Antelope County is a county in Nebraska, United States, on the Elkhorn River in the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 6,295 at the 2020 census and covers 858.6 square miles (2,223.7 km2) centred near 42°11′00″N 98°03′29″W.
Neligh is the county seat, and its postal code is 68756. The county holds three incorporated cities (one shared with a neighboring county) and five villages, all in the Central time zone. Its FIPS code is 31-003.
Towns & Villages in Antelope County
Antelope County has eight named communities: two full cities, one city that straddles the county line, and five villages. CDP = census-designated place (unincorporated); Unincorp. = an unincorporated community with no formal boundary.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neligh | City · seat | — | 68756 |
| Elgin | City | — | 68636 |
| Tilden | City | — | 68781 |
| Brunswick | Village | — | 68720 |
| Clearwater | Village | — | 68726 |
| Oakdale | Village | — | 68761 |
| Orchard | Village | — | 68764 |
| Royal | Village | — | 68773 |
Tilden sits mostly in neighboring Madison County; only a slice of the city and its ZIP territory reach into Antelope County, which is why local mail for that edge of town still runs through the Madison County post office.
ZIP Codes
- 68756 — Neligh
- 68636 — Elgin
- 68764 — Orchard
- 68726 — Clearwater
- 68761 — Oakdale
- 68773 — Royal
- 68720 — Brunswick
Tilden’s 68781 ZIP is centred in Madison County and also covers the small Antelope County edge of the city; farms between the villages generally use the ZIP of their nearest post office town.
Geography
Antelope County lies in north-central Nebraska where the rolling farmland of the Elkhorn River valley meets the eastern edge of the Sandhills. The Elkhorn River crosses the county roughly west to east, passing through Neligh and Elgin, and several of its tributary creeks drain the surrounding cropland and pasture. The terrain is gently rolling, transitioning from flat river-bottom farm ground in the east to sandier, hillier rangeland toward the west.
Antelope County borders Knox County to the north, Pierce County to the east, Madison County to the southeast, Boone County to the south, Wheeler County to the southwest, and Holt County to the west.
Demographics
Antelope County had 6,295 residents at the 2020 census, spread across 858.6 square miles for a density of about 7.3 people per square mile — one of the more sparsely populated parts of eastern Nebraska. Neligh and Elgin are the two largest communities. Median household income in the county trends below the Nebraska median of $74,590, typical of the state’s farm-belt counties, where income is tied closely to crop and livestock prices rather than wage employment.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture drives the county economy: corn, soybeans, and cattle dominate the farmland and pasture around Neligh, Elgin, and the smaller villages. Neligh Mill State Historic Site, a restored 1873 water-powered flour mill on the Elkhorn River, is one of the county’s best-known landmarks and a state historic park. Just north of Royal, Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park — a National Natural Landmark preserving a 12-million-year-old volcanic ash bed with fossilized rhinoceros, horse, and camel skeletons — draws visitors from across the region each summer. The Antelope County Fair, held in Neligh, is the county’s largest annual gathering.
History
Antelope County was created on March 1, 1871, and organized that June. It takes its name from the pronghorn antelope that early settlers found roaming the area in large numbers; pronghorn are not true antelope, but the name stuck. The Sioux City and Nebraska Railroad reached Neligh in 1879, and the rail connection spurred the county’s agricultural settlement through the following decades.
Getting There
US Highway 20 runs east-west through the northern part of the county, linking Neligh, Clearwater, Royal, and Orchard, while US Highway 275 and Nebraska Highways 13, 14, 45, and 70 connect the southern communities.
- Norfolk, Nebraska — about 30 miles southeast of Neligh
- O’Neill, Nebraska — about 30 miles northwest of Neligh
- Columbus, Nebraska — about 65 miles southeast of Neligh
Norfolk Regional Airport offers limited regional air service; Eppley Airfield in Omaha, roughly 150 miles southeast, is the nearest major commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Antelope County, Nebraska?
It is in north-central Nebraska, along the Elkhorn River, between Norfolk and O’Neill.
What is the population of Antelope County?
6,295 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Antelope County?
858.6 square miles (2,223.7 km2), of which about 1.4 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Antelope County?
Neligh is the county seat.
How many towns and villages are in Antelope County?
Eight: the cities of Neligh, Elgin, and (partly) Tilden, plus the villages of Brunswick, Clearwater, Oakdale, Orchard, and Royal.
What ZIP codes are in Antelope County?
68756 (Neligh), 68636 (Elgin), 68781 (Tilden, shared with Madison County), 68720 (Brunswick), 68726 (Clearwater), 68761 (Oakdale), 68764 (Orchard), and 68773 (Royal).
What is Antelope County known for?
Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park near Royal, one of the world’s best-preserved Miocene fossil beds, and the restored 1873 Neligh Mill on the Elkhorn River.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.