Platte County

General

Population:  34,296
Land area (sq. mi.):  674.05
Population per square mile:  50.9

Race and Age

Race  2020

White:  74.6%
African American:  1.0%
American Indian:  0.3%
Asian:  0.6%
Hispanic:  21.1%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander:  0.0%
Two or More Races:  2.1%

Age  2020

0-17:  26.4%
18-64:  55.8%
65+:  17.8%

Households

Total households:  13,313  2020
With one child:  1,980  2022
With 2+ children:  2,660  2022
With seniors (65+):  3,530  2022

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita:  $56,218  2021
% of Population in Poverty:  9.9%  2022
# of Housing Units:  14,094  2020
2023 housing unit building permits:  61
Owner-occupied rate:  72.0%  2020
Median home price:  $225,590  Q1 2024

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem):  84.7%  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://plattecounty.net/webpages/links/public_notices.html

High school graduate or higher:  90.9%  2020

School Districts:  Columbus Public Schools, Humphrey Public Schools, Lakeview Community Schools, Leigh Community Schools, Madison Public Schools, Newman Grove Public Schools, Twin River Public Schools, St. Edward Public Schools

Bachelor's degree or higher:  23.4%  2020

Community College Service Area:  Central Community College

Countywide child care capacity:  58 providers; 1,875 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.

Platte County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP):  $3,245,307,000  2022

Nonfarm Small Business Receipts:  $741,270,351  2021

Nonfarm Wage Income:  $822,131,000  2021

Farm and Ranch Commodity Sales Receipts:  $1,042,211,000  2022

Farm and Ranch Operations (Non-Sales) Receipts:  $24,618,000  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):  ADM (100 million gallons), VCP Corn Processing (313 million gallons)

Grain Elevators by Location (bushels capacity):

• Columbus: ADM (3,200,000), Frontier (2,543,636)
• Duncan: CVA (67,000), Frontier (582,059)
• Humphrey: CVA (2,697,000)
• Lindsay: Farmers (5,998,938)
• Monroe: CVA (8,147,000)
• Tarnov: Frontier (1,182,630)
• (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:  115.76 main, 29.40 side

• Places with Railroad Service:  Columbus, Duncan, Humphrey, Monroe, Platte Center, Tarnov

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

Cattle Producers:  267

Crop Producers:  465

• Dryland Cash Rent (avg.):  $240/acre  2024

Dairy Producers:  2

Farmers Markets:

• Columbus Farmers Market (May - October, Saturdays 7:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
• Market23 (Tuesdays - Fridays 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.)

Electricity Providers:  Cornhusker PPD, Elkhorn Rural PPD, Loup River PPD

Wind Turbines Operating (MW):  7 turbines (13,700 MW total)

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 Platte County residents in other counties or states, but it excludes wages earned in Platte 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 Platte County for their production in other counties or states, but the figures exclude receipts reported for production in Platte County by producers operating principally in other counties or states.

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

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells:  2,405  2024

Agricultural Wells per Square Mile:  3.57  2024

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation):  39  2024

Click for real time:

Streamflow data on the Platte River near Duncan

Streamflow data on Shell Creek near Columbus

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:  $0.1968 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied:  $12,924,921

Total local government property taxes levied:  $88,201,979

Total countywide taxable valuation:  $6,566,933,402

Click here for all levy rates in Platte 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: Mike Moser (District 22)

Standing Committees (click for scheduled committee hearings): 

• Natural Resources
• Transportation and Telecommunications

Select Committees:

• Committee on Committees

Map and statistics for Legislative District 22

Map of all districts in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Platte County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 22

Year Authorized: 1856

Year Organized: 1856

Etymology: Platte River (French word for "flat")

Named after the Platte River which makes up its southern boundary, Platte County was officially established by the Legislature on Jan. 26, 1856. Three years later its boundaries were redefined to include an area to the west known as Monroe County, giving the county its present boundaries.

In the summer of 1856, advance agents from the Columbus Town Company came to the area from Columbus, Ohio. Upon reaching the Loup River the agents marked the site for a future town to be called Columbus. The new settlement quickly grew and soon had a mill, hotel and general store. The first meeting of the Board of Commissioners was conducted in December 1857 in a log house and it would be more than 10 years before the county would have a courthouse.

When the Union Pacific Railroad headed west through Columbus in 1866, the area's growth accelerated at a faster pace. The following year a special election was held to approve the issuance of $16,000 in bonds to build a courthouse and jail. Construction was completed in 1870.
Another boost to the county came in 1881 when the Atchison and Nebraska Branch of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad constructed a rail line connecting Columbus with Lincoln. Columbus rapidly became a flourishing railroad center and commerce hub.

The courthouse that was completed in 1870 was soon outgrown by the county. On June 26, 1922, the current courthouse was dedicated. The Grecian-Ionic style structure occupied a quarter-block in downtown Columbus when it opened. But in the early 1970s, the need for additional space once again became apparent and a $1.76 million addition opened in September 1976. The two-story addition houses the sheriff's office, civil defense office, County Board room, treasurer's office and the courtrooms.

Platte County enjoys a diverse economy today. Farming and livestock production, along with manufacturing, lead the way. Among the many manufacturing operations to locate in the county is Lindsay Irrigation, known worldwide for its center pivot systems.

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

luke.bonkiewicz@nebraskacounties.org

Local Highlights

License Plate Number:  10

Time Zone:  Central

Number of Veterans:  1,527  2023

Zoned County:  No

Number of County-Owned Bridges:  368

Number of County-Owned Dams:  1

Election Data

General Election Turnout:  76.80%  2024

Total Registered Voters:  20,823  2024

Number of Precincts:  27  2022

Number of Election Day Polling Places:  25  2022

Land Area per Polling Place (avg.):  27.38 sq. miles

Intergovernmental Data

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

Natural Resource Districts: Central Platte NRD, Lower Elkhorn NRD, Lower Loup NRD, Lower Platte North NRD

State Lands (acres): Flat Water Landing WMA (6), George D. Syas WMA (899.80), Lee Rupp WMA (67), Wilkinson WMA (939.57)

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)