Keith County is a county in Nebraska, United States, centred on Ogallala along the North Platte River, in the west-central part of the state. It had a population of 8,335 at the 2020 census and covers 1,110 square miles (2,900 km2) centred near 41°12′N 101°40′W.
Ogallala is the county seat, and its postal code is 69153. The county has one city, two incorporated villages, and several unincorporated communities and census-designated places. Keith County observes Mountain Time, the easternmost Nebraska county to do so.
Towns & Villages in Keith County
Keith County has one incorporated city, two incorporated villages, and a handful of unincorporated communities and census-designated places strung along Interstate 80 and Lake McConaughy. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ogallala | City · seat | 4,713 | 69153 |
| Brule | Village | 354 | 69127 |
| Paxton | Village | 512 | 69155 |
| Keystone | CDP | 52 | — |
| Lemoyne | CDP | 19 | — |
| Roscoe | CDP | — | — |
| Sarben | CDP | — | — |
| Belmar | CDP | — | — |
| Martin | CDP | — | — |
| Nevens | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ruthton | Unincorp. | — | — |
The old list also carried “Beals Trailer Court,” “Broganville,” “L and L MH Park,” “Lemoyne MH Park,” and “Megeath” as separate entries. These are small trailer parks and rail-siding remnants rather than recognized communities with their own boundaries, and are not carried forward here; Lemoyne itself (the CDP near Lake McConaughy’s south shore) is kept.
ZIP Codes
- 69153 — Ogallala (also serves Keystone and Lemoyne)
- 69127 — Brule
- 69155 — Paxton
The smaller CDPs and unincorporated places (Roscoe, Sarben, Belmar, Martin, Nevens, Ruthton) share the Ogallala or Paxton ZIP depending on which side of the county they sit on.
Geography
Keith County sits in Nebraska’s sandhills-and-river-valley transition zone, split by the North Platte River and Lake McConaughy, the state’s largest reservoir, formed by Kingsley Dam near Ogallala. The land rises into sandy grassland ridges away from the valley floor, used mainly for cattle grazing and irrigated corn along the river bottom.
Keith County borders Lincoln County to the east, Perkins County to the south, Deuel County to the west, Garden County to the northwest, Arthur County to the north, and McPherson County to the northeast.
Demographics
Keith County’s population was 8,335 at the 2020 census, with a density of about 8 people per square mile. Ogallala, the county seat, and Paxton are the two largest communities. Nebraska’s statewide median household income was the Nebraska median of $74,590 (2023 ACS); Keith County, a smaller rural county built on ranching and reservoir tourism, typically runs below that figure.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle ranching, irrigated corn and alfalfa farming, and tourism around Lake McConaughy anchor Keith County’s economy. Ogallala sits at the junction of Interstate 80, US Route 26, and US Route 30, and the town’s rail and highway history — it was once a major cattle-drive shipping point on the Texas-to-Nebraska trail — still shapes its identity. Kingsley Dam and Lake McConaughy draw boating, fishing, and camping visitors each summer, supporting local lodging and marina businesses.
History
Keith County was organized in 1873 and named for Morell C. Keith of North Platte, a rancher whose grandson, Keith Neville, became Nebraska’s 18th governor in 1917. Ogallala grew rapidly in the 1870s and 1880s as the northern terminus of the Texas Cattle Trail, earning a reputation as a rough-edged trail town before the cattle drives moved on and the area turned to settled ranching and farming. Kingsley Dam, completed in 1941, created Lake McConaughy and reshaped the county’s economy around irrigation and recreation.
Getting There
- North Platte, Nebraska — 55 miles east
- Sidney, Nebraska — 60 miles west
- Kearney, Nebraska — 130 miles east
- Denver, Colorado — 220 miles southwest
Interstate 80 runs the length of the county, paralleled by US Routes 26 and 30; Nebraska Highways 61 and 92 provide north-south access. The nearest commercial airport is North Platte Regional Airport (LBF), about an hour’s drive east.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Keith County, Nebraska?
Keith County is in the west-central part of Nebraska, along the North Platte River and Interstate 80, centred on the city of Ogallala.
What is the population of Keith County?
Keith County had a population of 8,335 at the 2020 census.
How big is Keith County?
Keith County covers 1,110 square miles (2,900 km2), including Lake McConaughy.
What is the county seat of Keith County?
Ogallala is the county seat.
How many towns are in Keith County?
Keith County has one city (Ogallala), two villages (Brule and Paxton), and several smaller unincorporated communities and census-designated places.
What ZIP codes are in Keith County?
The main ZIP codes are 69153 (Ogallala), 69127 (Brule), and 69155 (Paxton).
What is Lake McConaughy?
Lake McConaughy is Nebraska’s largest reservoir, formed by Kingsley Dam on the North Platte River just north of Ogallala, and is a major boating and fishing destination.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.