Phelps County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 8,968. Its county seat is Holdrege. The county was formed in 1873, and was named for William Phelps (1808–1889), a steamboat captain and early settler.
In the Nebraska license plate system, Phelps County is represented by the prefix 37 (it had the 37th-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).
It is considered part of the Kearney μSA's development and expansion plans.
Geography
Phelps County terrain consists of low rolling hills, mostly devoted to agriculture, sloping to the east, and dropping off toward the river basin along its northern boundary line. The Platte River flows eastward along the north line.
The county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.1%) is water.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 6
U.S. Highway 34
U.S. Highway 183
Nebraska Highway 23
Transit
Amtrak California Zephyr (Holdrege station)
Adjacent counties
Kearney County – east
Franklin County – southeast
Harlan County – south
Furnas County – southwest
Gosper County – west
Dawson County – northwest
Buffalo County – northeast
Protected areas
Atlanta Marsh National Wildlife Management Area
Cottonwood Federal Waterfowl Production Area
Johnson Federal Waterfowl Production Area
Jones Federal Waterfowl Production Area
Lake Seldom Wildlife Refuge
Lynder Federal Waterfowl Production Area
Richardson Lagoon State Wildlife Management Area
Sacramento-Wilcox State Wildlife Management Area
Demographics
As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 9,747 people, 3,844 households, and 2,683 families in the county. The population density was . There were 4,191 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.79% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.79% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. 2.26% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 3,844 households, out of which 33.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.60% were married couples living together, 5.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.20% were non-families. 26.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.00.
The county population contained 26.50% under the age of 18, 6.10% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 18.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,319, and the median income for a family was $44,943. Males had a median income of $28,962 versus $21,741 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,044. About 6.20% of families and 8.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.10% of those under age 18 and 7.70% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
City
Holdrege (county seat)
Villages
Atlanta
Bertrand
Funk
Loomis
Unincorporated communities
Clyde
Sacramento
Westmark
Townships
Anderson
Center
Cottonwood
Divide
Garfield
Industry-Rock Falls
Laird
Lake
Prairie
Sheridan
Union
Westmark
Westside
Williamsburg
Politics
Phelps County voters have been reliably Republican for decades. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020).