Sioux County

General

Population:  1,135
Land area (sq. mi.):  2,066.72
Population per square mile:  0.5

Race and Age

Race  2020

White: 93.0%
African American: 0.0%
American Indian: 0.2%
Asian: 0.4%
Hispanic: 3.8%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 0.2%
Two or More Races: 0.2%

Age  2020

0-17: 17.4%
18-64: 52.4%
65+: 30.2%

Households

Total households:  515  2020
With one child:  40  2022
With 2+ children:  50  2022
With seniors (65+):  130  2022

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita:  $65,775  2021
% of Population in Poverty:  16.1%  2022
# of Housing Units:  705  2020
2023 housing unit building permits:  1
Owner-occupied rate:  71.1%  2020
Median home price:  $159,110  Q1 2024

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem):  9.2%  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:  2.0%  Sept. 2024

County Employment Website:  https://nebraskacounties.org/nebraska-counties/county-employment-opportunities.html

High school graduate or higher:  95.2%  2020

School Districts:  Crawford Public Schools, Mitchell Public Schools, Morrill Public Schools, Sioux County Public Schools

Bachelor's degree or higher:  26.7%  2020

Community College Service Area:  Western Community College

Sioux County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP):  $88,543,000  2022

Nonfarm Small Business Receipts:  $7,114,032  2021

Nonfarm Wage Income:  $16,184,000  2022

Farm and Ranch Commodity Sales Receipts:  $167,879,000  2022

Farm and Ranch Operations (Non-Sales) Receipts:  $4,063,000  2022

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

Railroad Miles:  46.40 main, 1.27 side

• Places with Railroad Service:  Joder siding (former Orella townsite)

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

Cattle Producers:  189

• Pastureland Cash Rent (avg.):  $11/acre  2024

Crop Producers:  123

Oil Wells Producing (barrels of oil/yr):  2 wells (546 barrels)

Electricity Providers:  Chimney Rock PPD, Nebraska PPD, Niobrara Electric Association, Northwest Rural PPD, PREMA, Village of Morrill, Wyrulec Company

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

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

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells:  573  2024

Agricultural Wells per Square Mile:  0.28  2024

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation):  305  2024

Click for real time:

Streamflow data on the Niobrara River at Agate

Groundwater level data near U.S. Hwy 20 & county's western border (8.5 mi. west of Harrison)

Groundwater level data near Henderson Rd. & Ore Rd. (43.5 mi. southeast of Harrison)

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)

2022 Levies and Valuation

County levy rate:  $0.2191 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied:  $1,522,328

Total local government property taxes levied:  $7,974,941

Total countywide taxable valuation:  $694,883,509

Federal PILT payment to Sioux County (FY2024):  $253,00 regarding 88,076 federally-owned acres

Federal SRS payment to Sioux County (FY 2024):  $5,201.63 regarding the Nebraska National Forest

Click here for all levy rates in Sioux 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-Elect: Paul E. Strommen

State Senator: Steve Erdman (District 47)

Standing Committees (click for scheduled committee hearings): 

• Appropriations

Select Committees:

• Rules (chairperson)
• Committee on Committees

Map and statistics for Legislative District 47

Map of all districts in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Sioux County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 6

Year Authorized: 1877

Year Organized: 1877

Etymology: Sioux Native American tribe

Once known as Beauvais Terras, or badlands, it would take nearly 20 years after Nebraska was admitted to the Union before action would be taken to organize this northwest region of the state. In fact, for many years the area known as Sioux County actually consisted of what today are 13 separate counties, stretching from Holt County westward to Wyoming.

This area had been primarily left to the Sioux Indian tribe before the mid 1800s. The present Sioux County was long a base of operations for many of the Indian raids throughout Northwest Nebraska. It was also in the county that the Indians made their final peace with the white man.

The boundaries for the initial Sioux County were established by the Legislature in 1877. In February 1885 they were redefined to reflect the current boundaries.

With the railroad passing through the county the following year, a tent town known as Bowen sprang up along the line. Years later it would become known as Harrison and the site of the county seat. Five sites vied to become the county seat and several interesting stories resulted. Bowen and Bodarc, located 12 miles to the northwest, were the principal contenders. Others were Andrews, Montrose and the S-E Ranch.

When the election was conducted in January 1887, an old-time cowboy was assigned to take Bodarc ballots to a polling site 50 miles away. He stopped for the night in Bowen, where townspeople kept him at the card table with ample liquor. The following morning he was handed another bottle and sent on his way. He arrived at the polling site to discover his Bodarc ballots had been replaced by Bowen ballots. Bowen easily won.

When it came time for a $10,000 bond issue election to build a courthouse, a similar incident occurred. Before the ballots could be counted, several men allegedly switched ballot boxes and the bond issue won easily.

The first courthouse was built in 1888 and stood for 42 years. In 1930 the present courthouse was constructed.

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

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Local Highlights

License Plate Number:  80

Time Zone:  Mountain

Number of Veterans:  72  2023

Zoned County:  Yes

Number of County-Owned Bridges:  25

Election Data

General Election Turnout:  81.16%  2024

Total Registered Voters:  844  2024

Number of Precincts:  2  2022

Number of Election Day Polling Places:  2  2022

Land Area per Polling Place (avg.):  1,033.68 sq. miles

Intergovernmental Data

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

Natural Resource District: North Platte NRD, Upper Niobrara-White NRD

State Lands (acres): Fort Robinson State Park (22,332.72 Sioux & Dawes), Fort Robinson WMA (640), Gilbert-Baker WMA (2,535), Peterson WMA (4,261), Sioux County Experimental Range (800)

Federal Lands (acres): Agate Fossile Beds National Monument (2,737.52), Ogalala National Grassland (94,397 Sioux & Dawes), Pine Ridge Ranger District National Forest (94,397 Dawes & Sioux), Soldier Creek Wilderness Area (9,653), Toadstool Park (324)

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)