Colfax County, Nebraska

Colfax County
County
Colfax County Courthouse in Schuyler
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°35′N 97°05′W / 41.58°N 97.09°W / 41.58; -97.09
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1869
Named for	Schuyler Colfax
Seat	Schuyler
Largest city	Schuyler
Area
• Total	417 sq mi (1,080 km2)
• Land	412 sq mi (1,070 km2)
• Water	4.9 sq mi (13 km2)  1.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,582
• Density	25/sq mi (9.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.colfaxne.com

Colfax County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 10,582.^[1] Its county seat is Schuyler.^[2] The county and its seat are named after US Vice President (1869-1873) Schuyler Colfax.^[3]

In the Nebraska license plate system, Colfax County is represented by the prefix 43 (it had the 43rd largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Colfax County was established by the Nebraska legislature in 1869, as part of the division of Platte County into three parts. The new county was named for Schuyler Colfax, then the vice-president of the United States. The site of Shell Creek Station on the Union Pacific Railroad was chosen as the county seat, and renamed Schuyler also after Colfax.^[4] Schuyler was incorporated in 1870, and the county's first courthouse was constructed in 1872.^[5][6]

Colfax County in May 2020 had the sixth-highest per capita COVID-19 infection rate of any American county. About one of every 23 residents has tested positive, with 467 cases.^[7] As of October 2020, one in every 13 residents has tested positive, with 798 cases.^[8]

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 417 square miles (1,080 km²), of which 412 square miles (1,070 km²) is land and 4.9 square miles (13 km²) (1.2%) is water.^[9]

• Express Arrow

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	1,424		—
1880	6,588		362.6%
1890	10,453		58.7%
1900	11,211		7.3%
1910	11,610		3.6%
1920	11,624		0.1%
1930	11,434		−1.6%
1940	10,627		−7.1%
1950	10,010		−5.8%
1960	9,595		−4.1%
1970	9,498		−1.0%
1980	9,890		4.1%
1990	9,139		−7.6%
2000	10,441		14.2%
2010	10,515		0.7%
2020	10,582		0.6%
US Decennial Census[10] 1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12] 1990-2000[13] 2010[14]

Colfax County, Nebraska – Racial and Ethnic Composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity	Pop 2000[15]	Pop 2010[16]	Pop 2020[17]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	7,617	6,031	5,018	72.95%	57.36%	47.42%
Black or African American alone (NH)	5	49	375	0.05%	0.47%	3.54%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	17	33	26	0.16%	0.31%	0.25%
Asian alone (NH)	14	24	50	0.13%	0.23%	0.47%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	3	4	2	0.03%	0.04%	0.02%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	11	17	16	0.11%	0.16%	0.15%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)	42	42	102	0.4%	0.4%	0.96%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2,732	4,315	4,993	26.17%	41.04%	47.18%
Total	10,441	10,515	10,582	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2000 United States census,^[18] there were 10,441 people, 3,682 households, and 2,592 families in the county. The population density was 25 people per square mile (9.7 people/km²). There were 4,088 housing units at an average density of 10 units per square mile (3.9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.73% White, 0.07% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 15.94% from other races, and 1.73% from two or more races. 26.17% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 28.8% were of German and 24.2% Czech ancestry.

The 2020 United States census said that the county was 47.4% non-Hispanic white, 3.5% black African-American, .5% Asian and 47.2% Hispanic.

There were 3,682 households, out of which 35.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couples living together, 7.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.31.

The county population contained 28.90% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 18.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 106.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,849, and the median income for a family was $40,936. Males had a median income of $25,656 versus $20,485 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,148. About 7.20% of families and 10.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.80% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.

• Clarkson
• Schuyler (county seat)

• Howells
• Leigh
• Richland
• Rogers

Colfax County voters are reliably Republican. In only one national election since 1936 did the county select the Democratic Party candidate.

United States presidential election results for Colfax County, Nebraska^[19]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	2,636	70.75%	1,025	27.51%	65	1.74%
2016	2,171	67.55%	859	26.73%	184	5.72%
2012	2,051	66.83%	969	31.57%	49	1.60%
2008	2,018	63.00%	1,125	35.12%	60	1.87%
2004	2,589	71.26%	990	27.25%	54	1.49%
2000	2,338	70.53%	863	26.03%	114	3.44%
1996	1,954	55.23%	1,065	30.10%	519	14.67%
1992	1,915	46.21%	1,011	24.40%	1,218	29.39%
1988	2,329	59.75%	1,542	39.56%	27	0.69%
1984	2,999	74.68%	981	24.43%	36	0.90%
1980	3,259	73.17%	893	20.05%	302	6.78%
1976	2,364	57.34%	1,666	40.41%	93	2.26%
1972	2,799	71.66%	1,107	28.34%	0	0.00%
1968	2,264	64.48%	932	26.55%	315	8.97%
1964	1,972	47.19%	2,207	52.81%	0	0.00%
1960	2,504	55.91%	1,975	44.09%	0	0.00%
1956	2,843	65.07%	1,526	34.93%	0	0.00%
1952	3,332	69.56%	1,458	30.44%	0	0.00%
1948	1,928	50.41%	1,897	49.59%	0	0.00%
1944	2,314	51.51%	2,178	48.49%	0	0.00%
1940	2,587	52.28%	2,361	47.72%	0	0.00%
1936	1,644	32.39%	3,210	63.25%	221	4.35%
1932	648	13.56%	4,076	85.29%	55	1.15%
1928	1,432	34.14%	2,746	65.47%	16	0.38%
1924	1,450	39.02%	1,293	34.80%	973	26.18%
1920	1,992	66.29%	957	31.85%	56	1.86%
1916	897	34.78%	1,628	63.13%	54	2.09%
1912	620	29.52%	998	47.52%	482	22.95%
1908	1,159	46.68%	1,267	51.03%	57	2.30%
1904	1,180	53.03%	768	34.52%	277	12.45%
1900	1,033	42.63%	1,357	56.00%	33	1.36%

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Colfax County, Nebraska

41°35′N 97°05′W / 41.58°N 97.09°W / 41.58; -97.09