Editing Red Willow County, Nebraska

{{Short description|County in Nebraska, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
| county             = Red Willow County
| state              = Nebraska
| founded            = 1873
| seat wl            = McCook
| largest city       = McCook
| area_total_sq_mi   = 718
| area_land_sq_mi    = 717
| area_water_sq_mi   = 1.0
| area percentage    = 0.1%
| census yr          = 2020
| pop                = 10702
| pop_est_as_of      = 2021
| population_est     = 10623 {{loss}}
| density_sq_mi      = auto
| web                = http://www.co.red-willow.ne.us/
| ex image           = Red Willow County, Nebraska courthouse from SE 1.JPG
| ex image cap       = Red Willow County Courthouse in McCook
| district           = 3rd
| time zone          = Central
| named for          = [[Red Willow Creek]] }}

'''Red Willow County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Nebraska]]. As of the [[2020 United States census]], the population was 10,702.<ref name=QF>{{cite web|title=US Census Bureau|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US31145|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=May 1, 2022|archive-date=May 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501040705/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US31145|url-status=dead}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[McCook, Nebraska|McCook]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> In the [[Vehicle registration plates of Nebraska|Nebraska license plate system]], Red Willow County is represented by the prefix 48 (it had the forty-eighth-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

==History==
Red Willow County was formed in 1873. It was named for the [[Red Willow Creek]]. The name is reported to be a mistranslation of the [[Dakota language|Dakota]] Indian name ''Chanshasha Wakpala,'' which literally means Red Dogwood Creek. The Dakota referred to the creek thus due to red dogwood shrubs that grew along the creek banks. Its stem and branches are deep red in color, and it is favored in basket making.<ref>[http://www.nacone.org/webpages/counties/countywebs/red_willow.htm "History"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704061958/http://www.nacone.org/webpages/counties/countywebs/red_willow.htm |date=July 4, 2008}}, Nebraska Association of County Officials, Retrieved on March 14, 2008.</ref>

==Geography==
Red Willow County lies on the south line of Nebraska. The south boundary line of Red Willow County abuts the north boundary line of the state of [[Kansas]]. The [[Republican River]] runs easterly through the north-central part of the county. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, sloping to the east. The portions of the terrain in the [[drainage basin]]s are used for agriculture.<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Red+Willow+County,+NE/@40.1756731,-100.6094237,43365m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x879e2eeeb03d82cf:0x86fcf9b3b8ca2303!8m2!3d40.2353963!4d-100.5296115 ''Red Willow County NE''  Google Maps (accessed 27 January 2019)]</ref> The county has a total area of {{convert|718|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|717|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1.0|sqmi}} (0.1%) is water.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_31.txt|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2014|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113024152/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_31.txt|archive-date=November 13, 2013}}</ref>

===Major highways===
{{div col|colwidth=33em}}
* [[File:US 6.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 6 in Nebraska|U.S. Highway 6]]
* [[File:US 34.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 34 in Nebraska|U.S. Highway 34]]
* [[File:US 83.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 83 in Nebraska|U.S. Highway 83]]
* [[File:N-89.svg|20px]] [[Nebraska Highway 89]]
{{div col end}}

===Transit===
*[[Amtrak]] ''[[California Zephyr]]'' (''[[McCook station]]'')

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col|colwidth=33em}}
* [[Furnas County, Nebraska|Furnas County]] – east
* [[Decatur County, Kansas]] – south
* [[Rawlins County, Kansas]] – southwest
* [[Hitchcock County, Nebraska|Hitchcock County]] – west
* [[Frontier County, Nebraska|Frontier County]] – north
{{div col end}}

===Protected areas===
* Red Willow Reservoir State Wildlife Management Area (part)<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Red+Willow+Reservoir+State+Wildlife+Management+Area,+McCook,+NE+69001/@40.3400667,-100.6827303,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x879e2eeeb03d82cf:0x86fcf9b3b8ca2303!2sRed+Willow+County,+NE!3b1!8m2!3d40.2353963!4d-100.5296115!3m4!1s0x877588ff5c612335:0x9b9b535726192171!8m2!3d40.3385792!4d-100.6703435 ''Red Willow Reservoir State Wildlife Management Area, McCook NE''  Google Maps (accessed 27 January 2019)]</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 3044
|1890= 8837
|1900= 9604
|1910= 11056
|1920= 11434
|1930= 13859
|1940= 11951
|1950= 12977
|1960= 12940
|1970= 12191
|1980= 12615
|1990= 11705
|2000= 11448
|2010= 11055
|2020= 10702
|estyear=2021
|estimate=10623
|estref=<ref name="CountyPop2020-2021">{{cite web |title=County Population Totals: 2020-2021 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |website=Census.gov |publisher=US Census Bureau |access-date=October 21, 2022}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=US Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=US Decennial Census|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2014}}</ref><br>1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=December 11, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ne190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2014}}</ref><br>1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2013<ref name=QF/>
}}

As of the [[2000 United States Census]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 11,448 people, 4,710 households, and 3,188 families in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|16|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 5,278 housing units at an average density of {{convert|7|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units&nbsp;}}. The racial makeup of the county was 97.55% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.16% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.38% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.17% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.93% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.80% from two or more races. 2.45% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 4,710 households, out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.50% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 28.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.90% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 24.60% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,293, and the median income for a family was $40,279. Males had a median income of $27,768 versus $18,768 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $16,303. About 7.60% of families and 9.60% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 11.40% of those under age 18 and 7.60% of those age 65 or over.

==Communities==

=== Cities ===

* [[Indianola, Nebraska|Indianola]]
* [[McCook, Nebraska|McCook]]  (county seat)

=== Villages ===

* [[Bartley, Nebraska|Bartley]]
* [[Danbury, Nebraska|Danbury]]
* [[Lebanon, Nebraska|Lebanon]]

=== Unincorporated communities ===

* [[Marion, Nebraska|Marion]]
* [[Perry, Nebraska|Perry]]
* [[Shippee, Nebraska|Shippee]]

==Politics==
Red Willow County voters have been reliably Republican for several decades. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024), and only five total from 1900 to the present.
{{PresHead|place=Red Willow County, Nebraska|source1=<ref>[http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS Election Results]</ref>|source2=<ref>The leading "other" candidate, [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]], received 782 votes, while Socialist candidate [[Eugene V. Debs|Eugene Debs]] received 190 votes and [[Prohibition Party|Prohibition]] [[Eugene W. Chafin|Eugene Chafin]] received 26 votes.</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|4,457|815|67|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|4,525|811|134|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|4,258|645|272|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|3,891|952|93|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|3,735|1,216|93|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|4,129|1,055|74|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|3,680|1,188|157|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|3,112|1,365|534|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|2,500|1,166|1,676|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|3,331|1,511|43|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,131|1,026|27|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|4,050|899|329|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|2,978|1,722|110|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,701|931|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|3,066|1,145|364|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|2,740|2,416|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|3,890|1,922|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|3,806|1,625|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|4,433|1,631|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|2,610|2,238|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|3,107|2,132|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|3,119|2,481|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|2,078|3,445|169|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,972|3,479|141|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|3,559|1,770|55|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|1,931|1,122|1,276|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,993|1,133|259|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|977|1,418|174|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|256|923|998|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|1,242|1,317|131|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,373|306|392|Nebraska}}
{{PresFoot|1900|Republican|1,192|905|60|Nebraska}}

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Red Willow County, Nebraska]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Red Willow County, Nebraska}}
{{Official website|http://www.co.red-willow.ne.us/}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Red Willow County, Nebraska
|North     = [[Frontier County, Nebraska|Frontier County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Furnas County, Nebraska|Furnas County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Decatur County, Kansas]]
|Southwest = [[Rawlins County, Kansas]]
|West      = [[Hitchcock County, Nebraska|Hitchcock County]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Red Willow County, Nebraska}}
{{Nebraska}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|40.18|-100.48|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-NE_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Red Willow County, Nebraska| ]]
[[Category:1873 establishments in Nebraska]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1873]]