History

The land that comprises Nance County was originally part of the Pawnee Reservation

Pawnee Reservation

The Pawnee Reservation in Nebraska was located on the Loup River in Platte and Nance counties in mid-central Nebraska. The Kawarakis Pawnees, the ancestors of the Chaui, Kitkehahki, and Pitahawirata Bands, settled in southeastern Nebraska in approximately 900....

, created in 1857 when the Pawnee Indians signed a treaty with the United States ceding its lands in exchange for the reservation. After the state of Nebraska was admitted into the Union, the state government extinguished the tribe's rights to their land. It soon sold the land and used the proceeds to defray expenses to obtain lands elsewhere for the Indians. In the mid-1870s the remainder of the reservation was sold, and in 1876 the tribe was relocated to its present-day location in central Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...

. The boundaries for Nance County were approved in 1879. It was named after Governor Albinus Nance

Albinus Nance

Albinus Roberts Nance served as a soldier during the American Civil War, and is well known for being the fourth Governor of Nebraska.-Early life and Civil War:...

.

Nearly all the land in Nance County was purchased by settlers or by investors for resale, instead of the homestead

Homestead Act

A homestead act is one of three United States federal laws that gave an applicant freehold title to an area called a "homestead" – typically 160 acres of undeveloped federal land west of the Mississippi River....

 provisions common to most of Nebraska.

Demographics

Nance County Population by decade

1870 - 44 1880 - 1,212 1890 - 5,773 1900 - 8,222 1910 - 8,926 1920 - 8,712 1930 - 8,718 1940 - 7,653 1950 - 6,512 1960 - 5,635 1970 - 5,142 1980 - 4,740 1990 - 4,275 2000 - 4,038 2010 - 3,735

As of the census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 4,038 people, 1,577 households, and 1,107 families residing in the county. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 9 people per square mile (4/km²). There were 1,787 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.39% White

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.37% Native American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.05% Asian

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.45% from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 0.74% from two or more races. 1.14% of the population were Hispanic

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or Latino

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 of any race.

There were 1,577 households out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were married couples

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 5.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the county the population was spread out with 27.90% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 23.60% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 19.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 104.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,267, and the median income for a family was $38,717. Males had a median income of $25,349 versus $19,044 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the county was $16,886. About 10.20% of families and 13.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.20% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and village

• Belgrade
  Belgrade, Nebraska
  Belgrade is a village in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 134 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Belgrade is located at ....
  
  
• Fullerton
  Fullerton, Nebraska
  Fullerton is a city in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 1,190 as of the 2010 Census. The community name is derived from cattleman Randolph Fuller.Fullerton is the county seat of Nance County.- History :...
  
  
• Genoa
  Genoa, Nebraska
  Genoa is a city in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 981 at the 2000 census. Genoa is a community rich in culture and farming is a major source of income for much of the surrounding area. The city was founded by the Mormons in 1857...
  
  

Townships

• Beaver
  Beaver Township, Nance County, Nebraska
  Beaver Township is one of twelve townships in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 134 at the 2000 census. A 2006 estimate placed the township's population at 123.-External links:*...
  
  
• Cedar
  Cedar Township, Nance County, Nebraska
  Cedar Township is one of twelve townships in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 105 at the 2000 census. A 2006 estimate placed the township's population at 97.-External links:*...
  
  
• Cottonwood
  Cottonwood Township, Nance County, Nebraska
  Cottonwood Township is one of twelve townships in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 91 at the 2000 census. A 2006 estimate placed the township's population at 84.-External links:*...
  
  
• Council Creek
  Council Creek Township, Nance County, Nebraska
  Council Creek Township is one of twelve townships in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 150 at the 2000 census. A 2006 estimate placed the township's population at 138.-External links:*...
  
  
• East Newman
  East Newman Township, Nance County, Nebraska
  East Newman Township is one of twelve townships in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 116 at the 2000 census. A 2006 estimate placed the township's population at 106.-External links:*...
  
  
• Fullerton
  Fullerton Township, Nance County, Nebraska
  Fullerton Township is one of twelve townships in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 180 at the 2000 census. A 2006 estimate placed the township's population at 165.-External links:*...
  
  
• Genoa
  Genoa Township, Nance County, Nebraska
  Genoa Township is one of twelve townships in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 225 at the 2000 census. A 2006 estimate placed the township's population at 208.-External links:*...
  
  
• Loup Ferry
  Loup Ferry Township, Nance County, Nebraska
  Loup Ferry Township is one of twelve townships in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 99 at the 2000 census. A 2006 estimate placed the township's population at 91.-External links:*...
  
  
• Prairie Creek
  Prairie Creek Township, Nance County, Nebraska
  Prairie Creek Township is one of twelve townships in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 194 at the 2000 census. A 2006 estimate placed the township's population at 178.-External links:*...
  
  
• South Branch
  South Branch Township, Nance County, Nebraska
  South Branch Township is one of twelve townships in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 63 at the 2000 census. A 2006 estimate placed the township's population at 58.-External links:*...
  
  
• Timber Creek
  Timber Creek Township, Nance County, Nebraska
  Timber Creek Township is one of twelve townships in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 239 at the 2000 census. A 2006 estimate placed the township's population at 218.The Village of Belgrade lies within the Township.-External links:*...
  
  
• West Newman
  West Newman Township, Nance County, Nebraska
  West Newman Township is one of twelve townships in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 82 at the 2000 census. A 2006 estimate placed the township's population at 75.-External links:*...