Brown County, Nebraska

County in Nebraska, United States

County in Nebraska

Brown County

County

Brown County Courthouse in Ainsworth

Flag

Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska

Nebraska's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 42°26′N 99°56′W﻿ / ﻿42.44°N 99.93°W﻿ / 42.44; -99.93
Country|  United States
State|  Nebraska
Founded| 1883
Seat| Ainsworth
Largest city| Ainsworth
Area

• Total

| 1,225 sq mi (3,170 km2)
• Land| 1,221 sq mi (3,160 km2)
• Water| 3.8 sq mi (10 km2)  0.31%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 2,903

• Estimate

(2022)

| 2,872
• Density| 2.4/sq mi (0.91/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 3rd
Website| www.browncounty.ne.gov

Brown County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 2,903.[1] Its county seat is Ainsworth.[2] The county was established in 1883[3] and named for two members of the legislature who reported the bill for the county's organization.[4]

In the Nebraska license plate system, Brown County is represented by the prefix 75 (it had the 75th-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

## Geography

[edit]

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 1,225 square miles (3,170 km2), of which 1,221 square miles (3,160 km2) is land and 3.8 square miles (9.8 km2) (0.3%) is water.[5]

Brown County is located in Nebraska's Outback region.[6]

### Major highways

[edit]

* U.S. Highway 20
* U.S. Highway 183
* Nebraska Highway 7

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Keya Paha County \- north
* Rock County \- east
* Loup County \- southeast
* Blaine County \- south
* Cherry County \- west

### National protected area

[edit]

* Niobrara National Scenic River (part)

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1890| 4,359| | —
1900| 3,470| | −20.4%
1910| 6,083| | 75.3%
1920| 6,749| | 10.9%
1930| 5,772| | −14.5%
1940| 5,962| | 3.3%
1950| 5,164| | −13.4%
1960| 4,436| | −14.1%
1970| 4,021| | −9.4%
1980| 4,377| | 8.9%
1990| 3,657| | −16.4%
2000| 3,525| | −3.6%
2010| 3,145| | −10.8%
2020| 2,903| | −7.7%
2022 (est.)| 2,872| | −1.1%
US Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010[11] 2020[12]

As of the 2000 United States Census,[13] there were 3,525 people, 1,530 households, and 996 families in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1.2 people/km2). There were 1,916 housing units at an average density of 2 units per square mile (0.77/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.64% White, 0.03% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 43.0% were of German, 11.7% American, 11.6% English and 8.2% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 1,530 households, out of which 26.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 5.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.90% were non-families. 31.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.86.

The county population contained 24.80% under the age of 18, 5.20% from 18 to 24, 22.80% from 25 to 44, 24.70% from 45 to 64, and 22.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 96.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,356, and the median income for a family was $35,029. Males had a median income of $23,986 versus $17,135 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,924. About 8.50% of families and 11.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.70% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over.

## Politics

[edit]

The voters of Brown County have been solidly Republican since its founding. As of 2024, only once has the county voted for the Democratic Party candidate in a national election since 1916.

United States presidential election results for Brown County, Nebraska[14][15] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 1,428  | 86.65% | 201  | 12.20%  | 19  | 1.15%
2020 | 1,470  | 87.29% | 191  | 11.34%  | 23  | 1.37%
2016 | 1,385  | 86.73% | 153  | 9.58%  | 59  | 3.69%
2012 | 1,302  | 83.73% | 224  | 14.41%  | 29  | 1.86%
2008 | 1,208  | 77.09% | 311  | 19.85%  | 48  | 3.06%
2004 | 1,426  | 82.29% | 268  | 15.46%  | 39  | 2.25%
2000 | 1,375  | 81.65% | 250  | 14.85%  | 59  | 3.50%
1996 | 1,105  | 62.57% | 359  | 20.33%  | 302  | 17.10%
1992 | 999  | 54.12% | 311  | 16.85%  | 536  | 29.04%
1988 | 1,336  | 74.93% | 435  | 24.40%  | 12  | 0.67%
1984 | 1,514  | 82.60% | 312  | 17.02%  | 7  | 0.38%
1980 | 1,615  | 77.38% | 341  | 16.34%  | 131  | 6.28%
1976 | 1,241  | 67.59% | 557  | 30.34%  | 38  | 2.07%
1972 | 1,462  | 81.58% | 330  | 18.42%  | 0  | 0.00%
1968 | 1,340  | 71.62% | 369  | 19.72%  | 162  | 8.66%
1964 | 1,272  | 58.97% | 885  | 41.03%  | 0  | 0.00%
1960 | 1,735  | 77.15% | 514  | 22.85%  | 0  | 0.00%
1956 | 1,566  | 74.08% | 548  | 25.92%  | 0  | 0.00%
1952 | 1,950  | 78.22% | 543  | 21.78%  | 0  | 0.00%
1948 | 1,174  | 62.65% | 700  | 37.35%  | 0  | 0.00%
1944 | 1,549  | 67.52% | 745  | 32.48%  | 0  | 0.00%
1940 | 1,783  | 64.65% | 975  | 35.35%  | 0  | 0.00%
1936 | 1,419  | 53.79% | 1,188  | 45.03%  | 31  | 1.18%
1932 | 1,174  | 42.69%  | 1,565  | 56.91% | 11  | 0.40%
1928 | 1,907  | 74.06% | 636  | 24.70%  | 32  | 1.24%
1924 | 1,104  | 45.02% | 714  | 29.12%  | 634  | 25.86%
1920 | 1,417  | 68.62% | 558  | 27.02%  | 90  | 4.36%
1916 | 528  | 35.11%  | 901  | 59.91% | 75  | 4.99%
1912 | 295  | 22.64%  | 483  | 37.07% | 525  | 40.29%
1908 | 588  | 50.21% | 526  | 44.92%  | 57  | 4.87%
1904 | 587  | 70.81% | 134  | 16.16%  | 108  | 13.03%
1900 | 470  | 57.39% | 327  | 39.93%  | 22  | 2.69%

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Ainsworth (county seat)
* Long Pine

### Village

[edit]

* Johnstown

## See also

[edit]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Brown County, Nebraska

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Brown County, Nebraska". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ Fitzpatrick, Lillian L. (1960). Nebraska Place-Names. University of Nebraska Press. p. 22\. ISBN 0803250606. `{{cite book}}`: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
4. ^ History of the Origin of the Place Names in Nine Northwestern States. 1908. p. 12.
5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
6. ^ "About"[usurped], North Central RC&D.
7. ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
9. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
10. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
11. ^ "QuickFacts Brown County, Nebraska". US Census Bureau. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
12. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
13. ^ "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
14. ^ Election Results - Brown County NE
15. ^ The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 413 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 91 votes and Prohibition Eugene Chafin received 21 votes.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brown County, Nebraska.

* Brown County official website
* Brown County at Flags of the World

Places adjacent to Brown County, Nebraska

|  | Keya Paha County |

|
|

|  |
Cherry County |

Brown County, Nebraska

| Rock County
|  |
| Blaine County | Loup County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Brown County, Nebraska, United States

County seat: Ainsworth

Cities|

* Ainsworth
* Long Pine

Map of Nebraska highlighting Brown County

Village|

* Johnstown

Unincorporated
communities|

* Koshopah
* Raven

* Nebraska portal
* United States portal

* v
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* e

State of Nebraska

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Topics|

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Largest cities|

* Alliance
* Beatrice
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* Wheeler
* York

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42°26′N 99°56′W﻿ / ﻿42.44°N 99.93°W﻿ / 42.44; -99.93
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