Thayer County

General

Population: 4,913
Land area (sq. mi.): 573.81
Population per square mile: 8.8

Race and Age

Race

White: 94.7%
African American: 0.2%
American Indian: 0.2%
Asian: 0.2%
Hispanic: 2.7%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 0.0%
Two or More Races: 1.8%

Age

0-17: 22.9%
18-64: 52.1%
65+: 25.0%

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita: $63,828
% of Population in Poverty: 9.8%
# of Housing Units: 2,498
Owner-occupied rate: 79.5%
Median home price: $82,560

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem): 45.6%

Sources: National Association of Realtors, Nebraska Library Commission, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Census Bureau

Employment, Schools, and Child Care

Unemployment rate: 1.7% (as of September 2022)

County Employment Website: https://thayercountyne.gov/current-job-openings/

High school graduate or higher: 92.8%

School Districts: Bruning-Davenport Unified System, Deshler Public Schools, Fairbury Public Schools, Meridian Public Schools, Shickley Public Schools, Superior Public Schools, Thayer Central Community Schools

Bachelor's degree or higher: 20.9%

Community College Service Area: Southeast Community College

Countywide child care capacity: 13 providers; 189 children

Find child care: For a list of child care providers in your zip code, visit Nebraska DHHS or the Nebraska Resource and Referral System.

Thayer County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (2020): $371,201,000

Cattle Producers: 157

• Pastureland Cash Rent (avg.): $41/acre

Crop Producers: 206

• Dryland Cash Rent (avg.): $277/acre

Grain Co-ops and Purchasers: Aurora Cooperative

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

Farmers Market: Hebron Farmers Market (July - September, Saturdays 7:00 a.m. - sellout)

Electricity Providers: City of Deshler, City of Fairbury, City of Hebron, City of Hubbell, Norris PPD, South Central PPD, Village of Chester, Village of Davenport

Rail-served Communities: Alexandria, Belvidere, Carleton, Davenport

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

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells: 1,780

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation): 157

Click for real time:

Streamflow data on the Little Blue River at County Line near Deshler

Sources: National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA), Nebraska Cooperative Council, Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, Nebraska Department of Transportation, Nebraska Office of the CIO, Nebraska Power Review Board, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau

2022 Levies and Valuation

County levy rate: $0.1452 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied: $2,783,047

Total local government property taxes levied: $20,148,071

Total countywide taxable valuation: $1,906,233,586

Click here for all levy rates in Thayer 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

Thayer County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 2

Year Authorized: 1871

Year Organized: 1871

Etymology: John Thayer (Nebraska's 7th governor)

The area that is known today as Thayer County was first established by the Territorial Legislature in 1856. It would be another 14 years before it would become known as Thayer County, however.

Legislators originally designated the area as Jefferson County, while the present Jefferson County, neighboring to the east, was designated as Jones County. In 1867, when Nebraska was admitted to the Union, Jefferson and Jones Counties were united to become one, under the Jefferson name. Then in 1870 the Legislature once again separated the two. What was originally called Jones took the name Jefferson and retained the old county records. The initial Jefferson became known as Thayer, in honor of Gen. John Milton Thayer, a U.S. senator from Nebraska and later its governor.

The early development of the area was attributed to the great trail period. Nearly 2½ decades before it became Thayer County, the area was crossed by the Oregon Trail and the Pony Express Route. This brought thousands of immigrants through the area and caused the Indians to fear the white man was taking over their cherished hunting grounds. A number of fierce raids and battles took place between 1864 and 1867.

An 1869 circular promoting the colonization of this area resulted in scores of settlers rushing in to file for homesteads. The circular falsely claimed, however, that factories, mills, railroads and flourishing towns awaited for them. None of these conditions actually existed.

When the St. Joseph and Western Railroad built through northern Thayer County in 1872 and the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad crossed the southern portion of the county, new growth resulted. Hebron, first surveyed three years earlier, was named the county seat.

Hardships have not been uncommon in this area. Grasshoppers, drought, prairie fires and blizzards hampered early settlers. But one of the most devastating hardships occurred in 1953 when a tornado tore through Hebron, damaging everything in its path, including more than $70,000 damage to the courthouse.

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

luke.bonkiewicz@nebraskacounties.org

Local Highlights

License Plate Number: 32

Time Zone: Central

Zoned County: Yes

Number of Veterans: 360

County Hospital: Thayer County Health Services

Number of County-Owned Bridges: 173

Number of County-Owned Dams: 1

Election Data

General Election Turnout (2022): 62.31%

Total Registered Voters (2020): 3,754

Number of Precincts (2020): 7

Number of Election Day Polling Places (2020): 3

Land Area per Polling Place (avg.) (2020): 191.27 sq. miles

Intergovernmental Data

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

Natural Resource District: Little Blue NRD

State Lands (acres): Dry Sandy WMA (201.47), Father Hupp WMA (160), Little Blue WMA (303.50), Little Blue East WMA (161.35), Meridian WMA (400), Prairie Marsh WMA (73.16)

Federal Lands (acres): Kenesaw WPA (231), Weseman WPA (163)

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. National Archives and Records Administration (eCFR)