Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 34,676, and was estimated to be 33,303 in 2025. The county seat and the largest city is North Platte.
Despite the county's name, the state capital city of Lincoln is not in or near Lincoln County.
Lincoln County is one of the three counties in the North Platte micropolitan area.
In the Nebraska license plate system, Lincoln County was represented by the prefix "15" (as it had the 15th-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).
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History
Lincoln County was created on January 7, 1860; it was named for Abraham Lincoln.
Geography
Lincoln County is located in the Nebraska Sandhills, a region of mixed-grass prairie on grass-stabilized dunes. The land is generally given to agriculture, with considerable center pivot irrigation and cattle ranching. The North Platte River and the South Platte River flow eastward from Keith County, joining to form the Platte River east of the city of North Platte in central Lincoln County. The Platte then flows ESE out of the county.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,575.119 square miles (6,669.53 km2), of which 2,564.155 square miles (6,641.13 km2) is land and 10.964 square miles (28.40 km2) (0.43%) is water. It is the third-largest county in Nebraska by total area.
Most of Nebraska's 93 counties (the eastern 2/3, including Lincoln County) observe Central Time; the western counties observe Mountain Time. Lincoln County is the westernmost of the Nebraska counties to entirely observe Central Time.
Transit
Burlington Trailways
Express Arrow
Demographics
As of the third quarter of 2025, the median home value in Lincoln County was $204,276.
As of the 2024 American Community Survey, there are 14,890 estimated households in Lincoln County with an average of 2.23 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $65,148. Approximately 12.4% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Lincoln County has an estimated 62.2% employment rate, with 22.7% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 94.2% holding a high school diploma. There were 16,624 housing units at an average density of 6.48 per square mile (2.5/km2).
The top five reported languages (people were allowed to report up to two languages, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (94.9%), Spanish (3.7%), Indo-European (1.1%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.1%), and Other (0.2%).
The median age in the county was 42.4 years.
2024 estimate
As of the 2024 estimate, there were 33,319 people, 14,890 households, and _ families residing in the county. The population density was 12.99 inhabitants per square mile (5.0/km2). There were 16,624 housing units at an average density of 6.48 per square mile (2.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.9% White (85.8% NH White), 1.5% African American, 1.3% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 9.7% of the population.
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 34,676 people, 14,683 households, and 9,208 families residing in the county. The population density was 13.52 inhabitants per square mile (5.2/km2). There were 16,526 housing units at an average density of 6.45 per square mile (2.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.47% White, 1.23% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.71% from some other races and 6.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 8.68% of the population.
There were 14,683 households in the county, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The median age was 41.4 years. 23.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.9 males age 18 and over. Among occupied housing units, 68.0% were owner-occupied and 32.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.7%. 68.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 32.0% lived in rural areas.
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 36,288 people, 15,025 households, and 10,116 families residing in the county. The population density was 14.15 inhabitants per square mile (5.5/km2). There were 16,583 housing units at an average density of 6.47 per square mile (2.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.33% White, 0.72% African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.35% from some other races and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 7.17% of the population.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 34,632 people, 14,076 households, and 9,444 families residing in the county. The population density was 13.51 inhabitants per square mile (5.2/km2). There were 15,438 housing units at an average density of 6.02 per square mile (2.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.70% White, 0.54% African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.65% from some other races and 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 5.43% of the population.
There were 14,076 households, out of which 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.90% were married couples living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.90% were non-families. 28.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.97.
The county population contained 26.20% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 26.60% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,568, and the median income for a family was $45,185. Males had a median income of $36,244 versus $20,252 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,696. About 7.20% of families and 9.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.10% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
City
North Platte (county seat)
Villages
Brady
Hershey
Maxwell
Sutherland
Wallace
Wellfleet
Unincorporated communities
Dickens
Somerset
Politics
Lincoln County voters generally vote Republican. In only three national elections since 1916 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate, most recently in 1964 in the midst of Lyndon B. Johnson's national landslide victory.
Notable people
Anne McGrew Bennett (1903–1986), writer and feminist
Education
School districts include: