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Dodge County, Nebraska facts for kids

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Dodge County
Dodge County Courthouse in Fremont
Dodge County Courthouse in Fremont
Map of Nebraska highlighting Dodge County
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Map of the United States highlighting Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Nebraska
Founded 1855
Named for Augustus C. Dodge
Seat Fremont
Largest city Fremont
Area
 • Total 543 sq mi (1,410 km2)
 • Land 529 sq mi (1,370 km2)
 • Water 14 sq mi (40 km2)  2.6%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 37,167
 • Density 68.45/sq mi (26.428/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 1st

Dodge County is a county located in the state of Nebraska in the United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, about 37,167 people lived here. The main city and government center, called the county seat, is Fremont.

Dodge County was created in 1855. It was named after Augustus C. Dodge, who was a Senator from Iowa. The county is part of a larger area that includes Omaha and Council Bluffs.

If you look at Nebraska license plates, Dodge County is shown by the number 5. This is because it had the fifth-highest number of registered vehicles when the license plate system started in 1922.

Geography of Dodge County

Dodge County has a total area of 543 square miles (1,410 km2). Most of this area, 529 square miles (1,370 km2), is land. The remaining 14 square miles (36 km2) (which is about 2.6%) is covered by water.

The Elkhorn River flows through the northeast part of Dodge County. This river eventually drains into the Platte River. The Platte River itself runs along the southern border of Dodge County.

Main Roads in Dodge County

Several important highways pass through Dodge County, making it easy to travel.

  • US 30.svg U.S. Highway 30
  • US 77.svg U.S. Highway 77
  • US 275.svg U.S. Highway 275
  • N-79.svg Nebraska Highway 79
  • N-91.svg Nebraska Highway 91

Neighboring Counties

Dodge County shares its borders with several other counties.

People of Dodge County

The number of people living in Dodge County has changed over many years. Here is a look at the population from past censuses:

Historical population
Census Pop.
1860 309
1870 4,212 1,263.1%
1880 11,263 167.4%
1890 19,260 71.0%
1900 22,298 15.8%
1910 22,145 −0.7%
1920 23,197 4.8%
1930 25,273 8.9%
1940 23,799 −5.8%
1950 26,265 10.4%
1960 32,471 23.6%
1970 34,782 7.1%
1980 35,847 3.1%
1990 34,500 −3.8%
2000 36,160 4.8%
2010 36,691 1.5%
2020 37,167 1.3%
2023 (est.) 37,187 1.4%
US Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 36,160 people living in the county. The population density was about 68 people for every square mile. Most people identified as White, but there were also people of Black, Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander backgrounds. Some people identified with two or more races. About 3.93% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in the county in 2000 was 38 years old. About 24.7% of the population was under 18 years old.

Cities and Towns in Dodge County

Dodge County is home to several cities and smaller communities.

Cities

These are the larger cities in Dodge County:

Villages

These are smaller towns, often called villages:

Census-designated place

Other Communities

These are smaller, unincorporated communities that don't have their own local government:

Past Cities

  • Jalapa

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Dodge (Nebraska) para niños

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