York County

General

Population:  14,125
Land area (sq. mi.):  572.51
Population per square mile:  24.7

Race and Age

Race  2020

White: 88.9%
African American: 1.2%
American Indian: 0.5%
Asian: 0.6%
Hispanic: 5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 0.0%
Two or More Races: 2.6%

Age  2020

0-17: 23.4%
18-64: 55.9%
65+: 20.7%

Households

Total households:  5,663  2020
With one child:  660  2022
With 2+ children:  960  2022
With seniors (65+):  1,540  2022

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita:  $60,623  2021
% of Population in Poverty:  11.0%  2022
# of Housing Units:  6,320  2020
2023 housing unit building permits:  26
Owner-occupied rate:  70.2%  2020
Median home price:  $194,900  Q1 2024

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem):  77.7%  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, Education, and Child Care

Unemployment rate:  2.2%  Sept. 2024

County Employment Website:  https://www.yorkcounty.ne.gov/employment.html

High school graduate or higher:  90.9%  2020

School Districts:  Centennial Public Schools, Cross County Community Schools, Exeter-Milligan Public Schools, Hampton Public Schools, High Plains Community Schools, McCool Junction Public Schools, Sutton Public Schools

Bachelor's degree or higher:  25.6%  2020

Community College Service Area:  Southeast Community College

Countywide child care capacity:  27 providers; 670 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.

York County Economy

Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP):  $1,071,839,000  2022

Nonfarm Small Business Receipts:  $110,194,183  2021

Nonfarm Wage Income:  $290,901,000  2021

Farm and Ranch Commodity Sales Receipts:  $505,721,000  2022

Farm and Ranch Operations (Non-Sales) Receipts:  $40,324,000  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):  Green Plains (60 million gallons)

Grain Elevators by Location (bushel capacity):

• Benedict: CVA (1,791,000)
• Bradshaw: CVA (5,314,000)
• Gresham: CVA (781,000)
• Henderson: Farmers (1,748,092), Kroeker Grain and Lumber (1,515,562)
• McCool Junction: Farmers (1,957,907)
• Waco: CVA (2,144,000)
• York: Green Plains (363,000)
• (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:  58.79 main, 5.74 side

• Places with Railroad Service:  Benedict, Bradshaw, Waco, York

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

Cattle Producers: 106

Crop Producers: 403

• Dryland Cash Rent (avg.): $180/acre
• Irrigated Land Cash Rent (avg.): $316/acre

Farmers Market:

• Henderson Farmers Market (June - August, Tuesdays 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.)
• York Farmers Market (June - September 24th, Thursdays 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.)

Electricity Providers: Nebraska PPD, Perennial PPD, Polk County Rural PPD, Southern PPD, Village of Bradshaw

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

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

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells:  3,031  2024

Agricultural Wells per Square Mile:  5.29  2024

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation):  115  2024

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:  $0.2234 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied:  $8,269,421

Total local government property taxes levied:  $47,240,363

Total countywide taxable valuation:  $3,701,179,998

Federal PILT payment to Holt County (FY2024):  $536 regarding 160 federally-owned acres

Click here for all levy rates in York County

County Levy and Taxation Laws

Levy limits

Since 1996, counties and other political subdivisions have been subject to levy limits under 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

York County History

Number of Registered Historic Places: 5

Year Authorized: 1855

Year Organized: 1870

Etymology: York, England (possibly also York County, Pennsylvania)

Nearly 10 years after the original boundaries of what today is York County were created, the area was still considered a land inhabited by Indians. Although an occasional trapper would pass through the area, it was not until 1865 that the first permanent settlement was made by a white man. This marked the beginning of York County and within two years the area had its first post office.

On April 26, 1870 settlers in this area voted to organize the county and elected a full complement of county officials. Gov. David Butler proclaimed the area as York County. There are two versions of how the county was named. The first is that is was named after York, England. The second is that a number of early settlers were from York County, Pa., their former home.

The townsite of York was platted in 1869. Within two years it became apparent that the county was in need of a courthouse. A special election was called to vote on a proposition to sell enough town lots owned by the county to build a courthouse. The question was approved and $1,500 was raised. In 1872 the first courthouse was built. It was replaced in 1886 by a second courthouse that would stand the next 94 years.

In 1980 the present courthouse was dedicated, culminating a 21-year wait. With the previous courthouse beginning to need repairs, the Board of Commissioners decided in 1969 to begin setting aside inheritance tax funds for this purpose. Bond issues in 1973 and 1975 for construction of a new courthouse were rejected and led to a 1977 recall election. In the meantime, inheritance tax and revenue sharing monies had continued to be set aside.

When the special fund reached $2.25 million in 1978, the Board of Commissioners voted to build. County offices were temporarily moved, the old courthouse was razed, and construction of the present courthouse was begun on the same city square that hosted the two previous courthouses. When the $2.3 million building was dedicated on Oct. 19, 1980, it was opened to the public as a debt-free structure.

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Local Highlights

License Plate Number:  17

Time Zone:  Central

Number of Veterans:  803  2023

Zoned County:  Yes

Number of County-Owned Bridges:  155

Election Data

General Election Turnout:  75.72%  2024

Total Registered Voters:  9,447  2024

Number of Precincts:  12  2022

Number of Election Day Polling Places:  7  2022

Land Area per Polling Place (avg.):  82.26 sq. miles

Intergovernmental Data

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

Natural Resource District: Upper Big Blue NRD

State Lands (acres): Kirkpatrick Basin South WMA (417.41), Kirkpatrick Basin North WMA (396), Marsh Duck WMA (153.47), Renquist Basin WMA (107.31), Spikerush WMA (194.50), York Rest Area EB (6), York Rest Area WB (6.72)

Federal Lands (acres): County Line Marsh WPA (413 Fillmore & York), Freeman Lakes WPA (350 Seward & York), Heron WPA (350), Sinninger WPA (160), Waco Basic WPA (159.20)

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)