

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita:  $59,793  2021
% of Population in Poverty:  13.6%  2022
# of Housing Units:  2,518  2020
2023 housing unit building permits:  1
Owner-occupied rate:  73.2%  2020
Median home price:  $105,020  Q1 2024

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem):  57.9%  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:  1.9%  Sept. 2024

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

High school graduate or higher:  89.7%  2020

School Districts:  Alma Public Schools, Arapahoe Public Schools, Cambridge Public Schools, Southern Valley Schools, Southwest Public Schools

Bachelor's degree or higher:  19.0%  2020

Community College Service Area:  Central Community College

Countywide child care capacity:  13 providers; 199 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.

Furnas County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP):  $346,587,000  2022

Nonfarm Small Business Receipts:  $31,267,945  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 Furnas County business by commuters or teleworkers residing outside of Nebraska.

Nonfarm Wage Income:  $75,945,000  2022

Farm & Ranch Commodity Sales Receipts:  $211,251,000  2022

Farm & Ranch Operations (Non-Sales) Receipts:  $25,888,000  2022

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

Cattle Producers:  170

• Pastureland Cash Rent (avg.):  $32/acre/yr  

Crop Producers:  135

• Dryland Cash Rent (avg.):  $80/acre/yr  
• Irrigated Land Cash Rent (avg.):  $228/acre/yr  

Ethanol Plants (annual production capacity):  Nebraska Corn Processing (44 million gallons)

Grain Elevators by Location (bushels capacity):

• Arapahoe: Ag Valley (650,030)
• Edison: Ag Valley (10,975,391)
• Holbrook: Ag Valley (1,645,343)
• Oxford: Ag Valley (299,700)
• Wilsonville: Ag Valley (2,397,951)
• (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:  62.21 main, 13.88 side

• Places with Railroad Service:  Arapahoe, Beaver City, Cambridge, Edison, Hendley, Holbrook, Oxford, Wilsonville

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

Farmers Market:  Beaver City Farmers Market  (May 23 - Sept. 26, Saturdays 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

Oil Wells Producing (barrels of oil/yr):  26 wells (8,928 barrels)

Electricity Providers:  City of Arapahoe, City of Beaver City, City of Cambridge, Twin Valleys PPD, Village of Oxford

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

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells:  1,169  2024

Irrigation/Livestock Wells per Square Mile:  1.63  2024

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation):  59  2024

Click for real time:

Streamflow data on the Republican River at Cambridge

Streamflow data on Beaver Creek near Beaver City

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: $0.2960 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied: $3,375,761

Total local government property taxes levied: $15,624,868

Total countywide taxable valuation: $1,140,395,872

Federal PILT payment to Blaine County (FY2022): $4,697 regarding 1,403 federally-owned acres

Click here for all levy rates in Furnas 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: Dave Murman (District 38)

Standing Committees (click for scheduled committee hearings): 

• Education (chairperson)
• Revenue

Select Committees:

• Committee on Committees

Map and statistics for Legislative District 38

Map of all districts in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Furnas County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 2

Year Authorized: 1873

Year Organized: 1873

Etymology: Robert Furnas (Nebraska's 2nd governor)

     When Furnas County was founded in 1873, it already featured several growing communities, and the race for the county seat came down to two towns: Beaver City and Arapahoe. As with so many things in Nebraska, the election was influenced by weather. Despite being held in April, the election was marred by a snowstorm that prevented the ballots from Beaver City from being delivered and filed with the Secretary of State’s office. The Secretary of State excluded the Beaver City ballots, certified the election, and declared Arapahoe the winner. The victory was short-lived. A series of lawsuits and court orders quickly followed the election and lasted three years before Beaver City triumphed and claimed the county seat. Remarkably, dissension last another decade until a courthouse was built in Beaver City in 1888, cementing its place as the Furnas County seat.

     Furnas County is home to several colorful appellations, both past and present. While some namesakes are straightforward (e.g., Arapahoe named for the Native American tribe and Beaver City named for the abundant colonies of beavers in the area), some are more nuanced. Cambridge was originally called Pickletown, named after a J.A. Pickle, who platted the town. Pickle wanted to call the town Northwood, while others offered Scratchpot City and Lickskillet as suggestions. Wilsonville, named after two local merchants, was originally called Wild Turkey. Some former post offices were called Coldwater, Dudgeon, and Medicine Creek, while a local tributary was formerly known as Stealing Horse Creek. In more direct homage, the county's name pays tribute to the governor at the time, Robert Furnas.

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

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Local Highlights

License Plate Number:  38

Time Zone:  Central

Number of Veterans:  342  2023

Zoned County:  Yes

Number of County-Owned Bridges:  100

Number of County-Owned Dams:  6

Election Data

General Election Turnout:  73.21%  2024

Total Registered Voters:  3,344  2024

Number of Precincts:  8  2022

Number of Election Day Polling Places:  8  2022

Land Area per Polling Place (avg.):  89.89 sq. miles

Intergovernmental Data

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

Natural Resource District: Republican NRD

State Lands (acres): Burton's Bend WMA (77 Furnas, Harlan & Red Willow), Cambridge Diversion Dam (20), Oxford WMA (36)

Federal Lands (acres): Kenesaw WPA (231), Weseman WPA (163)

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)