Butler County, Nebraska

Name

There is some uncertainty about how Butler County got its name. The most credible consensus seems to be that Butler County is named for William Orlando Butler, a U.S. congressman from Kentucky and U.S. Army major general who served during the Mexican–American War. Butler was offered the job of Governor of Nebraska Territory in 1854 by President Franklin Pierce, but he turned it down. Regardless, Butler County was still named in his honor. The earliest references to the county being called "Butler County" are found in the journals of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature from the years 1857 and 1858.{{cite book|title=Journal of the House of Representatives at the Fourth Session of the General Assembly of the Territory of Nebraska|quote=Mr. Donelan gave notice of a bill to create the county seat of Butler county.

Another common explanation proposed for the naming of Butler County is that it was named for David Butler, the first Governor of the State of Nebraska. However, Butler County was created by an act of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature on June 26, 1856, When David Butler came to Nebraska, he settled in Pawnee County, not in the Butler County area.

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 591 sqmi, of which 585 sqmi is land and 5.9 sqmi (1.0%) is water.

Major highways

• [[File:US 81.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 81
• [[File:N-15.svg|20px]] Nebraska Highway 15
• [[File:N-64.svg|20px]] Nebraska Highway 64
• [[File:N-66.svg|20px]] Nebraska Highway 66
• [[File:N-92.svg|20px]] Nebraska Highway 92

Adjacent counties

• Saunders County – east
• Seward County – south
• York County – southwest
• Polk County – west
• Platte County – northwest
• Colfax County – north

Demographics

Race and ethnicity

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 8,369. The median age was 43.2 years. 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 102.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.4 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 92.3% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.5% from some other race, and 3.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.8% of the population.

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

There were 3,424 households in the county, of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 20.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 4,028 housing units, of which 15.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.1% were owner-occupied and 23.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%.

The most commonly picked ancestries among the population in 2020 were German (30.4%), Czech (22.6%), English (12.3%), Irish (10.1%), Mexican (3.7%), and Polish (3.1%).

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census, there were 8,767 people, 3,426 households, and 2,350 families in the county. The population density was 15 /mi2. There were 3,901 housing units at an average density of 7 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 98.38% White, 0.10% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from other races, and 0.40% from two or more races. 1.65% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 33.1% were of German and 32.0% Czech ancestry.

There were 3,426 households, out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 5.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 28.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.13.

The county population contained 27.90% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 104.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,331, and the median income for a family was $44,441. Males had a median income of $28,856 versus $20,979 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,394. About 4.80% of families and 8.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.80% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

• David City (county seat)

Villages

• Abie
• Bellwood
• Brainard
• Bruno
• Dwight
• Garrison
• Linwood
• Octavia
• Rising City
• Surprise
• Ulysses

Unincorporated communities

• Appleton
• Edholm
• Loma
• Millerton
• Nimburg

Ghost town

• Savannah

Townships

• Alexis
• Bone Creek
• Center
• Franklin
• Linwood
• Oak Creek
• Olive
• Platte
• Plum Creek
• Read
• Reading
• Richardson
• Savannah
• Skull Creek
• Summit
• Ulysses
• Union

Politics

Butler County voters have been reliably Republican for decades. No Democratic Party candidate has carried the county in any national election since 1976.

References

References

1. "County Population Totals: 2020-2021". US Census Bureau.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. Fitzpatrick, Lilian L.. (1960). "Nebraska Place-Names". University of Nebraska Press.
4. Andreas, A. T.. (1882). "Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska".
5. "Butler County". Nebraska Association of County Officials.
6. "Centers of Population by State: 2010". US Census Bureau.
7. (July 27, 2025). "History".
8. Elton A. Perkey. (2003). "Perkey's Nebraska Place Names". Nebraska State Historical Society.
9. (1896). "The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, Volume VI". James T. White and Company.
10. (1984). "Biographical Directory of American Territorial Governors". Meckler Publishing.
11. James C. Olson. (1966). "History of Nebraska (New Edition)". University of Nebraska Press.
12. (November 22, 2008). "David C. Butler". The Downfall Dictionary.
13. (January 3, 2019). "Gov. David C. Butler".
14. A. T. Andreas. (1882). "History of the State of Nebraska". The Western Historical Company.
15. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau.
16. "HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE (2020)". U.S. Census Bureau.
17. "HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE (2010)". U.S. Census Bureau.
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20. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
21. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau.
22. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". US Census Bureau.
23. "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau.
24. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
25. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
26. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
27. "Detailed Races and Ethnicities in the United States and Puerto Rico: 2020 Census". U.S. Census Bureau.
28. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau.
29. [http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS ''Election Results'']