Nuckolls County

General

Population:  4,060
Land area (sq. mi.):  575.16
Population per square mile:  7.1

Race and Age

Race  2020

White: 93.7%
African American: 0.1%
American Indian: 0.1%
Asian: 0.1%
Hispanic: 2.9%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 0.0%
Two or More Races: 2.9%

Age  2020

0-17: 20.2%
18-64: 52.5%
65+: 27.2%

Households

Total households:  1,894  2020
With one child:  220  2022
With 2+ children:  240  2022
With seniors (65+):  630  2022

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita:  $63,433  2021
% of Population in Poverty:  10.9%  2022
# of Housing Units:  2,216  2020
2023 housing unit building permits:  8
Owner-occupied rate:  78.6%  2020
Median home price:  $108,180  Q1 2024

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem):  60.4%  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

County Employment Website:  https://nuckollscounty.ne.gov/about-us/

High school graduate or higher:  92.8%  2020

School Districts:  Bruning-Davenport Unified System, Deshler Public Schools, Superior Public Schools, Thayer Central Community Schools, South Central Nebraska Unified 5

Bachelor's degree or higher:  23.5%  2020

Community College Service Area:  Central Community College

Countywide child care capacity:  6 providers; 120 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.

Nuckolls County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP): $330,813,000  2022

Nonfarm Small Business Receipts:  $28,090,572  2021

Nonfarm Wage Income:  $71,684,000  2021

Farm and Ranch Commodity Sales Receipts:  $210,804,000  2022

Farm and Ranch Operations (Non-Sales) Receipts:  $9,935,000  2022

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

Grain Elevators by Location (bushel capacity):

• Edgar (Sedan): Aurora (6,011,000)
• Hardy: Aurora (363,000)
• Ruskin: CPI (4,341,000)
• Superior: Agrex (3,682,000), Aurora (867,000), Aurora (6,870,000)
• (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:  26.91 main, 8.61 side

• Places with Railroad Service:  Superior

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

Cattle Producers: 221

• Pastureland Cash Rent (avg.): $40/acre  2024

Crop Producers: 162

• Dryland Cash Rent (avg.): $158/acre  2024
• Irrigated Land Cash Rent (avg.): $306/acre  2024

Dairy Producers: 2

Farmers Market: Superior Farmers Market (Saturdays 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.)

Electricity Providers: City of Nelson, City of Superior, South Central 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 Nuckolls County residents in other counties or states, but it excludes wages earned in Nuckolls 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 Nuckolls County for their production in other counties or states, but the figures exclude receipts reported for production in Nuckolls County by producers operating principally in other counties or states.

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

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells:  999  2024

Agricultural Wells per Square Mile:  1.74  2024

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation):  193  2024

Click for real time:

Streamflow data on the Courtland Canal at the Nebraska-Kansas Stateline

Streamflow data on the Little Blue River near Deweese

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:  $0.2646 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied:  $3,182,156

Total local government property taxes levied:  $15,412,339

Total taxable valuation:  $1,202,635,338

Federal PILT payment to Nuckolls County (FY2024):  $3,006 regarding 898 federally-owned acres

Click here for all levy rates in Nuckolls 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

Nuckolls County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 7

Year Authorized: 1860

Year Organized: 1871

Etymology: Nuckolls brothers (Lafayette and Stephen, legislator and businessman/slaveowner, respectively)

Prior to being organized in 1871, the area which today is Nuckolls County was the scene of some of the most fierce Indian raids ever recorded in the south central portion of Nebraska. The largest raid, recorded on Aug. 7, 1864, is said to have stretched from Gage County to Denver. By 1867, the area was virtually abandoned. By the 1870s the situation had greatly improved and settlers once again began to inhabit the area.

Nuckolls County is named in honor of the Nuckolls brothers. Lafayette Nuckolls, at age 19, became a member of the first Territorial Legislature while his brother, Stephen, was a pioneer Nebraska settler, businessman and banker.

The Little Blue River, which passes through the northeast corner of the county, led to much of the settlement that pre-dated the Indian raids. Mormons passed through this area on their way to Salt Lake City. Thus the Oregon Trail was created and in 1858 the government began using it for transporting supplies to frontier military posts. The following year the Pony Express began following this route.

E.S. Comstock is widely credited for the early development of this area. In 1856 Comstock established the first stage station at Oak, along the Little Blue River. Eventually a post office and a Chicago and Northwestern Railroad station were located in Oak. Following the Indian raids and subsequent return of the settlers, the area began to prosper.

About this same time the county's boundaries were established by the Legislature, although it was be another 11 years before the county was officially organized. The county's first election was held June 21, 1871 under a giant elm tree near the settlement of Oak. For the next several years, all county business would be conducted from the home of D.W. Montgomery, who had been elected surveyor. In 1874, as the population began to spread over the county, voters selected Nelson as the county seat. Nelson, which was surveyed only the year before, was located in the center of the county and was more accessible to settlers.

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Local Highlights

License Plate Number:  42

Time Zone:  Central

Zoned County:  No

Number of Veterans:  318  2023  

Number of County-Owned Bridges:  219

Number of County-Owned Dams:  1

Election Data

General Election Turnout:  73.51%  2024

Total Registered Voters:  3,119  2024

Number of Precincts:  4  2022

Number of Election Day Polling Places:  4  2022

Land Area per Polling Place (avg.):  95.86 sq. miles  

Intergovernmental Data

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

Natural Resource Districts: Little Blue NRD, Lower Republic NRD

State Lands (acres): Smartweed Marsh WMA (160.22), Smartweed Marsh West WMA (38.57)

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)