Seward County

General

Population:  17,609
Land area (sq. mi.):  571.43
Population per square mile:  30.8

Race & Age

Race  2020

White: 93.0%
African American: 0.6%
American Indian: 0.2%
Asian: 0.3%
Hispanic: 2.8%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 0.0%
Two or More Races: 2.7%

Age  2020

0-17: 23.5%
18-64: 58.8%
65+: 17.7%

Households

Total households:  6,558  2020
With one child:  730  2022
With 2+ children:  1,270  2022
With seniors (65+):  1,880  2022

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita:  $59,292  2021
% of Population in Poverty:  7.6%  2022
# of Housing Units:  7,061  2020
2023 housing unit building permits:  54
Owner-occupied rate:  74.4%  2020
Median home price:  $240,450  Q1 2024

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem):  74.0%  2021

Seward County Historical Populations

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://www.sewardcountyne.gov/humanresources

High school graduate or higher:  94.7%  2020

School Districts:  Centennial Public Schools, Crete Public Schools, David City Public Schools, Dorchester Public Schools, East Butler Public Schools, Exeter-Milligan Public Schools, Friend Public Schools, Malcolm Public Schools, Milford Public Schools, Raymond Central Public Schools

Bachelor's degree or higher:  30.7%  2020

Community College Service Area:  Southeast Community College

Countywide child care capacity:  26 providers; 1,019 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.

Seward County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP): $745,294,000  2022

Nonfarm Small Business Receipts:  $113,216,103  2021

Nonfarm Wage Income:  $388,742,000  2021

Farm and Ranch Commodity Sales Receipts:  $388,829,000  2022

Farm and Ranch Operations (Non-Sales) Receipts:  $21,937,000  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):

• Bee: CVA (1,511,000)
• Cordova: Farmers (1,390,486)
• Milford (between Milford and Seward): Farmers (4,115,768)
• Pleasant Dale: Farmers (779,497)
• Tamora: CVA (5,736,000)
• (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:  70.41 main, 5.55 side

• Places with Railroad Service:  Milford, Pleasant, Staplehurst, Tamora, Utica

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

Cattle Producers:  245

• Pastureland Cash Rent (avg.):  $47/acre

Crop Producers:  235

• Dryland Cash Rent (avg.):  $188/acre
• Irrigated Land Cash Rent (avg.):  $300/acre

Dairy Producers:  5

Farmers Market:  Seward Farmers Market (May - October, Wednesdays s and Saturdays 5:00 - 7:00 PM and Saturdays, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

Electricity Providers:  City of Seward, Nebraska PPD, Norris PPD, Perennial PPD

Wind Turbines Operating (MW):  1 turbine (1,700 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 Seward County residents in other counties or states, but it excludes wages earned in Seward 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 Seward County for their production in other counties or states, but the figures exclude receipts reported for production in Seward County by producers operating principally in other counties or states.

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

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells:  1,572  2024

Agricultural Wells per Square Mile:  2.75  2024

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation):  352  2024

Click for real time:

Streamflow data on the West Fork of the Big Blue River near Dorchester

Click the section numbers in the grid below the map for annual groundwater levels.

Note: Geocodes in the map's squares are in the grid next to Township & Range (T&R).

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:  $0.2927 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied:  $10,549,054

Total local government property taxes levied:  $47,886,775

Total countywide taxable valuation:  $3,603,561,231

Federal PILT payment to Seward County (FY2024):  $2,287 regarding 683 federally-owned acres

Click here for all levy rates in Seward County

Agricultural Land Valuation Market Areas

Commercial Land Valuation Groups

Residential Land Valuation Groups

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: Jana Hughes (District 24)

Standing Committees (click for scheduled committee hearings): 

• Agriculture
• General Affairs
• Natural Resources

Select Committees:

• LR135 Select Interim Committee

Special Committees: 

• Building Maintenance

Map and statistics for Legislative District 24

Map of all districts in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Seward County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 9

Year Authorized: 1855

Year Organized: 1865

Etymology: William Seward (U.S. secretary of state)

The boundaries of what today is Seward County were defined by the Territorial Legislature on Jan. 26, 1856. The original name given to the county was Greene, after a Gen. Greene of Missouri. But when the Civil War broke out Gen. Greene joined the Confederacy so on Jan. 3, 1862, members of the Territorial Legislature voted to rename the county in honor of William A. Seward, Secretary of State under President Abraham Lincoln.

County organization began in 1865, but it was not until 1871 that a county seat was selected. The townsites of Seward, Milford and Camden each sought this honor. As can best be determined, the "election" that followed was simply a matter of "Seward, yea or nay." To quell any objections to the "election," a frame building was quickly put up to serve as a courthouse.

A unique part of Seward County's history was the development of the present courthouse and the benefactors who contributed to it.

As the number of county records accumulated, it became apparent that a larger fireproof building was needed. Several times between 1879 and 1900 the idea was proposed, but each time it failed due to the anticipated cost. In 1900, Lewis Moffitt, who owned the land on which the city of Seward is located, died. Moffitt's will stated that upon the death of his wife, Mary, his land should be sold and the money be used to build a courthouse and jail at a cost of not less than $100,000.

By 1904 a campaign was well under way to build the courthouse that Moffitt had envisioned. On Sept. 20, 1905, the cornerstone was laid amid a festive celebration that attracted what was estimated at between 8,000 and 10,000 people. As construction progressed there were numerous suggestions on how the county could show its appreciation to the Moffitts. Some even suggested renaming the county in their honor. It was ultimately decided that a plaque honoring the Moffitts be installed inside the courthouse. In 1980 the impressive building and tree-lined courthouse square that were the result of Moffitt's early vision celebrated its 75th anniversary.

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

luke.bonkiewicz@nebraskacounties.org

Local Highlights

License Plate Number:  16

Time Zone:  Central

Number of Veterans:  1,051  2023

Zoned County:  Yes

Number of County-Owned Bridges:  183

Number of County-Owned Dams:  6

Election Data

General Election Turnout:  80.46%  2024

Total Registered Voters:  11,599  2024

Number of Precincts:  16  2022

Number of Election Day Polling Places:  11  2022

Land Area per Polling Place:  52.35 sq. miles

Intergovernmental Data

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

Natural Resources Districts: Lower Platte South NRD, Upper Big Blue NRD

State Lands (acres): Blue River Rest Area EB (17.3), Blue River SRA (14), Branched Oak WMA (2,865.56 Lancaster & Seward), Burr Oak WMA (138.50), Goehner Rest Area WB (9.3), Oak Glen WMA (632.58), North Lake Basin WMA (364), Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center (156), Shypoke WMA (160), Straight Water WMA (240), Twin Lakes WMA (1,270)

Federal Lands (acres): Freeman Lakes WPA (350 Seward & York), Tamora WPA (283.38)

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)