Furnas County is a county in Nebraska, United States, on the Kansas state line in the south-central part of the state. It had a population of 4,636 at the 2020 census and covers 721 square miles (1,870 km2) of which 719 square miles (1,860 km2) is land, centred near 40°10′N 99°55′W.
Beaver City is the county seat and its postal code is 68926. The county has three incorporated cities, five villages and several unincorporated communities. It sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Furnas County
Furnas County has eight incorporated places — three cities and five villages — plus a handful of unincorporated crossroads communities. Cambridge is the largest town by population; Beaver City is the seat of government. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no local government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver City | City · seat | — | 68926 |
| Cambridge | City | 1,071 | 69022 |
| Arapahoe | City | — | 68922 |
| Oxford | Village | — | 68967 |
| Holbrook | Village | — | 68948 |
| Edison | Village | — | 68936 |
| Wilsonville | Village | — | 69046 |
| Hendley | Village | — | 68946 |
| Hollinger | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Precept | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Deerfield Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Henry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Roach | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Scoville | Unincorp. | — | — |
None of Furnas County’s places share a name with a neighboring county’s community, and no incorporated town straddles the Kansas line.
ZIP Codes
- 68926 — Beaver City
- 69022 — Cambridge
- 68922 — Arapahoe
- 68967 — Oxford
- 68948 — Holbrook
- 68936 — Edison
- 69046 — Wilsonville
- 68946 — Hendley
Hollinger, Precept, Deerfield Corner, Henry, Roach and Scoville are unincorporated crossroads with no post office of their own; mail there is addressed to the nearest listed town.
Geography
Furnas County lies on rolling High Plains tableland cut by the Republican River, which flows eastward across the upper-central part of the county, and Medicine Creek, one of its tributaries. Land dominates at 719 of the county’s 721 square miles, with 1.5 square miles of water. The terrain supports irrigated corn and soybean ground along the river valley and dryland wheat and cattle range on the uplands above it.
Gosper County lies to the north, Harlan County to the east, Red Willow County to the west, Frontier County to the northwest and Phelps County to the northeast. Norton County, Kansas lies directly south and Decatur County, Kansas lies to the southwest, across the state line. See Gosper County, Harlan County, Red Willow County, Frontier County, Phelps County and Decatur County, Kansas.
Demographics
Furnas County had 4,636 residents at the 2020 census, down from 12,373 in 1900 — a long-running decline typical of Nebraska’s rural High Plains counties. Cambridge, with 1,071 residents at the 2020 census, is the largest community, followed by Arapahoe and the county seat, Beaver City. Median household income in the county runs below the Nebraska median of $74,590, consistent with its farm-dependent, sparsely populated economy. Population density is about 6.4 people per square mile of land.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture drives the county’s economy: irrigated corn and soybeans along the Republican River valley, and cattle grazing and dryland wheat on the higher ground. Beaver City hosts the Furnas County Courthouse and county government offices; Cambridge and Arapahoe are the county’s retail and school hubs. The county has voted Republican in nearly every presidential election since 1916, breaking only for Franklin Roosevelt in 1932.
History
Furnas County was organized in 1873 and named for Robert Wilkinson Furnas, Nebraska’s second governor. Like much of south-central Nebraska, it was settled by homesteaders in the decades following the Homestead Act, with its population peaking around 1900 before decades of rural out-migration reduced it to its current size.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 6, 34, 136 and 283 all cross Furnas County, along with Nebraska Highways 46, 47 and 89.
- McCook, Nebraska — about 30 miles west
- Cambridge to Beaver City — about 12 miles southwest
- Arapahoe to Cambridge — about 10 miles southwest
- Kearney, Nebraska — about 75 miles northeast
The nearest commercial airport is McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport, west of the county.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Furnas County, Nebraska?
It is in south-central Nebraska on the Kansas state line, along the Republican River.
What is the population of Furnas County?
4,636 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Furnas County?
721 square miles (1,870 km2), of which 719 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Furnas County?
Beaver City is the county seat.
How many towns are in Furnas County?
Eight incorporated places — three cities and five villages — plus several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Furnas County?
68922, 68926, 68936, 68946, 68948, 68967, 69022 and 69046.
What river runs through Furnas County?
The Republican River, joined by Medicine Creek, flows across the upper-central part of the county.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.