Jump to content

Hayes County, Nebraska

Coordinates: 40°32′14″N 101°02′53″W / 40.537234°N 101.047963°W / 40.537234; -101.047963
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Hayes County" redirects here; not to be confused with Hays County, Texas.

Hayes County, Nebraska
County
The Hayes County Courthouse in Hayes Center
The Hayes County Courthouse in Hayes Center
Map of Nebraska highlighting Hayes County
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Coordinates: 40°32′14″N 101°02′53″W / 40.537234°N 101.047963°W / 40.537234; -101.047963
Country United States
State Nebraska
FoundedFebruary 19, 1877 (created)
1884 (organized)
Named afterRutherford B. Hayes
SeatHayes Center
Largest villagePalisade
Area
 • Total
713.282 sq mi (1,847.39 km2)
 • Land713.065 sq mi (1,846.83 km2)
 • Water0.217 sq mi (0.56 km2)  0.03%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
856
 • Estimate 
(2025)
821 Decrease
 • Density1.20/sq mi (0.463/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code308
Congressional district3rd
Websitehayescounty.ne.gov
• Nebraska county number 43[1]
• Nebraska license plate prefix 79[2]

Hayes County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 856,[3] and was estimated to be 821 in 2025.[4] The county seat is Hayes Center and the largest village is Palisade.[5]

In the Nebraska license plate system, Hayes County was represented by the prefix "79" (as it had the 79th-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).

History

[edit]

Hayes County was created on February 19, 1877 and was organized in 1884.[6][7][8][9] It was named for Rutherford B. Hayes, the U.S. President at the time of the county's creation.[10]

Geography

[edit]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 713.282 square miles (1,847.39 km2), of which 713.065 square miles (1,846.83 km2) is land and 0.217 square miles (0.56 km2) (0.03%) is water.[11] It is the 37th-largest county in Nebraska by total area.[12]

The terrain of Hayes County is hilly. The flattened hilltops are largely used for center pivot irrigation. Small creeks and streams drain the upper elevations; the largest is Red Willow Creek, which drains to Hugh Butler Lake just east of the SE corner of Hayes County, in Frontier County.[13]

Major highways

[edit]

Adjacent counties

[edit]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880119—
18903,9533,221.8%
19002,708−31.5%
19103,01111.2%
19203,32710.5%
19303,6038.3%
19402,958−17.9%
19502,404−18.7%
19601,919−20.2%
19701,530−20.3%
19801,356−11.4%
19901,222−9.9%
20001,068−12.6%
2010967−9.5%
2020856−11.5%
2025 (est.)821[14] Decrease−4.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]
1790–1960[16] 1900–1990[17]
1990–2000[18] 2010–2020[4]

2020 census

[edit]

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 856. The median age was 46.0 years. 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 25.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 106.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 111.2 males age 18 and over.[19][20]

The racial makeup of the county was 89.7% White, 0.0% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.2% from some other race, and 5.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.4% of the population.[20]

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[21]

There were 354 households in the county, of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 14.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[19]

There were 442 housing units, of which 19.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 69.2% were owner-occupied and 30.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%.[19]

2000 census

[edit]

As of the 2000 census, there were 1,068 people, 430 households, and 312 families in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km2). There were 526 housing units at an average density of 0.7 units per square mile (0.27/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.19% White, 0.19% Black or African American, 0.28% Asian, 1.78% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 2.53% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 430 households, out of which 28.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.00% were married couples living together, 2.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.02.

The county population contains 26.60% under the age of 18, 5.50% from 18 to 24, 21.50% from 25 to 44, 26.50% from 45 to 64, and 19.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 100.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $26,667, and the median income for a family was $31,125. Males had a median income of $19,211 versus $16,806 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,099. About 14.60% of families and 18.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.20% of those under age 18 and 12.90% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

[edit]

Villages

[edit]

Unincorporated community

[edit]

Townships

[edit]

Hayes County has not been subdivided into townships, unlike most other Nebraska counties.

Former communities

[edit]
  • Carrico
  • Eddy
  • Elmer
  • Estel
  • Galena
  • Highland
  • Hope
  • Hudson
  • Marengo
  • Norris
  • Robert
  • Strickland
  • Sullivan
  • Thornburgh
  • White

Politics

[edit]

Hayes County voters have long been strongly Republican. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate. In 2024, Donald Trump received 95.55% of the vote, the highest percentage ever for a Republican.

United States presidential election results for Hayes County, Nebraska[22]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1900 308 49.20% 284 45.37% 34 5.43%
1904 335 62.97% 110 20.68% 87 16.35%
1908 359 52.10% 277 40.20% 53 7.69%
1912 106 17.94% 189 31.98% 296 50.08%
1916 219 33.33% 382 58.14% 56 8.52%
1920 512 66.41% 207 26.85% 52 6.74%
1924 475 42.60% 288 25.83% 352 31.57%
1928 917 65.83% 440 31.59% 36 2.58%
1932 506 33.55% 962 63.79% 40 2.65%
1936 654 44.13% 818 55.20% 10 0.67%
1940 759 55.93% 598 44.07% 0 0.00%
1944 782 66.89% 387 33.11% 0 0.00%
1948 529 55.86% 418 44.14% 0 0.00%
1952 932 80.90% 220 19.10% 0 0.00%
1956 726 70.01% 311 29.99% 0 0.00%
1960 699 71.33% 281 28.67% 0 0.00%
1964 503 58.15% 362 41.85% 0 0.00%
1968 496 71.26% 127 18.25% 73 10.49%
1972 486 79.80% 123 20.20% 0 0.00%
1976 411 59.14% 267 38.42% 17 2.45%
1980 617 84.52% 82 11.23% 31 4.25%
1984 593 85.45% 101 14.55% 0 0.00%
1988 512 75.07% 160 23.46% 10 1.47%
1992 362 55.35% 85 13.00% 207 31.65%
1996 439 77.02% 87 15.26% 44 7.72%
2000 486 85.11% 66 11.56% 19 3.33%
2004 524 87.63% 66 11.04% 8 1.34%
2008 461 83.36% 85 15.37% 7 1.27%
2012 476 88.31% 51 9.46% 12 2.23%
2016 472 91.83% 30 5.84% 12 2.33%
2020 494 92.16% 34 6.34% 8 1.49%
2024 472 95.55% 19 3.85% 3 0.61%

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Nebraska County Names and Numbers" (PDF). Nebraska Department of Revenue. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  2. ^ "Nebraska County Codes". 15 Q Net. November 17, 2002. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  3. ^ "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  4. ^ a b "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Hayes County, Nebraska". www.census.gov. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  5. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  6. ^ "Nebraska: Individual County Chronologies". publications.newberry.org. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  7. ^ Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (1925). Nebraska Place-Names. Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Studies in Language, Literature, and Criticism. p. 72. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  8. ^ "Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey Reconnaissance Survey Final Report of Hayes County, Nebraska" (PDF). Nebraska State Historical Society. March 1, 1991. Archived from the original on November 16, 2006. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  9. ^ "Hayes County". nebraskacounties.org. Nebraska Association of County Officials. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  10. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 153.
  11. ^ "2025 County Gazetteer Files – Nebraska". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Hayes County, Nebraska". www.census.gov. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  13. ^ "Hayes County, NE". Google Maps. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  14. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
  15. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  16. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  17. ^ Forstall, Richard L. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 19, 1999. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  18. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  19. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  20. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  21. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  22. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hayes_County,_Nebraska&oldid=1348347969"