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Saunders County
Saunders County
County
	County of Saunders
	Saunders County Courthouse in Wahoo
	Interactive map of Saunders County
	Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Established	January 26, 1856
Organized	October 8, 1867
Named for	Alvin Saunders
County seat	Wahoo
Largest city	Wahoo
Area
• Total	760 sq mi (2,000 km2)
• Land	750 sq mi (1,900 km2)
• Water	9.6 sq mi (25 km2) 1.3%
Highest elevation	1,365 ft (416 m)
Lowest elevation	866 ft (264 m)
Population
• Estimate (2022)	23,118
• Density	30.8/sq mi (11.9/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	402/531
FIPS code	31155
GNIS feature ID	835899
Website	saunderscounty.ne.gov

Saunders County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 22,278.^[2] Its county seat is Wahoo.^[3]

Saunders County is included in the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area.^[4]

In the Nebraska license plate system, Saunders County is represented by the prefix 6 (the county had the sixth-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).

History

Saunders County was established by an 1856 act of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature, and was organized in 1866;^[5]^[6] its boundaries were redefined in 1858.^[7] It was originally named Calhoun County after John Calhoun, surveyor general of Kansas and Nebraska.^[8] Other sources contend that it was named for John C. Calhoun of South Carolina.^[9] In 1862, during the American Civil War, it was renamed after Nebraska territorial governor Alvin Saunders.^[10]

Geography

Saunders County is bordered on the north and east by the Platte River. Several local drainages move runoff water from the county eastward into the Platte. The county terrain is composed of low rolling hills,^[11] which slope eastward and northeastward to the river valley. The county has an area of 760 square miles (2,000 km²), of which 750 square miles (1,900 km²) is land and 9.6 square miles (25 km²) (1.3%) is water.^[12]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Douglas County – east
Sarpy County – east
Cass County – southeast
Lancaster County – south
Butler County – west
Dodge County – north

Protected areas

Bramble State Wildlife Management Area^[13]
Czechland Lake Recreation and Wildlife Management Area^[14]
Jack Sinn Memorial State Wildlife Management Area^[15]
Memphis Lake State Recreation Area^[16]
Pioneer State Recreation Area^[17]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	4,547		—
1880	15,810		247.7%
1890	21,577		36.5%
1900	22,085		2.4%
1910	21,179		−4.1%
1920	20,589		−2.8%
1930	20,167		−2.0%
1940	17,892		−11.3%
1950	16,923		−5.4%
1960	17,270		2.1%
1970	17,018		−1.5%
1980	18,716		10.0%
1990	18,285		−2.3%
2000	19,830		8.4%
2010	20,780		4.8%
2020	22,278		7.2%
2023 (est.)	23,463	^[1]	5.3%
US Decennial Census^[18] 1790–1960^[19] 1900–1990^[20] 1990–2000^[21] 2010^[22]

As of the 2020 United States Census,^[23] there were 22,278 people and 8,789 households. The population density was 29 people per square mile (11 people/km²). There were 10,424 housing units at an average density of 13.7 units per square mile (5.3 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.7% White, 0.7% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, and 1.6% from two or more races. 2.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. [1]

As of the 2010 United States Census,^[23] there were 20,778 people and 8,040 households. The population density was 28 people per square mile (11 people/km²). There were 9,221 housing units at an average density of 12.3 units per square mile (4.7 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.2% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. 2.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. [2]

As of the 2000 United States Census,^[23] there were 19,830 people, 7,498 households, and 5,443 families in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile (10 people/km²). There were 8,266 housing units at an average density of 11 units per square mile (4.2 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.49% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. 1.03% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,498 households, out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.60% were married couples living together, 6.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 23.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.11.

The county population contained 27.90% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,173, and the median income for a family was $49,443. Males had a median income of $33,309 versus $22,922 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,392. About 5.30% of families and 6.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.30% of those under age 18 and 7.00% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Ashland
Wahoo (county seat)
Yutan

Villages

Census-designated place

Wann

Townships

Politics

Saunders County voters tend to vote Republican. In only two national elections since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024)

United States presidential election results for Saunders County, Nebraska^[24]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	9,854	72.34%	3,558	26.12%	210	1.54%
2020	9,108	71.23%	3,331	26.05%	347	2.71%
2016	7,555	69.57%	2,523	23.23%	782	7.20%
2012	6,770	65.65%	3,307	32.07%	235	2.28%
2008	6,188	60.60%	3,767	36.89%	257	2.52%
2004	6,441	67.88%	2,884	30.39%	164	1.73%
2000	5,688	63.77%	2,852	31.98%	379	4.25%
1996	4,514	52.51%	2,777	32.30%	1,306	15.19%
1992	4,037	44.11%	2,509	27.41%	2,606	28.47%
1988	4,459	55.46%	3,526	43.86%	55	0.68%
1984	5,217	67.34%	2,467	31.84%	63	0.81%
1980	5,223	66.06%	2,034	25.73%	649	8.21%
1976	3,844	51.24%	3,507	46.75%	151	2.01%
1972	4,282	63.13%	2,501	36.87%	0	0.00%
1968	3,429	57.39%	1,990	33.31%	556	9.31%
1964	3,345	44.50%	4,172	55.50%	0	0.00%
1960	4,702	56.94%	3,556	43.06%	0	0.00%
1956	4,973	59.86%	3,335	40.14%	0	0.00%
1952	5,525	65.10%	2,962	34.90%	0	0.00%
1948	3,660	47.91%	3,979	52.09%	0	0.00%
1944	6,615	61.17%	4,199	38.83%	0	0.00%
1940	4,917	54.16%	4,162	45.84%	0	0.00%
1936	3,773	39.36%	5,514	57.52%	300	3.13%
1932	2,772	30.35%	6,134	67.16%	228	2.50%
1928	5,356	58.31%	3,793	41.29%	37	0.40%
1924	3,499	45.15%	2,823	36.43%	1,427	18.42%
1920	3,733	59.99%	2,296	36.90%	194	3.12%
1916	1,957	40.83%	2,671	55.73%	165	3.44%
1912	864	18.79%	2,080	45.23%	1,655	35.99%
1908	2,309	45.18%	2,679	52.42%	123	2.41%
1904	2,880	60.14%	1,091	22.78%	818	17.08%
1900	2,325	44.82%	2,762	53.25%	100	1.93%