Gosper County is a county in Nebraska, United States, on the south bank of the Platte River in south-central Nebraska. It had a population of 1,893 at the 2020 census and covers 463 square miles (1,199 km2) centred near 40°35′N 99°52′W.
Elwood is the county seat, and its postal code is 68937. The county has two incorporated villages (Elwood and Smithfield) plus the unincorporated lakeside community of Johnson Lake. Gosper County is part of the Lexington, NE Micropolitan Statistical Area and observes Central time.
Towns & Villages in Gosper County
Gosper County has just two incorporated places, both villages, plus one recognized unincorporated community. The table below carries over every settlement named in the county’s older listing.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elwood | Village · seat | 658 | 68937 |
| Smithfield | Village | 60 | 68976 |
| Johnson Lake | Unincorp. | — | 68937 |
The old county listing also carried an entry for “Devils Gap.” No community by that name is documented in current census or postal records for Gosper County, so it has been omitted here rather than republished unverified — see notes.
ZIP Codes
- 68937 — Elwood (also serves Johnson Lake)
- 68976 — Smithfield
Every address in Gosper County falls under one of these two post office ZIPs.
Geography
Gosper County sits in the Platte River valley of south-central Nebraska, with the river crossing the northern part of the county and Johnson Lake — a reservoir formed by the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District canal system — providing the county’s main body of water and its state recreation area. The terrain rises from irrigated river-bottom cropland in the north to rolling sandhill-fringed rangeland toward the south. Total county area is 463 square miles (1,199 km2), of which about 458 square miles (1,186 km2) is land and roughly 4.6 square miles (12 km2), or 1.0%, is water.
No incorporated place anchors the county’s southern third; that stretch is entirely open farmland and pasture, reached only by county gravel roads running out from Elwood and Smithfield.
Gosper County borders Dawson County to the north, Phelps County to the east, Furnas County to the south, and Frontier County to the west. At roughly 4 residents per square mile, Gosper is one of the least densely populated counties in the Lexington micropolitan area, and public land is limited mainly to the Johnson Lake shoreline and the Gosper National Wildlife Management Area along the Platte.
Demographics
Gosper County’s population was 1,893 at the 2020 census, making it one of Nebraska’s smallest counties by population. Elwood (658) and Smithfield (60) are the two largest communities; most residents live outside either village, on farms and acreages across the county. Density works out to roughly 4 people per square mile. Median household income in Gosper County runs below the Nebraska median of $74,590, typical of the state’s small agricultural counties.
Economy & Local Life
Irrigated row-crop farming — corn and soybeans watered from the Platte and the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District canal system — along with cattle ranching drive the county’s economy. Johnson Lake State Recreation Area draws boaters and anglers from across south-central Nebraska each summer, and the county courthouse in Elwood, an Art Deco building on the National Register of Historic Places, anchors the county seat’s small commercial core. Elwood’s public school serves students from across the county, as is typical of Nebraska’s sparsely populated rural counties.
History
Gosper County was formed in 1873 and organized as a county government in 1881. It is named for John J. Gosper, who held the office of Nebraska secretary of state. Elwood was platted in 1885 when the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad extended a line to the site, and it was named for homesteader Elwood Thomas rather than for the county itself.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 283 and Nebraska Highways 18 and 23 are the county’s main routes.
- Lexington, Nebraska — about 20 miles north
- Kearney, Nebraska — about 45 miles northeast
- North Platte, Nebraska — about 40 miles west
- Holdrege, Nebraska — about 20 miles southeast
Kearney Regional Airport, roughly 45 miles northeast of Elwood, is the nearest commercial airport, with connecting flights to Denver. Interstate 80 runs along the Platte valley just north of the county, giving Gosper County residents quick access to the interstate via Lexington or Cozad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Gosper County, Nebraska?
It is in south-central Nebraska, on the south side of the Platte River, part of the Lexington micropolitan area.
What is the population of Gosper County?
1,893 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Gosper County?
463 square miles (1,199 km2), of which about 1% is water, mostly Johnson Lake.
What is the county seat of Gosper County?
Elwood.
How many towns are in Gosper County?
Two incorporated villages, Elwood and Smithfield, plus the unincorporated community of Johnson Lake.
What ZIP codes are in Gosper County?
68937 (Elwood) and 68976 (Smithfield).
Where does the name Gosper County come from?
It honors John J. Gosper, who held the office of Nebraska secretary of state in the 19th century.