Saline County

General

Population:  14,192
Land area (sq. mi.):  574.06
Population per square mile:  24.9

Race

Race  2020

White: 65.5%
African American: 0.9%
American Indian: 0.3%
Asian: 1.9%
Hispanic: 28.5%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 0.3%
Two or More Races: 2.4%

Age  2020

0-17: 26.0%
18-64: 58.6%
65+: 15.4%

Households

Total households:  5,222  2020
With one child:  850  2022
With 2+ children:  1,120  2022
With seniors (65+):  1,370  2022

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita:  $51,895  2021
% of Population in Poverty:  9.0%  2022
# of Housing Units:  5,714  2020
2023 housing unit building permits:  20
Owner-occupied rate:  70.6%  2020
Median home price:  $160,490  Q1 2024

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem):  82.8%  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://co.saline.ne.us/webpages/links/public_notices.html

High school graduate or higher:  82.0%  2020

School Districts:  Crete Public Schools, Dorchester Public Schools, Exeter-Milligan Public Schools, Friend Public Schools, Meridian Public Schools, Milford Public Schools, Tri County Public Schools, Wilber-Clatonia Public Schools

Bachelor's degree or higher:  19.2%  2020

Community College Service Area:  Southeast Community College

Countywide child care capacity:  17 providers; 451 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.

Saline County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP):  $1,140,213,000  2022

Nonfarm Small Business Receipts:  $74,380,515  2021

Nonfarm Wage Income:  $282,319,000  2021

Farm and Ranch Commodity Sales Receipts:  $247,640,000  2022

Farm and Ranch Operations (Non-Sales) Receipts:  $12,597,000  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):

• Crete: Bunge Milling (1,894,000)
• Dorchester: Farmers Cooperative (6,855,106)
• Friend: Farms Union (3,226,490)
• Swanton: Farmers Cooperative (1,330,247)
• Western: Farmers Cooperative (220,839)
• Wilber: Farmers Cooperative (2,736,130)
• (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:  150.46 main, 186.88 side

• Places with Railroad Service:  Crete, DeWitt, Dorchester, Friend, Wilber

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

Cattle Producers:  254

• Pastureland Cash Rent (avg.):  $46/acre

Crop Producers:  299

• Dryland Cash Rent (avg.):  $154/acre
• Irrigated Land Cash Rent (avg.):  $292/acre

Dairy Producers:  1

Farmers Markets: 

• Crete Farmers Market (May - November, Thursdays 2:00 - 5:30 p.m.; Thurs)
• Friend Farmers Market (June - October, Tuesdays and Saturdays 4:30 - 8:30 p.m.)
• Wilber Farmers Market (June - October, Tuesdays 4 - 6:30 p.m.)

Electricity Providers:  City of Crete, City of Friend, City of Wilber, Norris PPD, Village of De Witt, Village of Dorchester

Wind Turbines Operating (MW):  94 turbines (286,250 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 Saline County residents in other counties or states, but it excludes wages earned in Saline 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 Saline County for their production in other counties or states, but the figures exclude receipts reported for production in Saline County by producers operating principally in other counties or states.

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

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells:  1,369  2024

Agricultural Wells per Square Mile:  2.38  2024

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation):  312  2024

Click for real time:

Streamflow data on the Big Blue River near Crete

Groundwater level data at W. Line St. & W 11th St. in Dorchester

Groundwater level data near NE Hwy 41 & County Rd. 1200 (6 mi. north of the village of Western)

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:  $0.3053 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied:  $7,972,884

Total local government property taxes levied:  $38,516,568

Total countywide taxable valuation:  $2,611,394,188

Click here for all levy rates in Saline 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: Tom Brandt (District 32)

Standing Committees (click for scheduled committee hearings): 

• Natural Resources
• Transportation and Telecommunications

Map and statistics for Legislative District 32

Map of all districts in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Saline County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 20

Year Authorized: 1855

Year Organized: 1867

Etymology: Mistakenly named for apocryphal salt springs and deposits in the area

Saline County was created by an act of the Territorial Legislature in January 1855 and was officially organized in February 1867, the year Nebraska was admitted to the Union. The county derives its name from a belief held by the early pioneers that great salt springs and deposits could be found in the area. The pioneers' supposition, however, proved to be false.

At the time Saline County was organized, the settlement of Swan City was designated to serve as the county seat. This settlement was located just west of the present day DeWitt. Swan City would be the first of three sites that would serve as the home of the county's government.

In 1871 an election was called to settle a contest that had developed over where the county seat should be located. Vying for the honor were Swan City, Crete, Dorchester and Pleasant Hill. Voters selected the latter settlement and in July of that year county records were moved from Swan City to Pleasant Hill.

Within six years this issue would surface once more and a special election would be called for Sept. 4, 1877. In the first of what would be three elections that year, Pleasant Hill, Crete, Wilber, Dorchester, Friend and Center competed. Since none of the sites received a majority vote, another election was held two weeks later. This time voters were asked to choose from Pleasant Hill, Crete and Wilber. Once again a majority was not gained by any of the three and the election served only to eliminate Pleasant Hill. Finally, during the Nov. 6 general election, Wilber won out over Crete with a majority of 230 votes.

Pleasant Hill would not easily relinquish the county records, however. On Jan. 28, 1878, a contingent of 300 people representing Wilber drove 160 wagons and teams to Pleasant Hill to secure the records. Due to this show of strength and force, Pleasant Hill finally succumbed.

The cornerstone for the present courthouse in Wilber was laid on June 5, 1928 and 12 months later the building was formally dedicated.

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

luke.bonkiewicz@nebraskacounties.org

Communities and Development

License Plate Number:  22

Time Zone:  Central

Number of Veterans:  604  2023

Zoned County:  Yes

Number of County-Owned Bridges:  253

Number of County-Owned Dams:  1

Election Data

General Election Turnout:  72.83%  2024

Total Registered Voters:  7,952  2024

Number of Precincts:  9  2022

Number of Election Day Polling Places:  7  2022

Land Area per Polling Place (avg.):  82.33 sq. miles

Intergovernmental Data

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

Natural Resource Districts: Lower Big Blue NRD, Upper Big Blue NRD

State Lands (acres): Divoky Acres WMA (160), Swan Creek WMA (160)

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)