Boone County is a county in Nebraska, United States, in the east-central part of the state. It had a population of 5,386 at the 2020 census and covers 687 square miles (1,780 km2) centred near 41°42′N 98°04′W.
Albion is the county seat, and its postal code is 68620. The county has two cities, three villages and two census-designated places, plus four unincorporated communities. Boone County observes Central time.
Towns & Villages in Boone County
Boone County has eleven named places: two incorporated cities (one the county seat), three incorporated villages, two census-designated places (CDPs, unincorporated but recognized by the Census Bureau) and four smaller unincorporated communities.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albion | City · seat | — | 68620 |
| Saint Edward | City | — | 68660 |
| Cedar Rapids | Village | — | 68627 |
| Petersburg | Village | — | 68652 |
| Primrose | Village | — | 68655 |
| Loretto | CDP | — | — |
| Raeville | CDP | — | — |
| Akron | Unincorp. | — | 68620 |
| Boone | Unincorp. | — | 68620 |
| Closter | Unincorp. | — | 68620 |
| Vorhees | Unincorp. | — | — |
Akron, Boone and Closter are unincorporated crossroads communities that share Albion’s 68620 ZIP code rather than having their own post office.
ZIP Codes
- 68620 — Albion (also serves Akron, Boone and Closter)
- 68660 — Saint Edward
- 68627 — Cedar Rapids
- 68652 — Petersburg
- 68655 — Primrose
Loretto, Raeville and Vorhees have no post office of their own and are typically addressed under a neighboring town’s ZIP code.
Geography
Boone County lies in the gently rolling farmland of Nebraska’s eastern Loess Plains, with Beaver Creek and its tributaries draining much of the county toward the Loup River system to the south. Cropland and pasture make up nearly all of the county’s land area, with the small incorporated towns spaced along the state highway network rather than clustered around any single lake or ridge. The landscape is typical of east-central Nebraska: broad, gently undulating fields given over almost entirely to corn and soybeans, with scattered pasture and pockets of tree cover along the creek bottoms. Elevation across the county varies only modestly, and there are no significant bluffs or forested uplands to interrupt the farmland.
Boone County borders Antelope County to the north, Madison County to the northeast, Platte County to the southeast, Nance County to the south, Greeley County to the southwest and Wheeler County to the northwest.
Demographics
Boone County had 5,386 residents at the 2020 census, giving it a density of about 7.8 people per square mile. Albion is by far the largest community, followed by Saint Edward. Nebraska’s statewide median household income is the Nebraska median of $74,590; Boone County’s small-town and farm-dependent economy typically runs below that figure, consistent with most rural counties in the eastern Loess Plains.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture drives the county’s economy, with corn, soybeans and cattle as the dominant enterprises. Albion serves as the county’s trade center, with grain elevators, farm-implement dealers and agribusiness services supporting the surrounding countryside. Most residents work in farming, agricultural services, or small-town retail and public-sector jobs based in Albion. Saint Edward, Cedar Rapids, Petersburg and Primrose each function as smaller local hubs for the farms around them, typically with a grain elevator, a school, a church or two and a handful of small businesses. As in most of rural Nebraska, county government, the local school districts and healthcare are among the largest non-farm employers.
History
Boone County was organized on March 1, 1871, and named in honor of frontiersman Daniel Boone. Settlement accelerated with the arrival of the railroad and the opportunities created by the Homestead Act of 1862, drawing homesteaders onto the county’s open prairie in the 1870s and 1880s. Albion was platted as the county seat and grew into the trading center for the surrounding farmland, while smaller depots along the rail lines grew into Saint Edward, Cedar Rapids, Petersburg and Primrose. Like much of rural Nebraska, the county’s population peaked in 1930, at 14,738, and has declined over the following decades as farms consolidated into fewer, larger operations and residents moved to larger towns and cities for work.
Getting There
Nebraska Highways 14, 32, 39, 45, 52, 56 and 91 all pass through Boone County, with several converging at Albion. The nearest commercial airport is Central Nebraska Regional Airport in Grand Island.
- Norfolk — 30 miles northeast
- Columbus — 40 miles east
- Grand Island — 60 miles south
- Ord — 35 miles west
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Boone County, Nebraska?
It is in the east-central part of Nebraska, roughly 30 miles northeast of Norfolk and about 90 miles northwest of Lincoln.
What is the population of Boone County?
Boone County had a population of 5,386 at the 2020 census.
How big is Boone County?
The county covers 687 square miles (1,780 km2), nearly all of it land.
What is the county seat of Boone County?
Albion is the county seat.
How many towns are in Boone County?
Boone County has two cities, three villages, two census-designated places and four unincorporated communities — eleven named places in all.
What ZIP codes are in Boone County?
Boone County’s ZIP codes are 68620 (Albion), 68660 (Saint Edward), 68627 (Cedar Rapids), 68652 (Petersburg) and 68655 (Primrose).
What is Boone County named after?
The county was organized in 1871 and named in honor of frontiersman Daniel Boone.