Lincoln County, Nebraska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lincoln County
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Lincoln County Courthouse in North Platte
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Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
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 Nebraska's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Nebraska |
| Founded | 1866 |
| Named for | Abraham Lincoln |
| Seat | North Platte |
| Largest city | North Platte |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2,575 sq mi (6,670 km2) |
| • Land | 2,564 sq mi (6,640 km2) |
| • Water | 11 sq mi (30 km2) 0.4%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 34,676  |
| • Density | 13/sq mi (5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
Lincoln County is a county in the state of Nebraska in the United States. In 2020, about 34,676 people lived there. The main city and government center, called the county seat, is North Platte. It's interesting to know that even though it's called Lincoln County, the state capital city of Lincoln is not actually in or close to this county! Lincoln County is also part of the North Platte Micropolitan Statistical Area, which means it's connected to North Platte's economy. When Nebraska started its license plate system in 1922, Lincoln County was given the number 15 because it had the fifteenth-largest number of vehicles registered.
Contents
Exploring Lincoln County's Geography
Lincoln County is located in a special area of Nebraska called the Sandhills. This region has rolling hills covered in mixed-grass prairie. The land is mostly used for farming, especially with center pivot irrigation for crops and cattle ranching.
Two important rivers, the North Platte River and the South Platte River, flow through the county from the west. They meet east of North Platte city to form the larger Platte River. The Platte River then continues flowing southeast out of the county.
Lincoln County covers about 2,575 square miles. Most of this (2,564 square miles) is land, and a small part (11 square miles) is water. It is the third-largest county in Nebraska by land area.
Time Zone Information
Most of Nebraska, including Lincoln County, uses the Central Time Zone. However, some western counties in Nebraska use the Mountain Time Zone. Lincoln County is the westernmost county in Nebraska that is entirely in the Central Time Zone.
Main Roads and Transportation
Many important roads pass through Lincoln County, making it easy to travel.
Interstate 80
U.S. Highway 30
U.S. Highway 83
Nebraska Highway 23
Nebraska Highway 25
Nebraska Highway 97
You can also find bus services like Burlington Trailways and Express Arrow for public transportation.
Neighboring Counties
Lincoln County shares its borders with several other counties:
- McPherson County – to the northwest
- Logan County – to the northeast
- Custer County – to the east
- Dawson County – to the east
- Frontier County – to the southeast
- Hayes County – to the southwest
- Perkins County – to the west (this border is where the Mountain Time Zone begins)
- Keith County – to the west (this border is also where the Mountain Time Zone begins)
Natural and Protected Areas
Lincoln County has several beautiful areas set aside for wildlife and recreation:
- Birdwood Lake State Wildlife Management Area
- East Hershey State Wildlife Management Area
- East Sutherland State Wildlife Management Area
- Fort McPherson National Cemetery
- Jeffrey Canyon State Wildlife Management Area
- Maloney Reservoir State Recreation Area
- Muskrat Run State Wildlife Management Area
- Platte State Wildlife Management Area
- Sutherland Reservoir State Recreation Area
People and Population of Lincoln County
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 17 | — | |
| 1880 | 3,632 | 21,264.7% | |
| 1890 | 10,441 | 187.5% | |
| 1900 | 11,416 | 9.3% | |
| 1910 | 15,684 | 37.4% | |
| 1920 | 23,420 | 49.3% | |
| 1930 | 25,627 | 9.4% | |
| 1940 | 25,425 | −0.8% | |
| 1950 | 27,380 | 7.7% | |
| 1960 | 28,491 | 4.1% | |
| 1970 | 29,538 | 3.7% | |
| 1980 | 36,455 | 23.4% | |
| 1990 | 32,508 | −10.8% | |
| 2000 | 34,632 | 6.5% | |
| 2010 | 36,288 | 4.8% | |
| 2020 | 34,676 | −4.4% | |
| US Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
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In 2020, the United States Census showed that 34,674 people lived in Lincoln County. There were 14,485 households. The population density was about 13 people for every square mile.
Most of the people in the county (94.6%) identified as White. Other groups included 1.3% Black or African American, 1.3% Native American, and 0.9% Asian. About 10% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
In 2000, there were 14,076 households in the county. About 32% of these households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had 2.41 people, and the average family had 2.97 people.
The median age for people in Lincoln County was 38 years old. This means half the population was younger than 38 and half was older. About 26.2% of the population was under 18 years old.
Towns and Villages in Lincoln County
Lincoln County has one main city and several smaller villages and communities.
City
- North Platte (This is the county seat, where the main county government offices are located.)
Villages
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially organized as cities or villages.
Famous People from Lincoln County
- Anne McGrew Bennett (1903–1986), a well-known writer and advocate for women's rights.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Lincoln (Nebraska) para niños
