Kearney County is a county in Nebraska, United States, on the south side of the Platte River valley in the south-central part of the state. It had a population of 6,688 at the 2020 census and covers 516 square miles (1,340 km2) of land, centred near 40°31′N 98°57′W.
Minden is the county seat; its postal code is 68959. The county has one city, four villages, three unincorporated communities and 14 townships. It sits in the Central time zone and carries FIPS code 31099.
Towns & Villages in Kearney County
Eight named places are recognized across Kearney County: one city, four incorporated villages, and three unincorporated communities. The table below lists each with its township and, where verified, its 2020 census population and ZIP code.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minden | City · seat | Lowell | 3,118 | 68959 |
| Axtell | Village | Grant | 732 | 68924 |
| Wilcox | Village | May | 331 | 68982 |
| Heartwell | Village | Hayes | — | 68945 |
| Norman | Village | Newark | — | — |
| Keene | Unincorp. | Lincoln | — | — |
| Lowell | Unincorp. | Lowell | — | — |
| Newark | Unincorp. | Newark | — | — |
Norman has no post office of its own and is generally served by the Minden ZIP. Dobytown, an early-1860s trading post and stage stop near Fort Kearny, is a recognized ghost town in the county but is not a populated place today.
Townships
Kearney County is divided into 14 civil townships. The table below covers the townships that anchor a named town or village; the county’s other townships (Blaine, Cosmo, Eaton, Liberty, Logan, Mirage, Oneida, Sherman) are rural and hold no incorporated place.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Lowell | — | Minden, Lowell |
| Grant | — | Axtell |
| May | — | Wilcox |
| Hayes | — | Heartwell |
| Newark | — | Norman, Newark |
| Lincoln | — | Keene |
ZIP Codes
- 68959 — Minden (also serves Norman and Dobytown)
- 68924 — Axtell
- 68982 — Wilcox
- 68945 — Heartwell
Keene, Lowell and Newark have no post office of their own and are covered by nearby ZIP codes.
Geography
Kearney County sits on gently rolling loess plains south of the Platte River, drained by the Little Blue River’s headwaters and several smaller creeks. Almost the entire county is farmland; the small amount of surface water is limited to the river and irrigation canals. The county borders Buffalo County to the north, Adams County to the east, Webster County to the southeast, Franklin County to the south, Harlan County to the southwest and Phelps County to the west.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 6,688 residents. Minden, the county seat, is by far the largest place with 3,118 people, followed by Axtell at 732. Kearney County’s median household income runs below the Nebraska median of $74,590, typical for a farming county with a small, aging population base. Population density works out to roughly 13 people per square mile, one of the lower densities among counties bordering the Kearney metropolitan area.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture drives the county’s economy — irrigated corn and soybeans, along with cattle feeding, dominate the farmland outside Minden. Minden itself is home to Harold Warp Pioneer Village, a 20-acre, 28-building museum complex chronicling American technological change from pioneer days forward; it is the county’s best-known visitor attraction and a regular stop for regional bus tours. Minden’s town square, built around its county courthouse, anchors a small retail and service district that also serves surrounding villages.
History
Kearney County was organized in 1860, one of Nebraska Territory’s early counties, and was named for nearby Fort Kearny, itself named for Brigadier General Stephen W. Kearny. The fort predates the county and sat along the Oregon and California Trails on the Platte River; the ghost town of Dobytown grew up beside it as a trading post and stage stop before fading once the fort closed in 1871. The county seat, Minden, was platted in the 1870s as the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad extended west, and the Kearney Micropolitan Statistical Area today links the county economically to the city of Kearney in neighboring Buffalo County.
Getting There
US Highway 6, US Highway 34 and Nebraska Highways 10, 44 and 74 cross the county, giving Minden direct road access to Interstate 80, a few miles north across the Buffalo County line.
- Kearney — 22 miles north
- Hastings — 24 miles east
- Holdrege — 25 miles west
- Grand Island — 55 miles northeast
The nearest commercial airport is Central Nebraska Regional Airport in Grand Island; Kearney Regional Airport, closer at about 22 miles, offers general-aviation and limited commercial service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kearney County, Nebraska?
It lies in south-central Nebraska, south of the Platte River and about 22 miles south of the city of Kearney in Buffalo County.
What is the population of Kearney County?
6,688 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Kearney County?
516 square miles (1,340 km2), almost entirely land.
What is the county seat of Kearney County?
Minden is the county seat.
How many towns are in Kearney County?
One city (Minden) and four villages (Axtell, Heartwell, Norman and Wilcox), plus the unincorporated communities of Keene, Lowell and Newark.
What ZIP codes are in Kearney County?
68959 (Minden), 68924 (Axtell), 68982 (Wilcox) and 68945 (Heartwell).
Is Kearney County the same as the city of Kearney?
No. The city of Kearney is in neighboring Buffalo County; Kearney County and Fort Kearny were both named after the same general, Stephen W. Kearny, but the county does not contain the city.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.