Colfax County is a county in Nebraska, United States, on the flat farmland of the Platte River valley roughly 65 miles west of Omaha. It had a population of 10,582 at the 2020 census and covers 417 square miles (1,080 km2) centred near 41°34′N 97°05′W.
Schuyler is the county seat, and its postal code is 68661. The county has two incorporated cities, four villages, and two unincorporated communities. It observes Central time and carries a large Hispanic and Latino population — among the highest shares of any Nebraska county — concentrated in Schuyler.
Towns & Villages in Colfax County
Colfax County has eight named communities: two incorporated cities and four villages with their own municipal government, plus two small unincorporated places. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schuyler | City · seat | 6,211 | 68661 |
| Clarkson | City | 688 | 68629 |
| Howells | Village | 661 | 68641 |
| Leigh | Village | 420 | 68643 |
| Rogers | Village | 111 | 68659 |
| Richland | Village | 60 | 68661 |
| Heun | Unincorp. | — | 68661 |
| Olean | Unincorp. | — | 68643 |
Richland has no post office of its own and is served through Schuyler’s 68661 ZIP. Heun and Olean are rural crossroads settlements rather than platted towns; both are reached via county roads and share their nearest village’s ZIP. Two places from older lists — “Genes Trailer Court” and “Lonnies Trailer Court” — are small private mobile-home courts near Schuyler, not incorporated or census-recognized places, and are omitted here for lack of verifiable population or boundary data.
ZIP Codes
- 68661 — Schuyler (also serves Richland and Heun)
- 68629 — Clarkson
- 68641 — Howells
- 68643 — Leigh (also serves Olean)
- 68659 — Rogers
Five ZIP codes cover the whole county; every village and unincorporated place is reached through one of them.
Geography
Colfax County sits in the flat glacial-till plain of east-central Nebraska, split by the Platte River along its southern edge and drained in the north by Shell Creek and Maple Creek. The land is almost entirely cultivated cropland — corn and soybeans — with little natural relief. The county borders Dodge County to the east, Butler County to the south, Platte County to the west, Stanton County to the north, and Cuming County to the northeast, joining Dodge, Butler, Platte, and Stanton via the site’s own state-suffixed county pages.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 10,582 residents, with Schuyler (population 6,211) and Clarkson (688) the two largest communities. Colfax County’s median household income runs below the Nebraska median of $74,590, reflecting the county’s meatpacking-and-farm-labor economic base. Population density is about 25 people per square mile, concentrated heavily in and around Schuyler.
Economy & Local Life
Meatpacking anchors the county economy: Cargill’s beef processing plant in Schuyler is the county’s largest single employer and has driven decades of Hispanic and Latino immigration, giving Schuyler one of the highest Latino population shares of any Nebraska city. Outside Schuyler, row-crop and livestock farming dominate, supported by grain elevators and implement dealers in the smaller villages. Colfax County Fair, held each summer in Leigh, is the county’s signature annual event.
History
Colfax County was organized on February 15, 1869, and named — along with its county seat — for Schuyler Colfax, who served as U.S. Vice President from 1869 to 1873 under Ulysses S. Grant. Early settlement followed the Union Pacific Railroad line along the Platte valley, which brought Czech, German, and Scandinavian immigrant farmers to villages like Clarkson and Howells in the 1870s and 1880s. Meatpacking arrived in Schuyler in the late 20th century and reshaped the county’s demographics through the 1990s and 2000s.
Getting There
U.S. Route 30 and U.S. Route 81 cross at Schuyler, and Nebraska Highway 15 runs north-south through the county.
- Fremont — 20 miles east
- Columbus — 20 miles west
- Norfolk — 30 miles north
- Omaha — 65 miles east
The nearest commercial airport is Eppley Airfield in Omaha.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Colfax County, Nebraska?
It is in east-central Nebraska, along the Platte River about 65 miles west of Omaha.
What is the population of Colfax County?
10,582 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Colfax County?
417 square miles (1,080 km2).
What is the county seat of Colfax County?
Schuyler is the county seat.
How many towns and villages are in Colfax County?
Two cities and four villages, plus two small unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Colfax County?
68661, 68629, 68641, 68643, and 68659.
Why is Colfax County named that?
It honors Schuyler Colfax, U.S. Vice President from 1869 to 1873, the same year the county was organized.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.