Keya Paha County

History

Keya Paha County was created on December 17, 1884 of land partitioned from Brown County.

The name "Keya Paha" is taken from the Dakota language; literally translated, it means "turtle hill". The Dakota name for a set of small hills was given to the county and to the Keya Paha River, which runs through it.

All land north of the Keya Paha River (which includes a small portion of Keya Paha County and most of neighboring Boyd County) was not originally part of Nebraska at the time of statehood, but was transferred from Dakota Territory in 1882.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 773.922 square miles (2,004.45 km2), of which 772.876 square miles (2,001.74 km2) is land and 1.046 square miles (2.71 km2) (0.14%) is water. It is the 28th-largest county in Nebraska by total area.

Keya Paha County lies on the northern boundary of Nebraska, abutting the state of South Dakota. The county's terrain consists of low rolling hills, whose level areas are used for agriculture, including center pivot irrigation. The Keya Paha River flows east-southeastward through the northeastern part of the county, while the Niobrara River flows eastward along the south county line.

Keya Paha County is located in Nebraska's Outback region.

National protected area

Niobrara National Scenic River (part)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 769. The median age was 49.1 years. 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 28.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.0 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 95.8% White, 0.0% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.0% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.8% from some other race, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.6% of the population.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 353 households in the county, of which 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 17.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 496 housing units, of which 28.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 81.3% were owner-occupied and 18.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.3%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 983 people, 409 households, and 292 families in the county. The population density was 1.3 people per square mile (0.50 people/km2); there were 548 housing units at an average density of 0.7 units per square mile (0.27/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 99.39% White, 0.20% Native American, and 0.41% from two or more races; 3.87% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race; 46.7% were of German, 10.6% English, 9.8% American, 7.0% Irish and 6.0% Swedish ancestry.

There were 409 households, out of which 24.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.30% were married couples living together, 4.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.91.

The county population contained 23.80% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 23.40% from 25 to 44, 25.40% from 45 to 64, and 20.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 101.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,911, and the median income for a family was $28,287. Males had a median income of $18,750 versus $19,107 for females. The per capita income for the county was $11,860. About 22.40% of families and 26.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.30% of those under age 18 and 18.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Villages

Burton

Springview (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

Jamison

Meadville

Mills

Norden

Riverview

Former communities

Brocksburg

Politics

Keya Paha County was the most Republican of all the counties in Nebraska, with 88.96% of its 548 registered voters registered as Republicans. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win the county was Woodrow Wilson in 1916. In 1932, it was one of only two counties in the state not to vote for Franklin D. Roosevelt. The county was also the only one statewide to reject FDR in all four of his runs and one of the westernmost to do so along with Utahs Kane and South Dakotas Lawrence counties. 1994, Ben Nelson was the last Democratic gubernatorial candidate to carry the county.