Nemaha County, Kansas

Nemaha County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Seneca.^[3] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 10,273.^[1] The county was named for the Nemaha River.

Nemaha County
County
Jail and sheriff residence in Seneca (2015)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°48′N 96°01′W
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	August 25, 1855
Named after	Nemaha River
Seat	Seneca
Largest city	Sabetha
Area
• Total	719 sq mi (1,860 km2)
• Land	717 sq mi (1,860 km2)
• Water	2.0 sq mi (5 km2)  0.3%
Population  (2020)[1]
• Total	10,273
• Estimate  (2023)[2]	10,114
• Density	14/sq mi (5.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	785
Congressional district	2nd
Website	nmcoks.us

History

Early history

See also: History of Kansas

For many millennia the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

19th century

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, but keeping title to about 7,500 square miles. In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1855, Nemaha County was established.

The first railroad in Nemaha County was built in 1866.^[4]

On May 30, 1879, the "Irving, Kansas Tornado" passed through Nemaha county. This tornado measured F4 on the Fujita scale, and had a damage path 800 yards (730 m) wide and 100 miles (160 km) long. Eighteen people were killed and sixty were injured in this tornado.^{[citation needed]}

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 719 square miles (1,860 km²), of which 717 square miles (1,860 km²) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²) (0.3%) is water.^[5]

Adjacent counties

• Richardson County, Nebraska (northeast)
• Brown County (east)
• Jackson County (southeast)
• Pottawatomie County (southwest)
• Marshall County (west)
• Pawnee County, Nebraska (northwest)

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	2,436		—
1870	7,339		201.3%
1880	12,462		69.8%
1890	19,249		54.5%
1900	20,376		5.9%
1910	19,072		−6.4%
1920	18,487		−3.1%
1930	18,342		−0.8%
1940	16,761		−8.6%
1950	14,341		−14.4%
1960	12,897		−10.1%
1970	11,825		−8.3%
1980	11,211		−5.2%
1990	10,446		−6.8%
2000	10,717		2.6%
2010	10,178		−5.0%
2020	10,273		0.9%
2023 (est.)	10,114	[6]	−1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010–2020[1]

As of the census^[11] of 2000, there were 10,717 people, 3,959 households, and 2,763 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile (5.8 people/km²). There were 4,340 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2.3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.35% White, 0.49% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. 0.71% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,959 households, out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.90% were married couples living together, 5.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.20% were non-families. 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.50% under the age of 18, 6.00% from 18 to 24, 24.10% from 25 to 44, 19.40% from 45 to 64, and 22.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,296, and the median income for a family was $41,838. Males had a median income of $28,879 versus $19,340 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,121. About 6.50% of families and 9.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.90% of those under age 18 and 8.50% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Nemaha County is strongly Republican. Lyndon Johnson is the only Democrat to have carried the county since 1936.

Presidential election results

United States presidential election results for Nemaha County, Kansas^[12]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	4,655	82.58%	888	15.75%	94	1.67%
2020	4,664	82.05%	927	16.31%	93	1.64%
2016	4,124	80.52%	725	14.15%	273	5.33%
2012	3,930	78.19%	1,000	19.90%	96	1.91%
2008	3,817	71.23%	1,432	26.72%	110	2.05%
2004	4,027	73.71%	1,355	24.80%	81	1.48%
2000	3,578	67.64%	1,494	28.24%	218	4.12%
1996	3,014	56.07%	1,648	30.66%	713	13.27%
1992	2,220	39.51%	1,580	28.12%	1,819	32.37%
1988	2,849	54.98%	2,261	43.63%	72	1.39%
1984	3,653	66.60%	1,761	32.11%	71	1.29%
1980	3,546	64.99%	1,600	29.33%	310	5.68%
1976	2,759	50.71%	2,586	47.53%	96	1.76%
1972	3,422	64.06%	1,777	33.26%	143	2.68%
1968	3,003	54.01%	1,925	34.62%	632	11.37%
1964	2,391	42.07%	3,260	57.36%	32	0.56%
1960	3,360	53.61%	2,884	46.02%	23	0.37%
1956	4,195	67.11%	2,038	32.60%	18	0.29%
1952	5,175	75.97%	1,618	23.75%	19	0.28%
1948	3,529	55.39%	2,810	44.11%	32	0.50%
1944	4,277	66.44%	2,149	33.39%	11	0.17%
1940	5,178	65.64%	2,679	33.96%	32	0.41%
1936	3,903	47.76%	4,175	51.09%	94	1.15%
1932	3,167	40.60%	4,578	58.69%	55	0.71%
1928	4,639	61.10%	2,919	38.45%	34	0.45%
1924	4,096	60.24%	1,846	27.15%	857	12.60%
1920	4,655	72.32%	1,731	26.89%	51	0.79%
1916	3,591	49.19%	3,579	49.03%	130	1.78%
1912	961	22.19%	1,936	44.71%	1,433	33.09%
1908	2,394	51.57%	2,182	47.01%	66	1.42%
1904	2,764	61.93%	1,564	35.04%	135	3.02%
1900	2,761	53.45%	2,348	45.45%	57	1.10%
1896	2,568	50.49%	2,478	48.72%	40	0.79%
1892	2,222	49.73%	0	0.00%	2,246	50.27%
1888	2,515	56.54%	1,682	37.81%	251	5.64%

Laws

Nemaha County was a prohibition, or "dry", county until the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 and voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement.^[13]

Education

Unified school districts

• Prairie Hills USD 113
• Nemaha Central USD 115

School district office in neighboring county

• Onaga USD 322
• Vermillion USD 380

Communities

2005 map of Nemaha County^[14] (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Nemaha County.^[14]

Cities

‡ means a community has portions in an adjacent county.

• Bern
• Centralia
• Corning
• Goff
• Oneida
• Sabetha‡
• Seneca (county seat)
• Wetmore

Unincorporated communities

† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.

• Baileyville†
• Berwick
• Capioma
• Kelly†
• Neuchatel
• St. Benedict†
• Woodlawn

Townships

Nemaha County is divided into twenty townships. The cities of Sabetha and Seneca are considered governmentally independent and are excluded from the census figures for the townships. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) included in that township's population total, if it is of a significant size.

Sources: 2000 U.S. Gazetteer from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Township	FIPS	Population center	Population	Population density /km2 (/sq mi)	Land area km2 (sq mi)	Water area km2 (sq mi)	Water %	Geographic coordinates
Adams	00275		213	2 (6)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.03%	39°46′38″N 95°57′36″W
Berwick	06375		391	4 (11)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°57′11″N 95°50′11″W
Capioma	10575		161	2 (4)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.03%	39°47′28″N 95°51′18″W
Center	11900		200	2 (6)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°46′37″N 96°11′15″W
Clear Creek	13775		123	1 (3)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°57′27″N 96°10′56″W
Gilman	26275		223	2 (6)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.19%	39°52′1″N 95°57′14″W
Grenada	27275		122	1 (3)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.06%	39°41′23″N 95°51′10″W
Harrison	30375		399	4 (11)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.06%	39°41′22″N 95°56′55″W
Home	32900		567	6 (16)	91 (35)	3 (1)	3.12%	39°42′36″N 96°9′17″W
Illinois	33725		453	5 (13)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°41′13″N 96°3′41″W
Marion	44775		457	5 (13)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°51′48″N 96°11′32″W
Mitchell	47475		305	3 (9)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°47′25″N 96°3′43″W
Nemaha	49625		184	2 (5)	92 (35)	0 (0)	0%	39°57′4″N 96°3′44″W
Neuchatel	50050		117	1 (3)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°36′27″N 96°11′25″W
Red Vermillion	58750		137	1 (4)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°36′17″N 96°4′0″W
Reilly	58900		153	2 (4)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.07%	39°36′47″N 95°57′12″W
Richmond	59725		538	6 (16)	89 (34)	0 (0)	0%	39°51′34″N 96°3′49″W
Rock Creek	60600		302	3 (9)	88 (34)	0 (0)	0.28%	39°52′32″N 95°50′8″W
Washington	75675		465	5 (13)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.01%	39°57′41″N 95°57′44″W
Wetmore	77575		503	5 (14)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°37′35″N 95°49′43″W

See also

• Kansas portal

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Nemaha County, Kansas

Community information for Kansas

• Kansas locations by per capita income
• List of counties in Kansas
• List of townships in Kansas
• List of cities in Kansas
• List of unincorporated communities in Kansas
• List of ghost towns in Kansas