Merrick County

General

Population:  7,665
Land area (sq. mi.):  487
Population per square mile:  15.7

Race and Age

Race  2020

White:  90.5%
African American:  0.5%
American Indian:  0.3%
Asian:  0.4%
Hispanic:  4.9%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander:  0.0%
Two or More Races:  3.4%

Age  2020

0-17:  21.9%
18-64:  56.8%
65+:  21.3%

Households

Total households:  3,072  2020
With one child:  380  2022
With 2+ children:  590  2022
With seniors (65+):  820  2022

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita:  $55,273  2021
% of Population in Poverty:  9.2%  2020
# of Housing Units:  3,548  2020
2023 housing unit building permits:  53
Owner-occupied rate:  76.6%  2020
Median home price:  $190,080  Q1 2024

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem):  72.0%  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:  1.8%  Sept. 2024

High school graduate or higher:  93.5%  2020

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

School Districts:  Central City Public Schools, Fullerton Public Schools, High Plains Community Schools, Northwest Public Schools, Palmer Public Schools, Twin River Public Schools

Bachelor's degree or higher:  17.0%  2020

Community College Service Area:  Central Community College

Countywide child care capacity:  10 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.

Merrick County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP):  $476,517,000  2022

Nonfarm Small Business Receipts:  $79,265,099  2021

Nonfarm Wage Income:  $153,347,000  2021

Farm and Ranch Commodity Sales Receipts:  $283,749,000  2022

Farm and Ranch Operations (Non-Sales) Receipts:  $10,163,000  2022

• For components of nonfarm small business receipts, nonfarm wage income, and farm & ranch commodity sales and operations receipts, see "Notes" below.

Ethanol Plants (annual production capacity):  Green Plains (135 million gallons)

Grain Elevators by Location (bushels capacity): 

• Central City: Aurora (1,818,000), Green Plains Warehouse (1,400,000)
• Chapman: Aurora (2,648,000)
• Clarks (Thumel siding): Viterra (5,906,000)
• Silver Creek: Frontier (3,435,543)
• (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:  115.38 main, 11.26 side

• Places with Railroad Service:  Archer, Central City, Chapman, Clarks, Palmer, Schafer, Silver Creek

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

Cattle Producers:  195

Crop Producers:  256

• Irrigated Land Cash Rent (avg.):  $279/acre

Dairy Producers:  1

Farmers Market:  Wild Roots Farmers Market (August 6 & September 3, Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

Electricity Providers:  City of Central City, City of Grand Island, Polk County Rural PPD, Southern PPD

Notes

• Nonfarm small business receipts are reported by partnerships and sole proprietorships. They do not include receipts reported by cooperative associations.
• Nonfarm wage income is reported based upon the wage earner's residential address; therefore, it also includes wages earned by Merrick County residents in other counties or states, but it excludes wages earned in Merrick County by residents of other counties or states.
• Nonfarm wage income excludes wages earned by anyone claimed as a dependent.
• Farm and ranch commodity sales receipts and operations receipts are reported based upon the farm or ranch owner's principal county of operations; therefore, those figures also include receipts reported by producers operating principally in Merrick County for their production in other counties or states, but the figures exclude receipts reported for production in Merrick County by producers operating principally in other counties or states.

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

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells:  5,256  2024

Irrigation/Livestock Wells per Square Mile:  10.79  2024

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation):  16  2024

Click for real time:

Streamflow data on the Platte River at the southwest corner of Merrick County

Streamflow data on Warm Slough near Central City

Streamflow data on Silver Creek near U.S. Hwy 30 & Z Rd.

Streamflow data on Prairie Creek at NE Hwy 39

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:  $0.2154 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied:  $4,344,693

Total local government property taxes levied:  $25,029,631

Total countywide taxable valuation:  $2,017,115,889

Click here for all levy rates in Merrick 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: Loren Lippincott (District 34)

Standing Committees (click for scheduled committee hearings): 

• Appropriations

Map and statistics for Legislative District 34

Map of all districts in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Merrick County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 8

Year Authorized: 1858

Year Organized: 1864

Etymology: Elvira Merrick (wife of Nebraska legislator)

Merrick County could literally be called a "panhandle" county, but not because of Nebraskans' general reference to the 11 counties which are located in the state's Panhandle region. Rather, a series of events at the time Merrick County's boundaries were created resulted in the county having narrow "panhandles" on both the northwest and northeast corners.

When the Legislature laid out the county in 1858, the northern boundary was a straight line. The preceding year a reservation had been established for the Pawnee tribe and Merrick County took in about half the reservation. As the Pawnee tribe gradually moved to Oklahoma, the Legislature adopted an act to create Nance County from the southern 180 square miles of reservation, all of which were located within Merrick County. Since the Pawnees had wanted both banks of the Loup River included in their reservation, the boundary line was jogged to roughly parallel the Platte River. Thus, Merrick County today has a jagged northern boundary, with narrow "panhandles" on both corners.

The county's history dates back to the pioneers who were headed west along the Oxbow Trail. The Western State Company used this route to carry mail between Omaha and Fort Kearny. It established a station about three miles southwest of what today is Central City. Known as "Lone Tree Station" because of a lone cottonwood tree, it became a welcome resting point for weary travelers.

When Merrick County was established, it was named in honor of Elvira Merrick, wife of territorial legislator Henry W. DePuy of Dodge County. At the same time, a settlement name Elvira was named the county seat. The advancement of the railroad contributed much to the development of Central City, a town given this name because it was centrally located in the agriculture region of the state. With its development, Central City became the county seat and eventually Elvira ceased to exist.

Before a courthouse was built in the 1870s, county offices were housed in the residences of various officials.

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

luke.bonkiewicz@nebraskacounties.org

Local Highlights

License Plate Number:  46

Time Zone:  Central

Number of Veterans:  494  2023

Zoned County:  Yes

Number of County-Owned Bridges:  151

Number of County-Owned Dams:  1

Election Data

General Election Turnout:  83.73%  2024

Total Registered Voters:  5,302  2024

Number of Precincts:  15  2022

Number of Election Day Polling Places (2020): All Voting by Mail

Intergovernmental Data

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

Natural Resource Districts: Central Platte NRD, Lower Loup NRD

State Lands (acres): Dr. Bruce Cowgill WMA (216.67)

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)