Saunders County, Nebraska facts for kids

Saunders County
	Saunders County, Nebraska
	Map
	; Location in the state of Nebraska
	; Nebraska's location in the U.S.
	Statistics
Founded	1866
Seat	Wahoo
Largest City	Wahoo
Area; - Total; - Land; - Water	; 760 sq mi (1,968 km²); 750 sq mi (1,942 km²); 9.6 sq mi (25 km²), 1.3%
Population; - (2010); - Density	; 20,780; 28/sq mi (11/km²)
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
	Website: www.saunderscounty.ne.gov
	Named for: Alvin Saunders

Saunders County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,780. Its county seat is Wahoo.

Saunders County is included in the Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

In the Nebraska license plate system, Saunders County is represented by the prefix 6 (the county had the sixth-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).

History

Saunders County was established by an 1856 act of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature and later organized in 1866; its boundaries were redefined in 1858. The county was originally named after John C. Calhoun; in 1862, during the American Civil War, it was renamed after Nebraska territorial governor Alvin Saunders.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 760 square miles (2,000 km²), of which 750 square miles (1,900 km²) is land and 9.6 square miles (25 km²) (1.3%) is water.

Major highways

U.S. Highway 6
U.S. Highway 77
Nebraska Highway 64
Nebraska Highway 66
Nebraska Highway 79
Nebraska Highway 92
Nebraska Highway 109

Adjacent counties

Douglas County (east)
Sarpy County (east)
Cass County (southeast)
Lancaster County (south)
Butler County (west)
Dodge County (north)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1870	4,547	—
1880	15,810	247.7%
1890	21,577	36.5%
1900	22,085	2.4%
1910	21,179	−4.1%
1920	20,589	−2.8%
1930	20,167	−2.0%
1940	17,892	−11.3%
1950	16,923	−5.4%
1960	17,270	2.1%
1970	17,018	−1.5%
1980	18,716	10.0%
1990	18,285	−2.3%
2000	19,830	8.4%
2010	20,780	4.8%
Est. 2015	21,016	1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013

As of the census of 2000, there were 19,830 people, 7,498 households, and 5,443 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 8,266 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.49% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. 1.03% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,498 households out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.60% were married couples living together, 6.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 23.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the county, the population was spread out with 27.90% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,173, and the median income for a family was $49,443. Males had a median income of $33,309 versus $22,922 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,392. About 5.30% of families and 6.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.30% of those under age 18 and 7.00% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Ashland
Wahoo (county seat)
Yutan

Villages

Historic schoolhouse in Saunders County

Census-designated place

Wann

Townships

Ashland
Bohemia
Center
Chapman
Chester
Clear Creek
Douglas
Elk
Green
Leshara
Marble
Marietta
Mariposa
Morse Bluff
Newman
North Cedar
Oak Creek
Pohocco
Richland
Rock Creek
South Cedar
Stocking
Union
Wahoo